Category: Roper Review

Roper Currently sitting 10th in the PRCA world standings, Zac Small is not your typical team roper. He recently graduated from Tarleton University in Stephenville, Texas, finishing the necessary prerequisite courses for vet school in just three and half years. This fall Zac will head to Lincoln Memorial University in Harrogate, Tennessee to begin his veterinarian studies. He hopes to have the PRCA finals made by that time.
Zac grew up in Afton, Oklahoma in a very tight knit family. His father, Tony, is a veterinarian who specitalizes in embryo transfer in cattle, in addition to working cattle sales. His mom, Kristi, works in his business.
Zac, 21, and his siblings, sister, Courtney, 24, and brother, Blair, 22, attended private school as youngsters. During high school they were homeschooled using the accredited Christian based A Beka Academy. Even as adults the family remains very close. Blair is involved with the operations of the indoor arena, and Courtney works for her father.
As a child, Courtney’s love of horses got the family involved in their current lifestyle. Zac started roping from a pony when he was just eight. When he was ten, the family built an indoor arena in Grove, Oklahoma, giving the kids more opportunities to rope.
“We would get up and rope the dummy or Hot Heels on colts in the morning, then do school work. There was a lot of emphasis on our school work,” says Zac. “Any time we weren’t doing school work, we roped.”
Throughout high school a fairly large church gathered at their indoor arena with a very active youth group. Ingrained with an exceptional work ethic in roping as well as school, the Small family, has enjoyed their share of success at the USTRC Finals.
Once he completes a four-year degree at veterinary school, Zac plans on returning to Oklahoma and working with his father.
“I believe I’ve been blessed and I give all the glory to God to have the opportunities I now have to rodeo. I’m excited to see what happens in the future.”

COWBOY Q&A

How much do you practice?
Every day possible. I ride three or four horses a day when I’m not competing.

Do you make your own horses?
My best horse was purchased as a two year old and his training was a family effort.

Who were your roping heroes?
My dad. He didn’t rope a lot until we got interested. When I was little he won a couple of trucks and trailer in a month’s time.

Who do you respect most in the world?
My parents.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
My family. Especially being home schooled, we’ve been very close.

If you had a day off what would you like to do?
I enjoy hunting occasionally.

What’s the last thing you read?
Good Call by Jace Robertson

How would you describe yourself in three words?
Dedicated, Positive, Hard Working

What makes you happy?
Making good grades and winning.

What makes you angry?
The opposite of my last answer.

If you were given 1 million dollars, how would you spend it?
I would probably invest it in land.

What is your worst quality – your best?
My worst quality is I tend to get stressed. Best quality is a good attitude.

Having a good attitude is essential to be truly successful at anything. Eddie Nieto is a prime example. It’s hard to believe that this #8E heeler did not start roping, or riding a horse, until he was fifteen years old. He watched some roping and decided that’s what he wanted to do.
A neighbor showed him how to hold a rope and his grandfather gave him permission to ride the horse in their backyard. With no teacher, or arena, Eddie learned to rope by watching videos and roping the dummy relentlessly. He also roped a goat and a donkey. In a little over a year, Eddie progressed from a #1 to a #6 (in the old USTRC numbers).
Almost immediately he enjoyed success. At 17, Eddie won $12,000 at the USTRC Finals by winning a Preliminary and placing in the Shoot Out. As a senior in high school he won the New Mexico High School championship for the year and qualified for nationals.
After high school Eddie purchased his PRCA card and filled his permit at his second rodeo. He roped and traveled for a couple of years where at the George Strait Team Roping Classic he made it back to the top 50 both years. He also entered and roped at the BFI.
About that time, when he was 21, Eddie met and married his wife, Melissa. Eddie realized his job would not support a family and allow him to rodeo as well. Knowing he had always wanted to give lessons and train horses, Melissa encouraged him to quit his job and give it a try. Now, twelve years later, they are still in business giving lessons, training horses, and working with a lot of kids.
“My wife and I believe in God and try to live our lives accordingly. The only reason we have our place and are successful is because of God,” explains Eddie.
When he was just four years old, Eddie and his parents were in a vehicle that was hit by a drunk driver. He lost his parents in the accident and was raised by his grandparents.
“My grandparents raised me and did everything they could for me. They supported me 100 percent in anything I wanted to do,” says Nieto. “God spared me from the accident that took my parents.”
Eddie feels blessed that he and Melissa are able to spend every day with their kids, Levi, 5, and Lexi, 2, in the arena roping and riding. Eddie credits Melissa for much of their success and being responsible for the unglamorous behind the scene chores.
The couple often competes together and Levi just won second place in the 5 & Under Junior Looper in Albuquerque.
“People tell me all time that they started roping too late,” says Eddie. “There’s really no excuse. If you put enough time into it and have enough heart you can succeed. I’m proof of that.”

