The Rosser family, led by Reno Rosser, continues the seven-decade legacy of The Flying U rodeo production company, which plays a central role in staging events like the Marysville Stampede. The company, known for its stock-contracting and rodeo-facilitating, celebrates 70 years of operation, with its roots deeply embedded in the Yuba-Sutter area. Reno Rosser, along with his wife Nichole, sisters Katherine and Cindy, and mother-in-law Karin, currently manage what the source material describes as a "fair-time juggernaut."
Reno Rosser, a seasoned stock contractor and rodeo producer, demonstrates a practiced ease around the powerful animals of the arena. His ability to guide swift-moving horses stems from years of experience, including a past career as a bullfighter in arenas from the Cow Palace to Nephi, Utah. As Rosser remembers, this rodeo term refers to agile cowboys who protect riders after they are unseated, making themselves a target to allow the rider time to escape. Rosser notes he was generally lucky in this dangerous role, attributing his success to constant interaction with livestock and understanding their individual personalities and tendencies. This deep knowledge of animals, he reflects, is key to avoiding injury and effectively managing the bucking horses and bulls for the next rodeo.
On a recent morning at the family ranch outside Marysville, Rosser and his ranch-hands prepared eight horses for an upcoming rodeo. The Flying U maintains a significant herd, with approximately 500 bulls and broncs, all raised in Yuba-Sutter pastures spread across the region. Rosser ensures that "the stock you see, they’re all raised right here in Yuba-Sutter." The company’s showtime broncs perform at large rodeo affairs from Salinas to Reno, Nevada, requiring Rosser to be "on the road virtually non-stop" during this time of year. He emphasizes the continuous need to find "tomorrow’s super stars" among the aging bucking horses. Rosser describes rodeo as "America’s most affordable family entertainment," highlighting its appeal for diverse audiences and its role in creating family memories.
The foundation of The Flying U was laid by Reno’s father, Cotton Rosser, widely known as "the King of the Cowboys," who built the company into one of the largest rodeo production companies in the nation. Cotton's journey in rodeo leadership began after a major ranching accident in the mid-1950s left him with a prognosis that he would never walk again. A fundraising rodeo was organized on his behalf in Marysville by western film actor and rodeo star Ben Johnson, alongside other celebrities. Reno Rosser explains that this benefit rodeo not only covered Cotton's hospital bills but also enabled him to purchase a western store.
Cotton’s Cowboy Corral opened in 1956 on Marysville’s 5th Street and is believed to be the oldest continuously operating western store in California. By around 1960, Cotton, now back on his feet, and a business partner acquired a small rodeo company from Idaho, initially comprising "not more than ten bulls, ten horses and two pickups." This nascent venture took an unexpected turn when a Hollywood producer contacted them for the film "The Misfits," starring Clark Gable and Marilyn Monroe, which was being shot in Northwest Nevada. The substantial payment from this detour to Virginia City led Cotton’s business partner to depart for Hollywood, leaving Cotton as the sole proprietor of the rodeo outfit. Cotton continued to innovate and grow the bull-and-bronc-riding action. Cotton Rosser passed away in 2022, and Marysville recognized his contributions with a statue in Washington Square.
Reno Rosser gained early exposure to ranching life, recalling an experience at nine years old attempting to direct a horse. By the age of 12, he was riding horses himself. After his own time as a rodeo competitor, Rosser realized the need to assist his aging father in running the family business. Along with other family members, Rosser initiated annual free rough stock riding schools at The Flying U to nurture the next generation of rodeo competitors. The family remains committed to upholding the company's top-tier reputation. Reno Rosser expresses a particular passion for the Marysville Stampede, an event held in his hometown and sanctioned by the PRCA. He highlights that this local event is notably organized by "successful businesswomen from this community" who form the only all-female rodeo board in the world. The Rosser family continues its dedication to preserving this way of life through their deep connection to the community and the tradition of rodeo.
