Author: Lea Leggitt

With a family with rodeo flowing through their veins, Sage Gaillard is no stranger to the competition or the lifestyle of competing on the arena floor. Sage has major wins from her freshman and sophomore years, claiming the gold at the Texas High School State Finals in barrel racing.

Sage competes in barrels, breakaway, and goat tying. She has had most of her success in barrel racing. Sage shared that her favorite arena to compete is in Abline where the Texas State High School Finals are held. She had two good clean runs but didn’t have a fast enough time to make it to the National High School Finals Rodeo.

When getting in the competitive mode, Sage shares that she treats it like any other day; she tries not to get nervous but instead spends time with her friends. She also listens to music of all genres and one of her favorites is Party in the USA by Miley Cyrus.

When Sage is not on the rodeo road, she is found at school or hanging out with her friends. She shares that if she could spend the day with any celebrity, she would love to meet professional barrel racer Hailey Kinsel.  When Sage has a moment at home, she loves to binge-watch Gilmore Girls. While on the road Sage shared that her favorite road trip snack is peanut butter crackers.

Sage has been a member of Team Cavender’s Youth Rodeo Team since her freshman year of high school, when her brother, Gus Gaillard, introduced her to the team. She has continued to grow and make new friends along the way. Her favorite thing about being part of the team is the team summit where the members come together and meet professional rodeo athletes and learn life skills such as how to interview and be more professional day to day. Now as a senior, she is looking forward to the next chapter in her life. 

Sage shared about life with her brother Gus, a PRCA saddle bronc rider. He is a third-generation saddle bronc rider in the Gaillard family. “It is great to see my brother accomplish his dreams,”. Sage’s family also has a great history of rodeo athletes, as her father was the reserve college finals champion back in the ‘90s. Her mom also competed in breakaway roping. 

Now as a senior, Sage is looking forward to the next chapter in her life. Although rodeo is not in the cards for her going off to college, Sage has ambitions to pursue a career in communications and marketing. She hopes to design a line of apparel and be active in social media content creation. 

The Rodeo News family wishes Sage the best of luck in her new endeavors! She’s left a lasting impression on the young rodeo competitors ready to follow in her footsteps!

If you happen to be behind the bucking chutes at a Texas high school rodeo, you may just come across a singing jokester who happens to be one of the top saddle bronc riders in the state. Jase Stout, from Decatur, Texas, has made a name for himself over the past three years.
Jase started his rodeo career early in the mutton busting while his dad rode bucking horses. He soon moved from riding steers to entering his first junior high rodeo, where he rode saddle bronc steers. Jase quickly worked his way into the winning circle after entering high school. He made it to the High School National Finals in his freshman, sophomore and junior years. Although, those wins came with a price.
During Jase’s sophomore year, he had a horse rough him up in the chutes. The judges gave him a re-ride which flipped over on top of him. He waited two weeks and got on two more head before finally heading to the doctor.
“I ended up tearing my MCL and meniscus and had to have surgery,” said Jase.
He had a long road to recovery but learned that patience is key with an injury like this. Jase took his physical therapy serious and managed to be back riding after two months. While he missed a few high school rodeos and UPRA rodeos he still managed to qualify for the finals.
This year, Jase came back stronger than before his injury. He has been working on his endurance to ensure he has the strength in the event of having to ride a second horse. He stays in shape by doing a lot of cardio. He worked hard through the season and became the 2023 UPRA rookie of the year. He came home with a short-go win and claimed 3rd place overall in saddle bronc at the National High School Rodeo Finals.
When Jase isn’t on the rodeo road, you can find him on the golf course or out hunting hogs with his friends for farmers and ranchers in the area.
Jase shared he has gone to over 100 rodeos across the state of Texas and beyond this past year. He shares his go-to traveling snacks are a coconut Red Bull, peanuts and teriyaki beef jerky.
He has come face to face with many great horses and many not so great but shares about the one he and many other riders keep an eye out for.“ A J and J Rodeo has a horse named Soda Pop Valley is one that we all have a love hate relationship with.” says Jase. “If you ride him you’re going to win but he’s a tough one to get by.”
Jase graduated earlier this fall from high school and is currently taking a year to spend time hitting a lot of open rodeos before starting college in Weatherford in the fall of 2024. He is hoping to study ag business and plans to be involved in some trade programs and get his HVAC license.
He has been a part of Team Cavender’s since his Sophomore year of high school. He has been so thankful for the doors the team has opened and the people he has met.
“I have met some of my best friends through the team,” said Jase, “and honestly, this is more than just a team, it’s a family.”
Jase is gearing up for the Junior World Finals in Vegas. This will be his fifth time to qualify for saddle bronc riding.
Jase says, “I’ve been riding pretty good lately and have been hot, so I hope that carries over.”

