Rodeo Life

Author: Lily Landreth

  • Kevin Crain

    Kevin Crain

    The co-owner of C-Bar Rodeo Company, Kevin Crain has been stock contracting for more than 20 years. The rodeo company was started in 1991 by Kevin and his older brother and best friend Ronnie. Growing up in Illinois, the two brothers didn’t have many opportunities for rodeo in the area they lived. “We started out trying to get on things when we were just kids,” Kevin remembers. “We’d get on anything – horses, bulls, cows, hogs. Whatever we could catch, we’d get on it.” Throughout high school, Kevin and Ronnie began challenging themselves further. With nowhere to practice, they built an arena out of telephone poles and hollow field pipe. The brothers started buying up horses that were sale barn rejects to see if they would buck. Little did they know that this was the beginning of their rodeo company. Over the next few years the brothers’ backyard bucking had grown enough that they began hauling bucking horses to rodeos, and in 1991, C-Bar Rodeo Company was formed.

    Today, C-Bar Rodeo Company puts on 25 events a year. “Our bull ridings are sanctioned with the BOA and our roughstock events are with the CSRA,” Kevin explains. Since his brother’s passing two years ago, Kevin runs the rodeo company with the help of his nephews and co-owners, Wade and Will. Kevin’s four daughters have helped with the company as well, especially carrying flags. His niece Dusti Lynn is a PRCA and IPRA trick rider, and his younger nephew and niece Tucker and Dakota are old enough to start helping now. “Everybody joined in the rodeo because we needed free help. That’s why we had so many kids!” Kevin said with a laugh. In addition to providing the roughstock for CSRA rodeos, Kevin also serves on the association’s Board of Governors.

    Kevin, in addition to running his rodeo company, works as a union business agent. Following high school, and before the rodeo company was born, Kevin had served in the Illinois Army National Guard for several years and then became a union worker. Kevin, 44, says his job entails, “Putting union members out to work and solving any kind of union disputes that come up.” He also enjoys golfing, a hobby which he took up at a rodeo after putting several balls around with some cowboys from the rodeo circuit. They meet at a golf course on occasion, and Kevin says, “I don’t know if the golf course appreciates it, but we have a pretty good time!”

    Kevin makes his home about 12 miles outside of Farina, Ill. with his wife Dawn and their four daughters. “Katie competed in volleyball and went to college on a volleyball scholarship, Alex went to college on an academic scholarship, and Kellie went to college on a softball scholarship, so we’re doing pretty well so far!” says Kevin. “Kacie is still in high school, she’s a freshman at South Central High School.”

    In addition to running the rodeo company, Kevin and his nephew Wade are also starting to breed their own line of bucking bulls, but Kevin says, “Finding the right combination of bloodlines is a heck of a trick! We’ve got our cows and we’re dabbling around in the embryo and breeding aspects. A goal for us is to someday raise a bull that will take us to the next level.” In 2013, the Crains bought into a futurity calf and competed in the Million Dollar Futurity in Las Vegas, Nev. Ultimately, Kevin is very proud of the rodeo company that he created with his brother. “We had no idea that our company would grow like it has today!” he concluded.

  • Chris Maros

    Chris Maros

    The month of May marks Chris Maros’s first year competing in the APRA. The cowboy from Newfoundland, Pa. began team roping two years ago after working the chutes for timed events in 2012 at the Malibu Dude Ranch in Milford, Pa.  “It really motivated me to work hard to compete at that level,” Chris explains. “I’ve only found a few sports in my life where I wake up every morning anxious to do them. I raced motocross and was a professional stand-up jet skier for many years, and practice wasn’t really work because I loved it so much. I don’t have to twist my arm around to do roping. I just love it that much!”

    Chris, 42, doesn’t come from a rodeo background, but his friends – including Kevin Daniel, Jimmy Madden, and Ricky Gonzalez – have helped him to get the knack of the sport. “I really look up to Kevin Daniel,” says Chris. “Because of his faith in God, he’s a very grounded person, even with his success in roping. When I started rodeo it was all so new to me, but he treated me the same way as a #6 roper or better.” Chris ropes daily with Chad Finley and rodeos with his roping partner Drew Young. While Chris heads at APRA rodeos, he ropes both ends for USTRC, NTRL and jackpot ropings.

    Another aspect of Chris’s involvement in the APRA is serving as the association’s Chaplin, which he has been doing since 2013. Chris says, “I’m helping with advancing Cowboy Church with Chris Prang, and he and I are helping Susie Graham with promoting Jesus Loves Cowboys further into the APRA. She (Graham) is well established in Cowtown. I admire her dedication to our Lord.” He further explains, “One of my favorite Bible verses is John 3:30, which is ‘He must become greater; I must become less.’ My real goal is to share the work of God with everybody. People can contact me through Facebook or the APRA website if they need prayer requests. I want the guys and girls to know that’s what I’m there for.”