COWBOY Q&A

How much do you practice?
Almost every day. I take two days off every week to give the animals a rest and to spend time with my family.
Do you make your own horses?
Yes. I’ve never bought a made horse.
Who were your roping heroes?
Jake Barnes and Clay O’Brien Cooper, Speed and Rich.
Who do you respect most in the world?
My wife.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
My grandparents. We didn’t have much but my grandpa did whatever he had to do for me to practice.
If you had a day off what would you like to do?
Spend it with my family.
Favorite movie?
Facing the Giants
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Quiet, fun loving, humble.
What makes you happy?
My family. Knowing I’m blessed with a healthy family. I try to keep life in perspective. We’re not here forever.
What makes you angry?
Not much.
If you were given 1 million dollars, how would you spend it?
I would like to pay off debt, but I would use most of it to help people who don’t have much.
What is your worst quality – your best?
My worst is sometimes I’m too laid back. My best quality is I don’t get mad.

Five year old Colton Workman of Lincoln, Ark., may have only one hand to rope with, but he has more than enough heart to catch any roping calf or steer he encounters in the arena.Described by his family as coming into the world like a firecracker on the Fourth of July, Colton was born with only half of his left arm, but twice the determination. Born into a rodeo family, his parents, Brittany and Lewis Workman, roped and ran barrels, as well as his two older sisters, Tabor and Kayden. Colton was roping the dummy not long after his first birthday, and once old enough to ride by himself, he quickly figured out how to hold the reins with his left arm, which he refers to as his nub, and swing his rope with his right hand, his coils held securely by an attachment on his saddle.
When Colton’s dad passed away in 2013 after a car accident, thousands of people mourned the outgoing cowboy’s death. Eight-time world champion roper Roy Cooper heard about Colton losing his dad, and in December of that year, his foundation contacted Brittany, asking if the Cooper family could meet Colton in January. Roy, Clint, Clif, and Tuf, became fast friends with Colton, and he looks up to each one as a mentor. “After we met the Coopers, they took Colton into the Cooper Rodeo Foundation and the Rope Your Dreams Scholarship,” Brittany remembers. “Roy says Colton is family, and Colton is very close to the them.”
“What a great little kid!” says Roy. “He doesn’t even know he’s disabled. He’s so sharp and smart, and he’s got a great attitude.” Since becoming part of the Cooper family, Colton not only participates in their clinics and competes in their ropings, but he also travels with Tuf to events like The American and the WNFR. Through his travels, he has met numerous figures in the rodeo world, including Lane Frost’s parents. Signing autographs with Tuf and Trevor Brazile, and attending Elevation Sunday during the WNFR are always highlights for Colton. Having just entered Kindergarten, he has a multitude of all-access passes to some of the largest rodeos in the U.S., which Colton keeps with other mementos in a shadowbox in his room. He even has a letter written to him by the House of Congress in 2014, stating that Colton “is an inspiration to all.”
Colton’s travels have also helped him connect with other children who have disabilities. “Last year at The American, Colton met a little girl in a wheel chair, whose wish was to meet Colton,” says Brittany. “Other kids also want to meet him and touch his nub or ask him questions about it. Colton has met so many kids like him and he talks about them all the time. He doesn’t forget anyone.”
Having made so many connections with kids his age, Colton wasn’t expecting to be bullied when he entered Kindergarten this fall. Brittany wrote a piece on Facebook to spread awareness about bullying, and it was shared 24,000 times. “We got calls worldwide from kids who wanted to talk to Colton,” says Brittany. “I didn’t expect it to take off like that! We’ve even been contacted by The One-Armed Bandit (John Payne) and Willie Hart, the one-armed team roper, who have encouraged Colton.”
In November, the family started an anti-bullying project – Saddle Up and Together Let’s Rein in Bullying. “We designed a t-shirt for our project, and in January, we’re doing an assembly in Arkansas which will be televised by RFD-TV and local stations. We’re going to three schools in one day with several rodeo athletes who have disabilities, as well as athletes from other sports,” Brittany explains. “We’re hoping this will make children more aware of bullying, and for parents to talk to their children about it, because the change has to start at home.”
While Colton loves travelling, he finds equal joy in roping at home and competing in Roy Cooper’s ropings, as well as the USTRC and the CWRA. In 2015, he won the CWRA finals average in his age division, as well as the CWRA 7 – 10 Breakaway Roping Champion title, earning him a saddle, and a buckle, which is his current favorite to wear. He ropes the dummy every day and practices on live calves three times a week, riding his dad’s 17-year-old roping mare, Molly. His sisters, Tabor (11), and Kayden (eight) join him in the practice pen. The siblings also have a younger sister, Andi (18 months). Their step-dad, Ray Huffaker, is a team roping heeler, and he is teaching Colton to team rope. Colton also plans to be a tie-down roper, and he has taught himself how to tie a calf dummy, pulling the piggin’ string tight with his nub.
Colton further enjoys hunting and helping on his family’s ranch, from moving cattle to baling hay and cutting wood. He is also responsible for catching and feeding his horses, and he has even been known to stand on his roping dummy, pretending to crack the whip like John Payne. “Colton is very determined to be like everyone else,” says Brittany. “Whatever it is, he’ll figure it out! Shriners Hospital provided Colton with a prosthetic, and he uses it sometimes, but mostly he would rather use his nub.”
Taught to meet challenges head on, Colton’s dream is to make a career out of tie-down and team roping. His family and the Cooper Rodeo Foundation have given him the confidence and tools to succeed, and their encouragement has helped make Colton the inspiration he is today to people around the world. “Through this anti-bullying project, God has really opened my eyes to the reason Colton is here,” says Brittany. “There are a lot of children out there struggling with disabilities and Colton’s story has been a huge influence for them. Even if it’s people who don’t have disabilities, I think one of Colton’s purposes is to help encourage other children and adults.”