“Work with me, Blue Bell,” Natalie says. Their hearts begin to race as they jet out into the arena. They make their way around three barrels, and the duo returns home, stopping the clock. It all came together. Natalie Peacock becomes the 2023 Alabama High School Rodeo Association champion barrel racer.
Natalie didn’t start her barrel racing career until four short years ago. She was raised around horses and as a young girl participated in hunter-jumper and horse showing. As time went on she watched many barrel racing athletes on TV compete and the desire began to grow within Natalie. She decided to step back from her horse showing and jumping competitions to pursue a more fast-paced sport of barrel racing.
Her parents decided to get her a pony to run on. They wanted to make sure it wasn’t a phase.
“We didn’t buy her a cookie-cutter horse,” said Kimberly Peacock, Natalie’s mother. “She had to earn it.” When Natalie proved she was in it for the long haul, her parents brought Blue Bell into their lives.
Natalie trained Blue Bell from the day she arrived at her house. They have become one, and she describes her as her heart horse. “It’s the connection with her that makes that pattern perfect.” Blue Bell is a dapple grey mare who loves her job. Natalie shares that one of her special quirks is always running with her tail in the air. When the duo is warming, up Natalie mentioned she likes to find the quietest place with some natural sounds to relax and connect with her horse. She will always eye down the pattern to give herself the best chance to bring home a win.
Blue Bell is a name you rarely hear at rodeos and barrel races. “I wanted to have a name that was different that you didn’t hear all the time. Blue Bell’s name is one in a million, and the nickname I gave her is Bluelulu when she’s being silly, or I call her Bluelulu, short for Blue Bell.”
Natalie and Blue Bell have traveled all across the country together, from WPRA, high school, andto open rodeos from Alabama to Florida. Natalie said out of all the places they have competed her favorite arena is Andalusia, Alabama. She explained her choice because that is always where she will remember winning her state barrel racing title.
When you see Natalie run, she is always wearing a helmet. Her biggest idol is Fallon Taylor, who also is found sporting the helmet. Natalie’s mother had a severe head injury while running barrels when she was younger and has always ensured Natalie has a helmet. Natalie’s mother likes that she admires Fallon. “It’s the safety that Fallon promotes,” said Kimberly.
Although horses are Natalie’s life day in and day out, when she isn’t busy with school or rodeo, she can be found bedazzling tack sets. She also finds time to be with friends and spend some time at the beach 30 minutes from her home in Ardisal, Alabama.
Natalie is excited for the next step in her life and rodeo career. She hopes to become a vet tech while also competing in the WPRA, PRA and the PRCA. When Natalie joined Team Cavender’s, the good news came when she needed it the most. Her grandmother had recently passed away. Natalie was very sad and mourning her loss. It was then that she received the call, informing her that she made the team. The news renewed her excitement and helped her get that energy back in time for the National High School Finals. “I am so thankful to be a part of this amazing team.” said Natalie.

Imagine battling it out every weekend at high school rodeos in Texas to qualify for the National High School Rodeo Finals to arrive and have it all taken away the first ride out. This occurrence is a reality for now Sophmore bareback rider, Kash Loyd.
When he got on his first horse of the finals, he covered with a score of 65 points to start the event out. As he grabbed his riggin’ the pick-up men began to move in. They thundered around the corner to pass the bucking chutes. Suddenly, Kash’s leg collided with someone along the chutes who didn’t quite make it out of the way, sending Kash flying over his riggin. In that moment, Kash’s arm snapped. He knew what had happened, and the worst part, he was hung up. The pick-up men moved in and safely got him to the ground, but the outcome led Kash straight to the hospital. He completely broke his radius and the growth plate in his wrist. He was out for the rest of the rodeo.
“I was frustrated,” Kash said. He pushed to tell his family he could still ride, but they weren’t convinced. He stayed an extra day to support his friends riding before taking a family road trip back to Texas empty-handed. This incident, however isn’t the end for Kash. That ride is motivating him to come back stronger than before. Kash has been working and training with allstar, Tilden Hooper, who often comes to support these young up-and-comers.
Kash began riding bucking stock when he was just seven years old. “I remember it like it was yesterday,” Kash said. The ponies were rank, but that didn’t scare Kash off. He continued to ride in the Junior Roughstock Association, which only features bucking horse events. When he finally came into high school rodeo, he was in a whole new world. “It was a culture shock,” Kash said. Seeing all of the different events at the high school rodeo was nothing he’d seen before. “It’s not something you get to see every day.” With bareback riding being the first event out, he often didn’t watch the other events, but at many of the finals rodeos he always makes time to watch the other events.
Kash has grown up near Fort Worth, Texas. He is no stranger to the competition the state brings. Although the competitors are friends, they want each other to get better to better themselves. “We are the elite [in Texas],” Kash said. “If you want to succeed at rodeo, you’re coming to Texas.” This competition helped Kash get comfortable quickly at some of the larger rodeos he’s attended. He didn’t feel the pressure that many others may have in these situations.
As a successful bareback rider Kash does have some rituals that must be done before each ride. “I am a lion,” Kash says as he gets ready to get down in the chute. He recites his scripture verses to himself to get him in the zone. “As long as I have God on my side, I’m good.” He, unlike most athletes, prefers to have some quiet time or chatting with the other riders rather than listening to music to get ready. He has one superstition that stands out above the rest, and that is why he wears Snoopy socks for each ride.
Kash joined Team Cavender’s recently and is starting his first year on the team. “They [Cavender’s] give me an extra boost of confidence every time I step into a room or arena.” Kash said. He mentions how nice it is to have people who have his back and help prepare him for the next steps in rodeo and in life.
When Kash isn’t riding bucking horses, you can find him on the football field, the track field or the golf course. He made the varsity team in all three sports his freshman year. Although he cannot play now with his broken arm he is hopeful to make the team again this spring when he is healed.
Kash is ready to hit the rodeo road again as soon as he finishes up physical therapy. He is hoping to be back to riding by the beginning of November and aims to be the Rookie of the Year in the Cowboy Professional Rodeo Association and win the Junior World Finals in Las Vegas this December.

