
World's Toughest Rodeo
How One Cowboy Blazed a Trail for Western Sports
W. Brand Publishing
Published on 11. November 2025
Book
Paperback/Softback
192 pages
979-8-89503-026-4 (ISBN)
Description
From farm chores in rural Iowa to the spotlight of sold-out arenas, Steve Gander's journey is the ultimate American success story.
Raised on a small family farm, Gander learned early that survival came through hard work, grit, and perseverance. When he attended his first rodeo at 15, he was hooked-drawn not just to the excitement of bucking bulls and broncs, but to the production, promotion, and possibilities of the sport. That passion set him on a path that would make him one of the most influential entrepreneurs in rodeo history.
As founder of World's Toughest Rodeo, Gander combined the authenticity of the cowboy way with savvy business instincts and bold marketing strategies. He brought Western sports into major markets like Chicago, Cleveland, and New York, introducing millions to the sights, sounds, and spirit of rodeo. His vision produced unforgettable moments, including a command performance for President Ronald Reagan, and helped launch the careers of countless rodeo professionals and producers.
More than a memoir, World's Toughest Rodeo is a front-row look at how to build a brand, create opportunity, and turn a dream into a thriving business. It's a story of leadership, risk-taking, and relentless determination-told by the man who reshaped rodeo into a nationally recognized entertainment powerhouse.
Whether you love rodeo, Western culture, entrepreneurship, or inspirational life stories, Steve Gander's legacy proves that with courage, vision, and cowboy spirit, anything is possible.
More details
Language
English
Product notice
Paperback (trade)
Unsewn / adhesive bound
Dimensions
Height: 216 mm
Width: 140 mm
Thickness: 11 mm
Weight
249 gr
ISBN-13
979-8-89503-026-4 (9798895030264)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Persons
Ted Harbin is one of only eight who have been recognized for his media excellence by both the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) and the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), the top two sanctioning bodies in rodeo. He won the PRCA's Media Award for Excellence in Print Journalism in 2010 and the WPRA's Media Award in 2014. Harbin began his journalism career while attending Pratt (Kansas) Community College and Fort Hays (Kansas) State University, then worked twenty-two years in the newspaper business.He worked at small weeklies and large dailies before 2005, when he developed TwisTed Rodeo, a media relations company that works primarily in rodeo. In addition to his work being published in hundreds of newspapers, Harbin has written pieces for Western Horseman, Texas Monthly, the WPRA Magazine, and the National Cutting Horse Association's publication, Chatter Magazine. He has served as media director for many rodeos, stock contractors, and other rodeo entities, and has been a publicist for dozens of cowboys and cowgirls. Harbin is one of the most recognized journalists in rodeo today.