Clay Smith grew up in Broken Bow, Okla. “That’s where I’ve always been,” said the 24-year-old who will make his first trip to the WNFR, heading for Paul Eaves. “I’ve been thinking about this since I started roping when I was four. It’s all I want to do.” Clay ropes and rides – that’s it. “I don’t hunt or fish or anything, I just rope. I don’t get tired of it.” He is named after 7-time World Champion team roper, Clay O’Brien Cooper.
Clay’s day revolves around riding horses and roping. “We ride horses for the public, and there’s always some young horses that we are trying to make better for us or other people. We ride the younger ones first, and then start practicing and roping,” he explained. “You never know who is going to show up – friends, family, and anyone interested in roping. We rope until 9 or 10 at night – we don’t eat supper until 11. We’ve got about 40 head of horses that we rope on.” Clay likes having that many horses around. “You don’t wear a horse out that way. That’s helped us with riding by roping on different horses.” The only down side to the number of horses is the time it takes to feed and clean stalls. “It’s a lot of work, but we don’t consider it work, because it’s all we know.”
Clay has two brothers – Jake 22, and Britt 14. “Jake is two years younger and it’s been really good having him to rope with – he’s always wanted to rope as much as I do. It’s been a blessing to have such talented brothers. I’m lucky – I’ve got every single person in my family that loves to rope – it makes it fun.”  The brothers keep it competitive by creating match ropings. “We’re always pushing each other. Whoever loses has to clean stalls, feed, do laps, pushups or whatever we can think of.”
The #9 header and #9 Elite heeler has been on a horse since he was born. “The day I got home from the hospital, dad (Mark) was holding me on a horse.”  Mark started roping when he was in high school and he rode and broke horses for people, so the boys have always been around them. “Ever since we could ride, he’d put us on ponies and we’d take them and sell them.” Mark started entering the boys in roping’s as soon as they could ride and rope. “We had no chance of winning – if I could catch 4 in 50 seconds I was doing good.” He was pulling steers around for the boys before they could even get their feet in a stirrup. “My dad would wear a head horse out pulling those steers.” Clay won his first roping when he was five.  “The association is called the OTRA and they had a roping every weekend. My dad would take us there every weekend.”
The success of the young brothers caught the interest of the Tonight Show when Jake won the World Champion Dummy roping in Las Vegas when he was five. “When they called, Dad thought it was an April Fools joke because they called on April 1. They wanted us to come out there and be on the show. They flew us out to Hollywood and picked us up in a limo. We went to Disneyland, and Universal Studios – we had a special pass that let us go to the front of the line – I was 7 – that was a pretty cool deal.”
The boys continued to compete together, eventually joining the Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association. “I never roped with anybody but Jake so I waited until he was old enough. We won fourth in the National High School rodeo my last year of high school.” They were home schooled through high school by their grandmother, a retired school teacher. Their mom, Tammy, was also a school teacher, and has recently retired. “Mom works more now than when she was teaching,” said Clay. “She’s the head cook and videographer. We’ve always got people looking for horses and people are always spending the week – we have a ton of people here all the time. And she still has to get up as early as she did when she was teaching, to take Britt to school every morning.”
The highlight of Clay’s career so far is winning the 2015 Wildfire with his brother, Jake. Clay also competes in the Timed Event Challenge, something he has done for three years now. “Jake always helps me there, he hazes, heels, and heads for me – that’s kind of cool. He can do it all. I’ve won second and fourth last year – I broke the barrier to win it two years ago. I like that event– it’s a lot of fun.”
Clay isn’t nervous about his first trip to the WNFR. “Right before I back in the box, I’m sure it will be a rush. I’m excited to go rope.” His family has been going there for 19 years in a row for the dummy roping. “Britt was too old last year, so we did not go. We said we weren’t going back until someone was in it.”
Since he qualified for the WNFR, he can’t rope in the World Series, but both his dad and brother are entered at the South Point. “I’ve never entered out there – they just started having the 15 so I haven’t had a chance to enter.”
Clay is engaged to Taylor Richey who he met after winning the Wildfire. “One of our sponsors set us up and ever since then I couldn’t run her off or she hadn’t left – she even cleans stalls.” Taylor traveled with Clay most of the summer, pulling more than 80,000 miles in the run for the WNFR. Clay likes the Rooftop Rodeo in Estes Park the best. “It’s a cool town and we got there a day or two early – it was cool to hang out.”  They traveled with Paul, Clay’s partner for most of the summer then borrowed a living quarters trailer, but when that broke down; then ended up pulling a three-horse bumper pull.  “We would sleep in motels or the truck. Moab Utah was interesting – we drove through town and the 30 motels were all booked, so we slept in the truck, because we don’t have a living quarters trailer, eventually we will have to get one. Some places we have people we stay with, but sometimes we have to rough it so having a living quarter trailer will take out some of the stress out of the travels.
As for the future, Clay doesn’t plan on doing anything different. He and Taylor will get married next fall. “I’m going to ride horses as long as I can – we have fun doing it and that’s what I know how to do. Ride and rope.”