    Chris and his wife Mindy are raising their two children, Lilly (seven) and Cody (three) on their farm outside of Newfoundland. Chris built their house and barn himself, along with a 300’ by 150’ outdoor roping pen. He also runs a small scale beef operation from his farm for himself and his neighbors. Chris enjoys bow hunting as well. He has two roping horses: Jack, his 16-year-old tried-and-true roping horse, and Rooster, the young gelding that Chris is finishing.

    When he is not roping, Chris is operating his marina business 24-7 Innovations with his wife Mindy, who works in the office. During his professional jet skiing days, Chris raced in the Budweiser Jet Sports Tour. Each year as a pro, he qualified for the Skat-Trak World Finals held in Lake Havasu City, Ariz. The top 200 riders in the world are invited to compete. In 1996 he finished seventh and in 1997 he nearly finished third until his jet ski broke down with only two laps remaining. Chris won seventh in 1998 but decided to retire due to an injured knee. That lead to the start of his marine service business which involves collision repair and engine work.

    “This year my biggest goals are to get enough money won to go to the APRA finals and to get to some bigger USTRC ropings,” Chris concludes. “I don’t burden myself too much with long terms goals and trying to meet them. It’s all in God’s hands and I’m going to work at it 100% with what He gave me.”

  • Ashley Lankford

    Ashley Lankford

    Ashley Lankford is a 17-year-old cowgirl from Collinsville, Okla. She has grown up astride a horse, and the rodeo arena has been the center of her world in the summer for nearly 10 years. Ashley competes in breakaway roping, team roping as a heeler, pole bending, and barrel racing. Her parents, Bill and Renee Lankford, used to work in rodeo. Bill worked behind the chutes and Renee was a timer, but they eased back from that when they began hauling Ashley to her rodeos.

    Ashley is inspired by rodeo legend Jim Shoulders when it comes to her involvement in the sport. “My dad knew him personally,” explained Ashley. “The way that he changed rodeo, his sportsmanship, and all of the great things he did inspire me.” While she plans to attend college and study in the medical field, Ashley hopes that rodeo will continue to be a part of her life after high school.

    The Lankford family lives outside of town, with several dogs and horses making their home complete. Ashley has a younger sister, Gabrielle, who is seven. The sisters enjoy riding together, but Gabrielle hasn’t decided if she wants to rodeo yet. She does, however, enjoy playing piano and cheerleading. Among the Lankford’s horses are Goose, Ashley’s breakaway and team roping horse, and Warrior, who she competes on in poles and barrels. Ashley finished both of her horses in the events that she competes in.  The Lankfords bought Goose from PRCA cowboy Josh Welch, who started the horse in tie-down and team roping. Ashley often practices roping the dummy in the arena in her back pasture, but several times a week she also ropes calves at a practice pen with her team roping partner.
    A junior at Collinsville High School, Ashley’s favorite subjects are math and science. She loves the hands-on learning that comes with experiments. Ashley is also involved in track and field this spring, with shot-put and discus as her field events. Another part of Ashley’s education is her participation in FFA. She is taking some time off from projects this year, but in 2013 she competed in the speech contest. This involved writing, memorizing, and delivering a six to eight minute speech in front of a panel of judges. “My topic was on animal cruelty in rodeo,” said Ashley. “I talked about how it wasn’t cruel and explained what the events were intended for originally.”

    When she is not with her horses, Ashley enjoys spending time with her family and friends. She is especially supportive of her sister Gabrielle, who is participating in several speech contests and even went to districts. As for her future goals, Ashley says, “I’d mainly like to improve in everything in every aspect of rodeo.” She is also striving to earn several college scholarships, and to compete in college rodeo when the time comes. Ashley wants to study in the medical field, and she is researching what type of doctor she would like to be.

    Ashley’s main goal for this coming summer is to compete in state finals. In 2012 , her freshman year, she qualified for state finals in the NHSRA, but was unable to compete due to a neck injury. She did, however, qualify for the NJRA finals rodeo in 2013 in breakaway and won a finalist buckle. As she continues to haul to rodeos and pursue the sport she loves best, Ashley concluded, “I’d like to thank my whole family – my mom and dad and my little sister, and the friends that have supported me. And God, for leading the way.”

