2023 UTAH COWBOY HALL OF FAME WEBER COUNTY INDUCTEES

BY KENDAL RAE JENSEN

When Denny was a young man, he wanted to be a calf roper. He worked for Country Boy Dairy. He saved his money to purchase bottle calves from the dairy and cobbled together an arena to practice in. Nonetheless, calf roping took more money than he made. Fortunately, he found his talent for riding bucking horses.

From 1977 to 1985 Denny’s accomplishments include: Eastern Utah Rodeo Association's All Around Champion; Rocky Mountain Rodeo Association's All Around and Bareback Champion, 1979-NCA Bareback Champion and more.

Denny became a rodeo pick-up man working for the Cowboy's Rodeo Commission, Rocky Mountain Professional Rodeo Association and Broken Heart Rodeos. He was consecutively named Pick-Up Man of the Year from 1986-1997.

Denny ranched with his family, running 500 head of cattle on the Goshute Reservation near the Utah/ Nevada border. Denny was married 28 years to Donna (Gussie) Palmer and together they have a daughter, Stephanie, and son, Dennis Kincade.

The rodeo, western, and ranching community lost a truly unique and unforgettable champion with Denny’s passing on April 30, 2021.

Kyle Kosoff, a proud resident of West Haven, Utah, embodies the spirit of a true horseman and an accomplished rodeo athlete. Alongside his roles as a devoted husband to Misti and a father to Kwade, Kolt, and Kwincee, Kyle is a multifaceted individual.

Having attended Weber High School, Kyle further pursued his education with a rodeo scholarship at Weber State University, ultimately earning a Bachelor of Integrated Studies. Notable accolades include becoming the 1981 National High School Tie Down Roping Champion, the 1984 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Tie Down Champion, and the 1993 PRCA Dodge/RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo Tie Down Champion. He has also earned numerous titles as a tie-down roping champion within the PRCA Wilderness Circuit and qualified for the PRCA Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo a remarkable 11 times. Renowned for his generosity and willingness to help others, Kyle has conducted roping schools where he imparts his knowledge and passion to aspiring ropers. With patience, positivity, and an emphasis on building confidence, he guides his students to develop their roping abilities.

Blue Stone

You could always tell that Blue was meant to be a rodeo champion. He was the Utah High School Rodeo Association Bull Riding Champion in 1996, after which he attended the College of Southern Idaho where he finished as the reserve champion. Throughout his career, he won some of the largest PRCA rodeos including the coveted Cheyenne Frontier Days and the Reno Rodeo. His greatest achievements were two back-to-back National Finals Rodeo World Bull riding Championships in 2001 and 2002. He was the first cowboy to do this since Donny Gay, two decades earlier. He also won a gold medal in the 2002 Winter Olympics. Blue was more than willing to share his talents and spend time with the youth. He mentored such standouts such as Jared Jacques, Jerry Shepard, Wesley Silcox and Steve Woolsey to name a few. He also partnered with local stock contractors to hold bull riding schools.

Aside from living life in the arena Blue could often be found on horseback working cattle or hunting with the boys. Blue was a legendary hero and mentor that will never be forgotten.

The world lost a legend when Blue passed in 2022 but the legend lives on in his wife; Lynsi and his six children; Rowdy, Riley, Waycee, Korbon, Ashton and Taygon.