Rocky Mountain ATV golf tournament raises more than $150,000 for St. Jude Children's Research Hospital

In 2026, Rocky Mountain ATV quickly filled their tee-sheet and had to turn people away. Part of the reason for that are the number of athletes and industry members who keep coming back year after year.

"Doing it the first year was kind of like, oh, go golf, cool, whatever," said Grant Harlan, who is currently just outside the top 20 in Supercross points. "And then at end of the tournament we were all kind of hanging around for the auction and prizes and whatnot, and they brought out a patient so they could tell their story.

"It's one of those things: You kind of understand, but until you see it on their faces and see what they went through, you can't really feel it. So after seeing that, I was like, yeah, I'm for sure coming back and doing this as much as I can."

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Lars Lindstrom, team manager for Honda HRC took time out of his schedule three days before Hunter Lawrence contends for the 2026 Supercross championship. Lindstrom has also been in attendance for all three seasons of the Rocky Mountain ATV Love Moto Stop Cancer Golf Tournament.

"It's super fun for us to be able to come out here and do it as a team and support St. Jude and Feld and the Supercross series," Lindstrom said. "It's at the end of the year. Everybody needs a little bit of a fun thing to do together and celebrate the season and at the same time raise money for kids and all of that. It's super inspiring too to hear the stories and it really makes you feel good about donating and trying to save some lives."

According to Cook, approximately 50 percent of the attendees returned for at least their second time.

"The first year, and I'll give credit where credit's due, I think we absolutely crushed it. The people in the industry, the players, the riders, just everyone, they didn't know what to expect. But when they showed up, I think that we did a good enough job that they realized this is a really cool event for a great cause. We raised well over $100,000 our first year.

"Once they come out, and they did that first year, they realize like, man, this is really well put together. It was so much fun. And then those people all come back. And then I'm sure we had a lot of people, that last year was their first time."

NBC SuperMotocross commentator Leigh Diffey was one of the participants attending for the first time.

"It was fabulous to see everybody, who is so busy, we can all stay in our own lanes and keep our heads down and not look around and care or pay attention to anybody outside our own lanes," Diffey said. "And the care and attention and passion for this purpose, which is for the kids, was so evident. Everyone had a fun day, a lot of money was raised, and it was for the right reason."

And who better to attract large numbers than more than 100 highly competitive motorsports' professionals?

"I think with that, just the general nature of the passion, the encouragement, the competitiveness [of SuperMotocross]. I don't want to see you outbid me. There was some great bidding during the auction. I think that it's an unusual relationship, but it's a really productive relationship."

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A View From the Top

From that first year when Dan Thomas—no relationship to St. Jude founder Danny Thomas—ponied up additional revenue to ensure the tournament would take place, support has been strong from the top down.

Currently 100 percent employee owned, Rocky Mountain ATV sees this as an important part of their brand.

"We've been donating to them for 30 plus years, so we've always believed in St. Jude," said Rocky Mountain's current CEO, Shane Burningham. "Two years ago I went out and toured the facility and just to see the technology they do, and the things that they try, and the success rates, and to hear how much they've lowered the mortality of cancer [in children] in that of their center is amazing. It's definitely a good cause and we're grateful to be a part of it, but it is good for our brand and that to be here as well."

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Due to St. Jude Children's Research Hospital's efforts, the overall cancer survival race has risen from 20 percent to 80 percent, a statistic that was extremely meaningful to St. Jude alum and cancer survivor Darren Warren, who performed the National Anthem for the Love Moto, Stop Cancer Supercross race in St. Louis in April.

"It's definitely getting bigger and bigger each year and it's fun to see the different vendors coming in here and the things they're doing on the whole challenges and stuff like that," Faulkner continued. "Overall I think we blew away last year's fundraising and honestly, the biggest thing with that is it is for the children and it is to help further the research in that for cancer. And it's an amazing thing that St. Jude does and we're just glad to be a part of it."

And why is this so important? Because no family receiving treatment at St. Jude ever receives a bill. The entire medical, housing, and food costs are supported by donations like those received this week during the Rocky Mountain ATV Love Moto Stop Cancer Golf Tournament.