  • Jolee Lautaret-Jordan

    Jolee Lautaret-Jordan

    Jolee Lautaret-Jordan has been living the rodeo lifestyle since her childhood. At 39, Jolee is pursuing the sport she loves through the GCPRA and the California Circuit. She is the 2013 GCPRA Barrel Racing Champion, having won the title once before in 2007.

    In addition to barrel racing, Jolee has also competed in team roping and breakaway roping. Her parents, Darrell and Dolli Lautaret also team rope. Jolee’s dad is a retired bull rider, and her mom is a former hunter/jumper turned barrel racer who trains all of the family’s horses. Jolee and her parents were team roping together in the GCPRA incentive up until injuries prevented Darrell from competing for a time. “I definitely look up to my family,” says Jolee, “my mom and my dad both. They’ve been very supportive of me. My mom has always trained the horses I’ve ridden and I’m always trying to be as good of a horsewoman as she is. My husband is a great supporter – he helps me with the mental and positive thinking and having the right perspective.”

    Horses are naturally what most of Jolee’s life is centered around. These include Down Home Daisy and Classy Rose Bug, the two mares that Jolee and her mom barrel race on. Daisy is their seasoned rodeo horse, while Rose is still going through finishing. Jolee began the 2013 rodeo season on Rose, but as the GCPRA finals drew near, Jolee hadn’t won enough to qualify for the finals that are held only 45 minutes from her house. She ended up trading horses with her mom, Dolli, and both women were able to compete at the finals. Jolee says that trading horses back and forth with her mom works to their advantage. “It keeps the horses fresh. Whoever has the best opportunity with one horse or the other rides that one. If one of us wins it all goes back to the expenses – it’s kind of a common pot.”

    Jolee and her husband Allan Jordan live at the edge of city limits in Kingman, Ariz. Their 20 acres are tucked in the foothills of the mountains. Allan rode bulls and competed in steer wrestling for 18 years, and today he works as a full time official with the PRCA judging rodeos. Jolee is a writer, and she writes for the WPRA. Her byline can also be found on examiner.com, an online program that she writes rodeo stories for. Additionally, Jolee works for Pro Rodeo Live and Rural Radio as one of the radio personalities that covers the NFR and other events. In addition to commentating the barrel racing and bull riding at the NFR, as well as the PRCA Champion Challenge, Jolee has also covered the PBR Finals.

    While she has done event analysis for the WNFR for two years, Jolee’s dream is to be one of the competitors again. She barrel raced at the WNFR from 2002 – 2004. “That’s a pretty big goal,” says Jolee. “I don’t feel like it’s totally out of reach, but you don’t want to kill yourself and your horse to get it done. Every year my goal is to make it to my circuit finals and the Grand Canyon finals. Our goal is to have more money won at the end of the year than we spent, but that’s a difficult one to accomplish,” she said with a laugh. “At the core of it (rodeo) I love the horses and the challenge of competing with your animals. It’s getting tougher and tougher now with all of the good horses their breeding now. It’s that much harder and feels that much better when you win.”

  • Peyton Crowder

    Peyton Crowder

    Rodeo is the axis which Peyton Crowder’s life revolves around. She has been competing in the NJHSRA since she was in sixth grade, although she first competed in the rodeo arena when she was five. The 14-year-old’s interest in rodeo first took root as she watched her older brother compete. Following in his shadow, Peyton’s first few years of rodeo were none too easy. However, several horses made the difference in her competition, including Bucky and Maverick, a horse given to Peyton by her aunt. While Maverick was already trained, Peyton seasoned him for rodeo, discovering that the horse had a flair for the sport. “Maverick has been a godsend, thanks to Peyton’s Aunt Carol,” says Missy Crowder, Peyton’s mom. On Maverick, Peyton went on to compete in the NJHFR in barrel racing during her first year of junior high rodeo, placing as first runner up. Peyton competed at the NJHFR again in 2013, qualifying in barrel racing, breakaway roping, and team roping, and she is going into the spring rodeo season leading in the all-around.

    Peyton also competes in pole bending, goat tying, and ribbon roping. She team ropes as a header with her friend Morgan Darnell. In addition to competing in the NJHSRA, Peyton competes in the Mile Hi Barrel Horse Association. Barrel racing is her favorite event, and her greatest dream is to compete at the WNFR someday. In the meantime, Peyton spends much of her time with her horses. She runs barrels on Maverick, pole bends on Holly, team ropes on Ego, and does goat tying on Scooty. Both Ego and Scooty belonged to Peyton’s brother Wyatt, who passed his rodeo horses along to her. She will also be competing on her newest horse, Dani, this summer. While her horses are a tremendous part of her rodeo pursuits, Peyton also gratefully acknowledges the support of her parents Missy and Robbie Crowder, her brother Wyatt, her uncle Rick Harris, Carol Crowder, and her friend Charleen Ornellas.