story by Teri Edwards

Katie Leibold was born and raised in Phoenix, Arizona, where she lived for the first 22 of her 26 years. She grew up around horses and cattle on the ranches her dad leased.
Her first horse, El Gato, or “the cat” came from a ranch in Mexico. Katie started out doing 4-H and ended up doing every event on him including, heading, heeling, and breakaway.
“My dad got him from a fellow rancher and paid about $850 for him,” says Leibold. “He was a big, slow footed horse that was perfect for a nine year old girl. He really took care of me.”
In high school she competed in Breakaway and Team Roping, but soon found Breakaway roping was her favorite. After graduating high school in 2007, Katie attended a local community college while going to team roping jackpots and rodeos.
In 2012 a good friend, Bobby Jean Colyer, invited her to Idaho for the summer, enticing her with the many summer rodeos in the area. That summer she met her now boyfriend, Jared Thompson, and they have been together ever since. The couple divides their time between Idaho in the summer and Arizona in the winter.
Katie owns and operates Lariat Productions, a full service company that includes website design, video production, photography and marketing. The digital nature of the business allows her the freedom to travel.
“It allows me to go to rodeos when I need to and not have to stay in one spot,” explains Katie. “I have clients all over the country and in today’s digital age, I can do this from anywhere.”
On any given day during the summer, Katie and Jared start the day with chores on the ranch his dad manages. Katie will then spend her morning working on various projects for Lariat Productions. Late in the afternoon they start getting the arena ready for the evening roping practice. On the weekends they are gone to rodeos from Thursday until Saturday or Sunday. During the winter, the pair helps her dad at the feedlot and then focus on the many team roping jackpots around Wickenburg.
COWBOY Q&A

How much do you practice?
Three or four times a week.

Do you make your own horses?
Yes. The best head horse I’ve ever owned was a two-year old stud my dad bought at a sale barn for $650. I was about 12 when we got him and rode him all through high school and afterwards. I’ve probably won over $75,000 on him. He’s now 15 and a once in a lifetime kind of horse.

Who do you respect most in the world?
My dad.

Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
My dad.

If you had a day off what would you like to do?
I would enjoy a spa day, and then maybe some wine tasting and then lay on the beach somewhere.

Favorite movie?
Stepbrothers or Wedding Crashers

What’s the last thing you read?
A novel, called The Villa

How would you describe yourself in three words?
Professional, determined, goofy

What makes you happy?
Spending time with the people I care about, and riding a good horse.

What makes you angry?
Failing.

If you were given 1 million dollars, how would you spend it?
I would buy a place, go back to school, invest part and save the rest.

What is your worst quality – your best?
My worst quality is avoiding confrontation. My best quality is being dependable.

Where do you see yourself in ten years?
I hope we have our own place. I’d like to see my business grow and become more successful. Maybe have started a family by then, but I’m not in a hurry. Still roping and have the best horses possible. Still enjoying roping and going to rodeos.

story by Siri Stevens

Steve Stone lives in Rio Vista, Texas. “It’s a little slice of heaven,” he says. “I love Texas. I’ve been 10,000 miles in the last 45 days, and there’s some beautiful places in this country, but I love Texas.”  Steve is the bass guitar player for the Casey Donahew Band, something he’s done for 13 years. “I make a lot more money playing music than I do roping,” he said, but admits that whenever he’s home, he ropes. “I’m gone half the week, then I rope and raise bucking horses.” His wife, Jamie, and daughter, Kyndall (19), join him in the arena to rope steers. His son, Riley (18), who also ropes, took up his dad’s previous rodeo event, bareback riding, and that led the family into another adventure raising bucking horses. “When my son was 15 and he wanted to ride, I put bucking chutes in the arena and we bought some mares and he practiced on the mares and their babies ended up at the futurities and did pretty good, so now we’re part of the UBHA.”
Steve started roping 10 years ago. “I grew up as a teenager riding bareback horses. I started roping in my late 20s.” Steve had a family, and once that happened, he was shoeing horses for a living, and playing bass on the weekends. “That’s when I got interested in roping.” Steve went to college at Sull Ross State University in Alpine, Texas, to rodeo and learn how to be a farrier. “I wanted to stay around rodeo and shoeing helped me do that as well as spend more time with my kids. The music got too busy to shoe, so I gave that up.” Music is something he picked up during college and he started playing with Casey, who was a friend of his, around the Stock Yards. “Here we are almost 13 years later doing 120 shows a year – from New York City to Alberta and Seattle.”
COWBOY Q&A

How much do you practice?
I’m a #4 header and heeler – I don’t get to go much. I’m gone half the week, the last thing I want is for my wife to take care of roping cattle. It’s so nice to hook that Heel-O-Matic machine up and within an hour we’re done. I’ve only been home for a week from a tour, and there’s a lot I need to do – planting wheat is one. We also raise bucking horses.