“I crave the rodeo environment,” said Colee Cox, Team Cavender’s athlete from Childress, Texas. Rodeo has consumed her life, from hometown rodeos to traveling across the country to some of the largest junior rodeos in the country.
As one of the newer members on Team Cavender’s, Colee has felt so honored the moment she got the call recruiting her to the team. “I have always hoped I’d get to be on one of these teams.” While Colee has had other friends on the team they invited her over to one of their events and soon she felt the connection with the team. She often gets to compete side by side other members across Texas. It is common to see these ladies sweep the rodeo taking home first, second and third. “I want to be able to win more titles and have Cavender’s on my shirt while doing that.”
Imagine the feeling of claiming a National Junior High Rodeo Finals breakaway champion title and the next year, heading into freshman year becoming a state champion goat tier. This unique conquest is the reality, for Colee.
After tieing a quick 6.6 seconds and a 7.1 at the start of the Texas State High School Finals Rodeo, the pressure and stress began to build. Colee had to wait a dreadful five days to see where she would place at the finals. She’d also been assigned as the goat-tying director, leaving her to stand in the arena and watch each girl tie in front of her. She returned in the short round sitting second behind a junior. “I was ecstatic I made it back and I was extremely nervous,” said Colee, “I chewed all my nails off before I even got to the back of the alley.” After tying a 7.2, she tied for the average and won the title of goat-tying champion as a freshman.
Being homeschooled has been a blessing for Colee. She trains day in and day out, working her horses no matter the Texas weather. “The truck said it’s 103 degrees, and I’m about to head out and practice,” said Colee. She has been working with her new horse, Ruby, which she bought a week before heading to the National Junior High School Finals Rodeo in Georgia in 2022. The gangley sorrel resembles a thoroughbred with hips that are taller than her shoulders making her look a little off balance.
“She [Ruby] has been just a blessing for me,” said Cox. “She’s not the prettiest confirmation-wise, but she can run fast and loves to do her job.”
While traveling the country competing in goat tying and breakaway Colee finds time to participate in her local youth church group and her other pastime, golf. She is on her local school district’s high school golf team. While traveling to rodeos you may spot her on the local greens before the performance. She also finds time to show pigs in 4-H since she was in third grade, while other hobbies have gone by the wayside. Her secret love is baking. She recently learned to make scones and says her family loves her homemade pecan pie.
Colee plans to work on getting her PRCA card and make it to the NFR for her rookie year competing in breakaway. She also hopes that one day the PRCA will allow goat tying in the contest. Although she has already competed with and against some of the biggest names in breakaway roping, she wishes to share the arena with big names like Lari D Guy and Lynn Smith.
Cox shares that she is a music lover and has a special playlist that she blasts before each run. Her favorite gallery is titled, “Hype Rodeo Playlist,” one of the number one songs on there is “The Champ is Here” by O Fresh. She’ll also be caught drinking lemonade before a run, which is her favorite drink while on the road traveling and warming up.
This year, Cox’s goal in the arena is to tie a five-second run. Her current personal best is a 6.1-second run, and she is still pushing to shave seconds. She would also like to qualify for the American in breakaway roping. The goal is to be fast and consistent to step up her level with Ruby in the goat-tying arena.