    The Crowder family lives several miles outside of Fort Lupton, Colo. Their 70 acres are home to a number of horses and bucking bulls. Wyatt, Peyton’s brother, is a PBR stock contractor, and the 19-year-old’s bull The Rocker won the American Bucking Bull Inc. Classic title in 2013 at the PBR World Finals. Peyton is very proud of her brother’s accomplishments with his bucking bulls, and another one of her goals is to raise a PBR bucking bull of her own. Peyton divides the majority of her time between her horses, her bulls, and raising Miniature Australian Shepherds. Peyton’s mom calls her a true animal lover, and Peyton takes great pride in raising good puppies. The money she makes from selling her puppies goes toward her rodeo entry fees.

    Peyton is homeschooled, and she is currently in the eighth grade. While bookwork is not her favorite thing, Peyton is an honor roll student, and she loves to finish her school and get out to her horses. She practices nearly every day, whether riding, roping, or working with her bucking bulls. Peyton’s main goal for this year is to compete at the NJHFR in barrel racing for the third consecutive year. But she also enjoys the journey to the NJHFR and she loves being a part of the NJHSRA and spending time with the people of the association.

    In conclusion, Peyton would like to extend her thanks to the three sponsors that keep her horses ready to rodeo – Rick Harris Horseshoeing, Dale Knobbs Chiropractic, and Formula 707.

  • Sidney Carey

    Sidney Carey

    Sidney Carey has been rodeoing for more than 10 years. The 18-year-old from Huron, S.D. climbed the ladder from junior rodeos, to junior high and high school rodeos. This is her final year competing in the SDHSRA and she has ambitious plans for the coming rodeo season.

    Sidney competes in barrel racing, goat tying, pole bending, breakaway roping, and team roping as a header. Out of those five events, breakaway roping and goat tying are her favorites. Both of Sidney’s parents, Blaine and Paullyn Carey, have competed in rodeo as well. Sidney is very thankful for the advice and support of her parents, as well as  what she has learned from her uncle, Shawn Carey, and from the family’s friend, Jody O’Brian. “She inspires me to do my best,” said Sidney.

    The Careys make their home about five miles north of Huron. Sidney has two younger sisters – Kallie, 16, and Tatum, 11. All three sisters compete in 4-H rodeo and the National Little Britches Rodeo Association. The Carey family has 16 horses and three dogs, along with roping calves to practice on in the summer. The entire family spends a good deal of time in their arena during the summer. The Carey sisters’ team roping partners come over and they spend the evening roping calves, tying goats and working their horses. “We keep it pretty fun,” Sidney said. She and her sisters also have competitions between the three of them, either roping the dummy or practicing roping tricks.  Sidney’s rodeo horses include Griz, her team roping horse, and Kimmy, her all-around mare. Kimmy was trained by Shawn Carey, Sidney’s uncle.

    Sidney is a senior at Wolsey-Wessington High School. Math and science are the subjects she enjoys most, and she is also very fond of playing sports. Earlier in the school year, Sidney played volleyball, basketball, and ran cross country. Additionally, Sidney is in 4-H, which she has been a part of since she was eight. On top of 4-H rodeo, she does home living projects, which has included making picture frames, using lasers to etch designs onto mirrors, and even making a trophy table which Sidney put her belt buckles in.

    If she had a day with no obligations, Sidney might spend it sleeping in and riding her horses, but it’s more likely that she’ll be up early to load horses and haul to a rodeo or jackpot. One of Sidney’s favorite rodeos in the SDHSRA is the Watertown Rodeo. “It’s a good rodeo, and afterwards all of the kids go to Thunder Road and do cart racing. It’s pretty intense,” she said with a laugh.

    Highlights of Sidney’s 2013 rodeo season include winning fourth in breakaway in the South Dakota 4-H finals rodeo, even after she broke out, having originally been positioned in first. At the same rodeo, she received the Never Quit Award, given in memory of Shirley Gerard. Of her goals for 2014, Sidney said, “I would like to win the all-around at most of the rodeos I go to, and win a saddle in any of my events.” Sidney is also working to qualify for the 2014 NHSFR. She plans to rodeo more with the SDRA in addition to competing on the South Dakota State University (SDSU) rodeo team this fall. She will be filling her semesters with rodeoing and earning her degree in civil engineering. As she pursues her dreams for the future, Sidney explains what drives her to rodeo. “It’s mostly the people, and the friends that you make. I’ve grown up around it, and it’s a way of life for my family.”

