Facebook/Darcy Kersh

After taking home more than $1,700 in three events, 26-year-old Australian Darcy Kersh has won the 2025 Linderman Award.

Kersh’s main event is the steer wrestling, where he made $46,654 in a 2026 season that included a runner-up finish at the Music City Rodeo and wins at the Livermore Rodeo and Ramon Rodeo. He also made the Finals in Pendleton and Salinas.

In his roughstock event, Kersh tallied $1,720 in the saddle bronc riding and he also added $3,576 in the tie-down roping.

Kersh told ProRodeo.com winning the Linderman was never one of his goals, but with help from Travis Munro and Jake Finlay, he was able to make it happen.

“I sort of remembered how I enjoy riding broncs,” Kersh said. “I just kept entering all of the circuit rodeos in California throughout the year. It’s been a lot of fun but I definitely didn’t plan on it. I just prayed about it because I didn’t want to get hurt. But if I was meant to do it this year then I asked that God would maybe give me a few signs to keep trying. He did, so I kept trying and it’s pretty cool.”

Kersh plans to accept his award in person during Round 7 of the NFR.