Who do you respect most in
the world?
My Lord Jesus – you can tell by the life I live – I’m humbled by the opportunities that I’ve been blessed with. I couldn’t ever imagine what my life is now –  I was in Youth ministry.

What makes you happy?
My family and home. This is a new chapter – my daughter and son have moved out, so my wife and I are at home without kids. I can’t wait to see what they do. My family means more to me than anything else.

story by Teri Edwards

Tyler Kaess has found what most people search for, and more often than not, never find. A perfect day for Tyler is being horseback roping, and helping others with their roping. He has been able to do that with his roping facility, Hot Shot Equine, located in Surprise, Arizona.
During the winter months many ropers relocate to Arizona for the season to take advantage of the beautiful weather. For this reason, Tyler relocated from Colorado to Arizona to start Hot Shot Equine almost two years ago.
“Winters can be harsh in Colorado. I wanted to be roping, teaching, and training every day. When I saw what happens in Arizona in the winter, I decided to move and build a roping camp,” explains Kaess.
Located eight miles from Surprise, Hot Shot Equine is just far enough from town that patrons will enjoy the peaceful atmosphere, while being centrally located to an abundance of jackpots and events.
The facility features an arena, stalls, and RV hookups. Daily practices are held with both cattle and Heel-O-Matic. Tyler offers lessons and enjoys teaching private clinics and the individualized attention he is able to give.
Tyler started roping at just seven. He feels fortunate to have had access to talented ropers such as his uncle, Brett Trenary, a NFR Qualifier, Jay Ellerman, and Ricky Green.
As a youngster, Tyler competed in Colorado Junior Rodeo Association and high school rodeo. At just 15, he won a Shoot-Out in Oklahoma City, and a check for $38,000. Since then, Tyler has placed at the BFI, and competed in PRCA and amateur rodeos. Before moving to Arizona, he managed an indoor arena and produced ropings. This included a memorial roping in honor of his father and was, at one time, the biggest open roping in the mountain states.
Tyler credits the time he spent with Ricky Green for his passion for teaching.
“I like the whole process of learning, teaching, roping. My method is different than some, but I try to connect with people,” says Kaess. “We all make the same mistakes, it’s just a matter of how many times you make them.”
For more information about reservations, lessons, or horses for sale visit hotshotequine.com.

COWBOY Q&A

How much do you practice?
Every day.
Do you make your own horses?
Yes.
Who were your roping (rodeo) heroes growing up?
Clay O’Brien Cooper, Shot Branham.
Who do you respect most in the world?
My dad.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
My dad.
If you had a day off what would you like to do?
It would be fun to get on a horse and rope without having to do all the prep work. Just rope.
Favorite movie?
Star Wars
What’s the last thing you read?
Performance Psychology in Action
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Laid back, resourceful, passionate
What makes you happy?
Seeing improvement in horses and/or people that I’m working with.
What makes you angry?
People who gossip or mind other people’s business.
If you were given 1 million dollars, how would you spend it?
Pay off my bills and buy some horses to rodeo on.
What is your worst quality? Your best?
My worst quality is I can be lazy at times. My best quality is I’m easy to get along with.