  • Abi Deveraux

    Abi Deveraux

    “Rodeo is just what I love and I couldn’t imagine my life without it,” says 16-year-old Abi Deveraux. “It keeps me sane and I love going down the road and spending the spring, summer and fall with people just like me.” Abi is starting her second year of competing in the WHSRA, but she has been rodeoing since she was five years old. Her dad, Craig Deveraux, was a PRCA saddle bronc rider who competed for many years before retiring from the sport. He is Abi’s rodeo coach and role model. “He’s basically the reason that I’m able to do rodeo,” Abi says of her dad. “I’m not kidding when I say I wouldn’t be anywhere without my parents.”

    Abi competes in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, breakaway roping, and team roping. “Whatever I’m winning at is the one I like best at the time!” she says. Abi’s barrel and team roping horse is a gray gelding named Chopo. Abi bought him in 2013 and she says they are beginning to figure things out between the two of them. She competes in pole bending on her buckskin ranch mare Penny, who is just a fun horse to ride, according to Abi. The little mare took them to the NHSFR in their event in 2013. Finally, Abi’s breakaway horse is a red roan named Benny. “He’s one of those horses that you can cover a lot of country on in one day, and rope calves in the arena on him the next,” Abi says.

    The Deveraux family lives about eight miles outside of Newcastle, Wyo. Abi’s parents are Craig and Jolene Deveraux, and she also has twin 13-year-old brothers, Jake and Cooper. They will be starting junior high rodeo this year. The three siblings enjoy practicing together, and Abi says, “The best practice sessions are when we’re all together. It’s intense and we’re all going like crazy!” The Deveraux family has cow/calf pairs and yearlings that they run on their two ranches that are 14 miles apart. They also hold a horse sale every year in June. “We keep about 45 horses around here. We’re constantly riding them,” Abi explains. Her dad buys prospective horses and the family finishes training any of the green horses they buy. “I have ten horses that I could hop on to practice on at any time. That’s how I stay sharp – I have a whole pen of talented horses to ride,” says Abi.

    Abi is a sophomore at Newcastle High School. She enjoys her Ag. class and playing basketball on her school’s team. She is also involved in FFA judging horses, and she will be going to state FFA in the near future. In her free time, Abi enjoys spending time with her family, from playing cards to watching movies together or enjoying a lively conversation. If she had a day to do whatever she wanted, Abi says, “We’d start the day off saddling up a couple of good horses and I’d ride with my brothers. Then maybe we’d go fishing while it’s hot, then come back and rope.”

    Abi’s goals for the coming year are to qualify for the NHSFR again and work towards winning a state championship. “Last year at nationals I qualified in poles, but I’d like to qualify in more events this year. I’d be most proud of a breakaway or goat tying championship.” Abi is interested in studying a subject related to sports medicine in college and she says, “I definitely want to college rodeo if I can and find a way to the WPRA.”

  • Kaylee Scales

    Kaylee Scales

    Kaylee Scales is going into the 2014 rodeo season already qualified for the NLBFR in her three events. The 13-year-old from Blanchard, Okla. went to nationals last year for the first time and made the Top Hand Team. “I don’t know what I’d do without it (rodeo),” says Kaylee. “It’s become not only a hobby, but my life. It’s my favorite of all the sports I do, and it’s a family event. I love competing with my animals and I meet all of these different people that I become friends with. It’s a really great thing!”

    Kaylee competes in barrel racing, pole bending, and goat tying. Her dream is to barrel race at the WNFR someday, as it is her favorite event and the one she competes best in. Kaylee describes the horses that she competes on. “I run barrels on Boogie – he’s 13 years old. I love to compete on him. He’s very powerful coming off the barrels and we fit together like a hand in a glove. My pole horse is Annie. She’s 23 this year and I got her when I was seven. She’s my absolute favorite! Apache does everything, and she’s also my brother’s roping horse. She’s 17 and we nominated her for Purina Super Horse of the Finals last year in the NLBRA.”

    The Scales family makes their home in the country outside of Blanchard. In addition to their horses, they also keep roping calves on their 20 acres. Kaylee and her 12-year-old brother Tanner often practice together in their arena. Their parents are Rick and Shelly Scales. Tanner also competes in the NLBRA, and he too will be competing at the NLBFR for the second time this summer. Along with their horses, the Scales never go to a rodeo without their two dogs, Izzy and Roper.

    Kaylee is a seventh grader at Amber-Pocasset High School. Her favorite subject is reading, and from 2011-2013 she was chosen as one of Grady County’s Top Readers. The award is given based on the number of books read and the reading level. Kaylee loves to read mysteries, and she also enjoys books by her favorite author Meg Cabot.

