Born into a rodeo family on November 21, 1962, to Dorris Ann and David Cormier, steer wrestling was definitely in his genes… or jeans. His father, David, a PRCA Gold Card member, competed in Steer Wrestling; his mother, Dorris Ann, ran barrels, and his sister, Jane, competed through college in goat tying and breakaway roping.
At age 13, Dan entered his first rodeo in steer wrestling, where he won first. He then continued through the ranks of high school and junior rodeos, competing in steer wrestling and calf roping. Dan said, “When I was a kid growing up, I kept up with guys like Roy Duvall, Roy Cooper, Don Gay, and Byron Walker.”
In 1980, Dan attended Sam Houston State University in Huntsville, Texas, where he met his wife, Lisa, and qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo in 1983. After graduating from SHSU in 1984, he turned his focus strictly to steer wrestling. In 1986, Dan won titles in two amateur associations while filling his permit with the PRCA. Later that year, he qualified for the Texas Circuit Finals, where he won the average in steer wrestling.
1987 was Dan’s rookie year in the PRCA, where he qualified for his first National Finals Rodeo. Dan went on to compete at the NFR the next three years, ’88, ’89, and ’90. His rodeo career was highlighted with those 4 NFR qualifications, 2 Texas Circuit Championships in ’88 and ’90, and 10 Texas Circuit Finals trips. Other highlights included average wins at Denver, Houston, and San Antonio.
One of Dan’s most cherished memories was winning the Houston Livestock Show and Rodeo in 1990, 31 years after his dad was crowned champion in 1959. He said, “I wore my dad’s buckle in the short round that Sunday for luck. Moments like that come once in a lifetime.”
Dan and Lisa have two children – Austin and Reid – born in 1993 and 1995.