story by Bailee Joe Mikesell & Siri Stevens

BoDell Jessen of Altamont, Utah, had an outstanding and phenomenal rodeo season this year. Not only did he earn the title of All-Around Senior Boy in the NLBRA, he also won the All-Around Cowboy in Utah High School Rodeo Association, with the accomplishment of winning bareback riding at the UHSRA finals as well. BoDell has goals written on paper that he tapes to the mirror on his bathroom. He had the goal of being the All Around Champion at the NLBRA up for three years and he was able to take that down after two years as reserve champion. “I just went in to have fun this year and show people that I was there to rodeo. I used to worry about getting points and looked at the board – this year I didn’t do that.” Every year he has run for that title since he joined the NLBRA in 2012. The family did a lot of rodeos around the house and didn’t hit the rodeo road until 2011. The goals he has set for himself this coming year include a National High School Finals Rodeo title and someday a gold buckle from the National Finals Rodeo. BoDell made the National High School Finals Rodeo the past two years in bareback and bull riding. “This year it didn’t go too good – I got bumped out of the short round, so the goal is still hanging on the mirror.”
The 17 year old, up and coming senior attends Altamont High School, which has around three hundred students from seventh to twelfth grade. BoDell competes in bareback riding, bull riding, calf roping, team roping, steer wrestling, and ribbon roping. He also plays football and wrestles for Altamont High, and in his spare time hangs out with friends, or watching Disney movies, something he loves to do.  Bareback riding is Jessen’s choice event, and he holds Utah native, Kaycee Field, a four-time world champion bareback riding and the first bareback rider to achieve four consecutive NFR average titles from 2011 to 2014, in high regard.
Among his numerous achievements, he is most proud of his two calf roping horses. “I trained them myself, so that’s probably one of the things I am most proud of because I made my own horses.” When he got the horses, they were young and didn’t know a lot. He started riding and roping on them and took them into training. “I didn’t know what I was doing, and just did the easy basics of roping and they picked up the rest.” His other two horses are his bull dogging horse and a heeling horse he shares with his sister.
The future goals and dreams of this cowboy are definitely intertwined with the sport of rodeo. After graduating from high school, he plans on serving a two year LDS mission, then attending college – he is looking at Texas or Oklahoma – and competing in rodeo for as long as he is able to. He plans to study business. “Out here the oil field is big, but it is crashing, so I need to find something that I can do in business world.”
If BoDell could wish for any other talent besides his talents in the arena, or the football field or the wrestling mat, the talent would involve music, either being able to play an instrument, like the guitar, or singing. He sings in the shower and thinks he sounds good, but nobody knows for sure.
The Jessen family, which consists of five members, including BoDell, are also involved in rodeo. His two younger sisters, Deklyn (15) and Mardy (10), compete in rodeo alongside their older brother. “They do different events than I do, but we help each other as much as we can.” His mom, Kristy and his dad, Kevin, are very proud of their kids.
“I think what makes me the most proud is watching him both in the arena and outside the arena,” said Kristy, “It didn’t come easy for BoDell – he worked really hard for years for this and I don’t think he realizes this is anything more than a goal. I watched him down at finals and he would go behind the chutes and help the little boys coming up.”