    Kaylee runs cross-country and track, and in addition to her involvement with student council, she is serving as the AM-PO class secretary. She also stays busy with showing pigs in 4-H, which she has been doing for the last nine years. In her free time, Kaylee can be found engrossed in a book or out playing with her horses in the pasture. If she had a day to spend however she wanted, Kaylee says, “I would spend it outside practicing with my horses, trying to get better for the next rodeo.”

    Goals that Kaylee has set for herself include winning a barrel racing national championship at the NLBFR this summer. She also hopes to college rodeo after high school and study to be a teacher. Several of her rodeo achievements in 2013 include first runner up for princess in the 2013 NLBRA royalty contest, she also was the all-around, junior girls, barrel racing, goat tying , and ribbon runner champion in the Oklahoma-North Texas Little Britches Rodeo Association. Kaylee and her family have helped to start the Central Oklahoma franchise of Little Britches, with Kaylee’s dad serving as the vice-president.

    Kaylee never goes to a rodeo without her family, grandparents, and her aunt and uncle. She looks to her parents as role models and she says, “My parents commit time out of their busy schedules to haul us up and down the road. I’m very blessed to have my family and God with me whenever I go rodeo.”

    Noble Outfitters recognizes youth accomplishments and supports programs like NLBRA. Kaylee will receive a Hands Duffle!
    Learn more at nobleoutfiters.com

  • Tristan Mahoney

    Tristan Mahoney has been rodeoing with the GCPRA since he was 16. In 2013, the 23-year-old had his first big win with the association, coming home the GCPRA Calf Roping Champion. The tradition of rodeo in Tristan’s family runs back to his grandfather, Hollis Fuchs, a cowboy with one leg and a heart for team roping. Both Tristan’s parents, Kent and Becky Mahoney, have competed extensively in rodeo and seen great success in the sport.  “They’re the ones that got me into it (rodeo) and taught me everything,” says Tristan. Another influential person in Tristan’s life is Gordy Alderson, a bit and spur maker from Tucson. “He’s helped me along the way and given me a lot of advice,” Tristan says. In addition to calf roping, he also competes in team roping as a heeler in the incentive. He also competed in steer wrestling during college rodeo, but gave the event up when he injured his knee.

    Tristan was born and raised in Arizona and currently makes his home in Florence. He works in his family’s real estate business with his dad and grandpa. He is showing houses and building up a clientele of his own, and in the last four or five months, he has spent a large portion of his time remodeling a house that he bought in Florence. “It was a total remodel,” Tristan explains. “I figured it out as I went, and a lot of people helped me and showed me how to different things. I’m going to sell it before too long and try to get a place with my own arena.”

    In the meantime, Tristan keeps his horses on his family’s ten acres and uses their arena. His calf roping horse is Ollie, an American Quarter Horse who started out a reiner but found his niche in rodeo. Tristan trained him for roping and seasoned the gelding that has now been his mount for five years. Tristan has always trained his own horses, and the ones that don’t fit him for rodeo are sold. Currently Tristan is starting a new bunch of colts, having recently sold several that he finished.

    Prior to his work in real estate, Tristan attended Central Arizona College (CAC) where he graduated with an Associate of Arts degree. What he especially had his eye on, however, was college rodeo, which he competed in during his two years at CAC. “I didn’t have a lot of luck,” says Tristan. “I just missed the college finals and I hurt my knee bull dogging my sophomore year.” While success in college rodeo was hard to pin down, Tristan has had better achievements in circuit rodeo. During the summer, he rodeos in Idaho, Oregon, and Washington on the Columbia River Circuit. “You try to hold your money together, and when it runs out, you come home!” Tristan explains. Other activities that he enjoys include spending a hot summer day at the river or the lake, but roping is what his lifestyle revolves around. One his favorite rodeos in the GCPRA is the Wilcox Rodeo, and he often competes at his best at the Cave Creek Rodeo, which is on the Turquoise Circuit.

    Feeling optimistic, Tristan describes his goals for the near future. “I’d like to repeat and win the Grand Canyon (calf roping) again, and I’d also like to win the circuit finals and make it to the Dodge Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo. I’m going to get these horses finished, put a little money together in the next few years, and make a run at the Wrangler National Finals.”

  • Sterling Gehrke

    Sterling Gehrke

    Sterling Gehrke does not believe in doing anything by halves, especially rodeo. “I’m a really competitive person, and I don’t like to lose,” explained the 18-year-old. “I like to do well at everything I do. When I start something, I try to do the best I can at it.” Sterling first started competing in rodeo when he was 10. After watching a friend rodeo, he wanted to give the sport a try. His parents, Lyle and Dawn Gehrke, have never competed in rodeo, but they wholeheartedly support Sterling’s pursuits and try to be at every one of his rodeos.

    This is Sterling’s final year competing in the SDHSRA, having competed with the association since he was a freshman. His events are tie-down roping and team roping as a header, and he finds equal enjoyment in both. Sterling looks to his dad as his role model, not only for rodeo but for many other things in life. “He helps me when I’m practicing and he always helps me with what I did wrong,” said Sterling.

    The Gehrke family lives about six miles outside of Castlewood, S.D. They enjoy horseback riding together, and the Gehrke’s have eight horses, two of which are Sterling’s rodeo horses. He heads off of his gelding, Ray, and does his tie-down roping on his mare, Josie. Sterling and his dad finished training Ray for rodeo, but bought Josie when she was new to tie-down roping and trained her themselves. It was a long process, but she has proven to be a steady roping horse. In the summer, the Gehrke’s keep roping calves and steers and Sterling is able to practice in his family’s arena.

    While Sterling may take the winter off of riding, he stays busy with plenty of other activities. He is a senior at Watertown High School where he wrestles on his school’s team, the Watertown Arrows. He has been wrestling varsity since eighth grade, and last summer he wrestled for Team South Dakota at the Disney Duals in Orlando, Fla. In addition to wrestling, Sterling also enjoys his welding class. He finished his required classes for high school when he was a junior, leaving him more time to spend on wrestling and welding this year. Sterling has made a sign to hang above his family’s driveway, as well as benches for their shop, and he takes care of any projects around his house that need a welder’s know-how.

    During the school year, Sterling has wrestling practice every weeknight, with up to two competitions a week, but he still finds time to rope the dummy, or go hunting or fishing with his dog Remy. Sterling also competes in 4-H rodeo which helps fill in the gaps between SDHSRA rodeos. In 2013, he won second in tie-down roping at the South Dakota 4-H Finals Rodeo.

    After passing the milestone of high school graduation this spring, Sterling plans to attend South Dakota State University. He will be rodeoing with the college, as well as studying for his major in Ag. Business with a minor in Agronomy. As for his goals in rodeo, in addition to college rodeo, Sterling hopes to conclude his high school rodeoing by competing at the NHSFR this summer. He has competed in the South Dakota state finals rodeo for the past four years, but he is working extra hard to qualify for nationals. His pursuits wouldn’t be possible without the support of his parents, and Sterling concluded, “I’d like to thank my parents for keeping me with good horses and getting me up and down the road.”

  • Casey Sellers

    Casey Sellers

    Casey Sellers is a persistent cowboy from Buffalo, Wyo. In 2013, that persistence paid off when the 18-year-old was able to win the 2013 WHSRA All-Around Cowboy. Among other achievements last year, won the year-end tie down roping in the WHSRA and set an arena record at the National Little Britches Finals Rodeo with a 7.5 in tie-down roping. “I’ve always loved being around horses and roping, and seeing guys do good,” said Casey. “I’m working to become one of those winners, and be like the guys that I look up to. This last year I started winning more consistently, and to see that start paying off – that was really motivating for me.”

    Casey competes in tie-down roping, steer wrestling, and team roping as a header. “I guess whichever one is going the best that day is my favorite,” he said with a laugh. Casey and his older brother, Colter, who attends college in Texas on a rodeo scholarship, are the first of their family to compete in rodeo. Their dad, Dan Sellers and his mother, Vickie Sellers, competed in ranch rodeos, and support their sons to compete in the sport of rodeo. “They’ve been behind me and my brother all the way. They give us all that we need to compete,” Casey explained. “I’d like to thank my mom, my dad, and my brother, the Spratt families, the Jase and Deb Ready family, and Dean Finnerty for all of their help and support. And everyone else that’s helped me!”

    Born in Montana, Casey and his family moved to Buffalo, Wyo. when he was six. Since they live in town, the Sellers keep their horses a short distance from their house. Having to haul his horses to an arena whenever he wants to train hasn’t always been easy, but he always makes the most of his practices.

    Okie is Casey’s tie-down roping horse. Casey and Okie set the arena record at the NLBFR with a 7.5 in calf roping. Casey steer wrestles off of Cutter, a horse that belongs to his friend Klay Ready. Caseys best steer wrestling time is a 3.5 sec run on Cutter. Yankee is his best team roping horse, but is currently hurt, so Casey is team roping off of his other horse Shaggy. “I’ve got good horses underneath me,” said Casey. Casey is homeschooled and is currently taking dual Credits at Sheridan College. He will have 27 college credits when he graduates. He played football for three years on the Buffalo High School football team and was the school’s All Conference Linebacker his junior year. He decided not to play his senior year. I’ve decided to invest my time and money in rodeo. At least I got to experience high school football, and I loved it!” Casey also enjoys skiing and snowmobiling in the winter, as well as hunting and fishing with his dad.