He is spending his time now getting ready for football. He will combine that with fall rodeos, and he’ll be busy. His coaches have given him a quote that he lives by: Never stop Trying.

In 2008, Dustin Hulme and his wife, Alexie, were at a rodeo in West Jordan, Utah. Dustin was roping with his brother trying to help him fill his permit. They won the rodeo, filling his brother’s permit at his first pro rodeo. It was there Dustin saw a PRCA merchandise trailer set up and told his wife, “That looks like a fun job.” Now, less than ten years later, Dustin is the Director of Merchandising for the PRCA.
Dustin grew up in Montpelier, Idaho. One of four boys, Dustin grew up with a rope in his hand. He roped in Junior High and High School rodeo and qualified for the state finals all four years of high school. Dustin also played basketball and football in high school, where he was all state as a defensive tackle the last two years of high school.
Dustin then attended Utah State University where he joined the college rodeo team. He competed in the Rocky Mountain Region in Team Roping and Tie-down Roping for three years. After college Dustin continued to rope at amateur rodeos for a couple of years. Then, in 2006 he bought his PRCA permit and went to pro rodeos in the Wilderness Circuit.
Dustin started his career in western retail in 2003 when he managed a feed and tack store in Layton, Utah. After several years he went to work for Inter-Mountain Farmers Association (IFA) as a Territory Manager over the store managers. Dustin credits that position for propelling him into sales.
After several years at IFA, Dustin decided he wanted to be able to rope and enter jackpots while earning money by selling tack. He started his own business, Travelin’ Tack and had a custom trailer built. He and his wife hit the road and worked at their business for a couple of years.
Through his business, Dustin received an opportunity to work for the PBR as Director of Merchandise, selling merchandise at their events. After a couple of years of being on the road 300 days a year, Dustin accepted the position he now holds with the PRCA.
As Director of Merchandising for the PRCA, Dustin spends most of his time on merchandise for the NFR. He approves and contributes to the design of the clothing sold by the PRCA. He also manages all inventories, in addition to three full-time trailers that set up at PRCA rodeos.
Dustin and Alexie have a 21-month-old daughter, Adri. They live in a small town, Driggs, Idaho, 25 minutes from Jackson Hole. They have nine head of horses and keep a small herd of roping steers.
The Hulmes also operate Teton Valley Rodeo Company and produce rodeos every weekend during the summer months.
COWbOY Q&A
How much do you practice?
Five days a week.
Do you make your own horses?
Absolutely.
Growing up, who were your roping (rodeo) heroes?
Denny Watkins and Dee Pickett.
Who do you respect most in the world?
My wife.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
My brother.
If you had a day off what would you like to do?
Spend time with my family and my horses.
Favorite movie?
Lonesome Dove.
What’s the last thing you read?
AQHA Journal.
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Honest, Reliable, Fun.
What makes you happy?
Succeeding at my roping.
What makes you angry?
Whining.
If you were given 1 million dollars, how would you spend it?
Invest every penny into a business that could grow.
What is your worst quality – your best?
Worst quality is being too detail oriented at times. Best quality is I don’t quit until the job is done.
Where do you see yourself in ten years?
With a couple more kids, and continuing to succeed at my current job.