    Encouraged by his rodeo achievements in 2013, Casey is very optimistic about his 2014 rodeo season. He aims to win the WHSRA all-around title again, as well as adding WHSRA tie-down roping champion and steer wrestling champion to his résumé. Casey also wants to enter in more amateur rodeos and begin circuit rodeoing. He plans to earn a Business degree and study to be a real estate appraiser at Gillette College in Wyoming. He currently co-owns a patent for their invention, the Hooey Tuf Kaf.

    “Rodeo is like when you get a disease,” Casey concluded. “You catch it and keep going and trying to win. That’s what fires me up!”

  • Sammi Jo Gaudet

    Sammi Jo Gaudet

    Sammi Jo Gaudet is the rodeo pioneer of the family. Although her parents, Donna and Steve Gaudet, had never owned horses and did not consider themselves “horse people”, they lovingly supported Sammi Jo in her passion. Sammi Jo was introduced to horses and rodeo by friends of the family when she was in eighth grade. “My first year of riding was absolutely horrible,” she remembers. “I don’t know how many times I fell off!” She bought her first horse from a friend and her parents secretly built her a barn behind their meat market – Gillis Grocery and Café, and Gillis Meat Market. “I still can’t figure out how they got that past me!” Sammi Jo said with a laugh. With horse and trailer in tow, it was time to rodeo. But it didn’t come easy at first. “When everyone was winning buckles and saddles and awards, I got a participation buckle and t-shirt,” she says. “The next year I stepped up my game and won the reserve saddle in the all-around.”

    Today, the 18-year-old from Lake Charles, La. competes in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, ribbon roping, and trail course. Pole bending is her favorite event right now, as she is back to competing in the event on her gelding, Jack, who has just recovered from being sick. Sammi Jo’s other horses are Hemi, her barrel horse, and Eli, her trail and goat tying horse. A person who has been very influential in coaching Sammi Jo and her horses is Stacy Elias.

    In addition to rodeoing with NLBRA, Cajun Little Britches, and Louisiana Little Britches, Sammi Jo is finishing her second semester of school at Louisiana College. She is majoring in business with a minor in theater. She says of theater, “It’s so much more fun than I thought it would be! We all help with everything (in theater) but I’ve worked the most on sets. That’s really fun.” Sammi Jo’s older sister Morgan also attended Louisiana College. She graduated in 2013 and now teaches second grade.

    Like many NLBRA members, Sammi Jo’s favorite part of the summer is competing at the NLBFR in Pueblo, Colo. Not only does she enjoy the competing and the camaraderie, Sammi Jo also loves cooking for everyone at the finals. Her dad and several other families, including Chad Richard, cook three meals a day every day of the finals, except on Wednesday, when everyone goes to see the sights of Pueblo. Sammi Jo always cooks the fajitas. She and her family haul a large chest freezer to the finals in the back of their horse trailer. “The men get together, and some of the women, and come to the meat market to prepare the food. They slice veggies and meat, then vacuum seal it and we keep it cool in the freezer on the two and a half day trip to Colorado,” says Donna, Sammi Jo’s mom. “It’s a lot of fun!”

    Not only that, the Gaudets and several other families started Cajun Little Britches, which recently finished its second season. Donna volunteers as the treasurer of the association, and Steve, Sammi Jo’s dad, volunteers as a gate man and works the derigging chutes. Sammi Jo is serving on the NLBRA youth board as the 2014 Vice-President. She has helped the youth board plan social events for the members of the association, and the youth board flew to Las Vegas during the WNFR and helped run the booth on the concourse of the Thomas and Mack Center. “We also did Bowling with the Stars where we got to meet a lot of people and raise money for the Justin Cowboy Crisis Fund.”

    Sammi Jo has one more season with the NLBRA. She says of her future plans, “I haven’t thought about it much because I don’t want it (Little Britches) to be over! I’d like to compete in some jackpots and barrel races, but for this year in Little Britches, I want to make it to the short go at nationals in barrels. I’ve never been super cut-throat competitive. I look at rodeo as fun!”

    Noble Outfitters recognizes youth accomplishments and supports programs like NLBRA. Sammi Jo will receive a  Hands Duffle!
    Learn more at nobleoutfiters.com