Sawyer Barham has been roping with Kolton Schmidt for two years. “He’s four hours away,” said Sawyer, the 2015 CNFR Team Roping Champion Heeler. Four hours from colleges, but a whole lot further from Kolton’s home town in Alberta Canada. “When we first started roping, we entered a lot of amateur rodeos and we just kind of know each other’s game plan,” explained Sawyer. “He always says he’s going to be safe but aggressive and not back off and that’s what he does.” The team was second going into the finals and since Kolton had to miss some rodeos to pro rodeo, he was a little further behind. “We got to go because of a tie for heelers in his region, I was going, but I wasn’t going to get to rope with him.”
Kolton Schmidt grew up in Canada and came here for ‘no snow and nice weather.’ His parents own a place in Arizona and he’s wintered there since 2004. “It all started in 2004 in Arizona, so it’s still pretty new for all of us. It’s unbelievable – it is a roper’s paradise. Our definition of cold in Canada is -40 and three feet of snow.” He is a few hours shy of a degree in communications from Durant, Okla., and when he graduates, all he wants to do is rope.  “I don’t have a back-up plan,” said the 21-year-old, who is entered up through the summer with Dustin Searcy. “We were in the same region, and we’re hauling down the road in a mini freightliner and Platinum with two horses each.” He started roping when he was 12, but was involved in other sports in Canada. “I did baseball, hockey, basketball, and football and rode motorcycles cross country. I just kept weeding out sports until I dropped them all and roped and this is pretty addicting.  I’m sure glad I did.” The only thing he misses about organized sports is the discipline to be in shape. “In rodeo, it’s your own personal choice to be in shape. But I sure like the western lifestyle.”
He admits that rodeo in the US is different than Canada. “I’ve never rodeoed this much south of the line and this is awesome. Everybody is out here cheering for each other and everybody is happy to be alive. We are making a living doing what we love and it’s hard to complain.” Kolton is still soaking in the win in Casper. “It’s a really big win for me and Sawyer. To have our names on that forever – everybody goes to school for an education and to win at the national level, that’s awesome,” he said. Sawyer has another chance, but for Kolton the 6.2 short round run will forever be a memory. “We had to have 7.5 to win and we were 6.2 in short round. As soon as we heard our time, we knew we won it,” he said. Kolton relies on his training to make that kind of time. “I just try not to think about it,” he said. “One step at a time. If you plan your run – there’s lots of stuff that can go wrong. Handle it each step at a time.” Kolton grew up a third generation roper, and his family recently gave up the cold for a place in Arizona.
He would love to rope with Sawyer all summer, but that isn’t going to work. Sawyer is going to school for Ag Business and is working for his grandfather in the concrete business in Oshalade Oklahoma. “I really enjoy it,” he said. “This year work has really picked up and I’ve only been to a couple of rodeos.” My horse is back to sound and I’m about to start rodeoing again.” Sawyer is heading to Northwestern OSU in Alva and will rope with Hunter Muncell next year; Hunter was third high call coming back to the finals.