Rodeo Life

Category: Team Cavender’s

  • Team Cavender’s: Daniel Wilder

    Team Cavender’s: Daniel Wilder

    Daniel Wilder said his journey into the world of rodeo was shaped by his family, his fierce competitiveness and his passion for the sport. As a member of Team Cavender’s for the past two years, Wilder said he has witnessed firsthand the value of being part of a team that emphasizes growth, camaraderie and success.

     

    “Just growing up through junior rodeo, I looked up to people like Jordi Edens Mitchell and Riley Webb,” Daniel says. “Then my sister Anna got on Team Cavender’s, and she referred me when it was time for her to graduate. That’s how I got on the team.”

     

    Wilder said being part of Team Cavender’s has allowed him to compete alongside some of the most driven and talented young athletes in the rodeo world.

     

    “What I love most about Team Cavender’s is how tight-knit everyone is. It’s a group that really pushes you to be the best version of yourself,” Wilder said. “A lot of youth teams are competitive, but Cavender’s really takes it to another level.

     

    “We have three people going to The American this year, which motivates me to stay on top of my game,” he added. “It’s not just about the competition; it’s about being around athletes who truly care about each other’s success.”

     

    Photo by Jennings Photography

    Wilder said one unique aspect of Team Cavender’s is that it is not only about rodeo. Team members also get exposure to the business side of the industry.

     

    “We got to be around people who work at Cavender’s, not just the rodeo side,” he said. “I think that’s cool because we learned a lot about how the business operates as a whole. I think the relationships and connections we’ve made through Cavender’s will be valuable for us, whether we go professional in rodeo or take a business route.”

     

    Wilder, who will attend University of Tenessee-Martin on a rodeo scholarship in the fall, said he is exploring both his athletic and academic future.

     

    “I’m just taking it as it comes,” he said. “I want to rodeo for as long as I can, but I’m also leaning toward the business side, especially since I come from a farming background. After college, I’ll likely return to the family farm, but I’ll still be involved in rodeo, training horses and competing when I can.”

     

    Wilder’s passion for horses is something he said runs deep in his family. His great-grandfather, Lowe McDaniel, introduced the family to Tennessee Walking Horses. Over time, his family transitioned into breeding and raising American Quarter Horses, which eventually led them into rodeo.

     

    Wilder said his mother was a barrel racer, and his grandfather played a huge role in teaching him and his sisters how to ride and compete.

     

    “My grandfather was a huge influence on me,” he said. “He’s the most competitive man I know, and he taught us the value of being the best at whatever we do.”

     

    Wilder said he inherited his grandfather’s competitive spirit, which has served him well in the rodeo arena. He has excelled in several events, including team roping, tie-down roping, steer wrestling, and reined cow horse.

     

    “Growing up with my sisters, we would practice together, and it was always a competition,” he recalls. “That helped me push myself and get better.”

     

    As Wilder continues to build his future in both rodeo and business, his deep-rooted passion for the sport and his family’s legacy remains at the heart of his journey. Whether competing professionally or pursuing business ventures, Wilder’s commitment to excellence and his love for the sport will undoubtedly guide him toward success.

  • Team Cavender’s: Abby McCreary

    Team Cavender’s: Abby McCreary

    Abby McCreary, a breakaway roper from Canyon, Texas, said she heard about Team Cavender’s when Jeff Howell, from the Cavender’s in Amarillo, Texas, encouraged her to apply.

     “We were just in Cavender’s to shop one day, and he said, ‘Hey, have you applied for Team Cavender’s?’” she said. “He put me down as a reference and told me I’d be a great fit.”

     Though the application process was delayed for a year, McCreary said she finally joined the youth team and has enjoyed every moment.

     

    “Summit was a blast. I had so much fun with everyone. The team bonding and listening to all the speakers was amazing,” she said. ‘It was a different experience than anything I’ve ever had before.”

     

    McCreary’s journey into the world of rodeo began at a young age. A third-generation rancher, she said her passion for roping runs deep.

     

    “My granddad owns a ranch, and my dad ranched a little bit, and we still kind of do, but it’s hard with how much we travel for rodeo,” she said.

     

    McCreary said her father, Kevin McCreary, introduced her to roping early on. “I’ve been a breakaway roping off a horse since I was 5,” she added.

     

    While rodeo is McCreary’s primary focus, she said she is also active in other sports and youth clubs. She participates in basketball, golf, track, and cross-country. She is also an officer in FFA and is involved in Family, Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA).

     

    Balancing so many activities requires discipline and time management, but McCreary said she handles it well.

     

    “It’s pretty stressful, but my coaches are super great about it,” she says. “They know that rodeo comes before anything else, and they understand when I need to miss practice.”

     

    Despite the hectic schedule, McCreary is determined to pursue both her education and her passion for rodeo at the next level. She plans to attend West Texas A&M University, where she will join the rodeo team while studying animal science. The proximity to home is a huge benefit, she added, as it allows her to continue roping with her father.

     

    “I kind of get to take my coach with me to college with my dad being right here to help me,” she said.

     

    She is glad to be close to home so she can continue to support her younger brother, Cutter McCreary, who is just 11.

     

    “He just started team roping,” McCreary said. “It’s funny because I try to give him tips on his rope swing, and he doesn’t listen to me. But that sibling love always shines through, even if we roll our eyes at each other.” This close-knit dynamic is a big part of why McCreary enjoys rodeo. She is grateful for the time spent with her family, even when it is in a cramped horse trailer for weeks at a time.

     

    McCreary said her mother, Jamie McCreary, has never competed in rodeo, but she plays a vital role in the family’s success.

     

    “My mom is great. She makes sure we have everything we need, like food and blankets, and keeps track of all the videos and times at the rodeos,” McCreary said. “We call her our bleacher babe.”

     

    McCreary is considering a career in veterinary medicine, potentially in equine medicine, but she is still organizing the details of completing her education and chasing rodeos.

     

    “I’ve always wanted to be a vet, but I have not decided yet,” McCreary said. “Rodeo and vet school could be a full plate, so I’m going to take my time figuring it out.”

  • Team Cavender’s: Kyan Frost

    Team Cavender’s: Kyan Frost

    Kyan Frost, a third-generation cowgirl from Baldwin City, Kansas, said being on
    Team Cavender’s has become a family affair.

    “I joined Team Cavender’s my freshman year,” she said. “My sister had been on the team for two
    years, so I saw all of the stuff she was doing, and I got to know the Cavenders family before I was
    a member.

    “Then later, I got invited to join the team, and I’ve been a member ever since,” she added. “I am a
    senior, so this is my last year.”

    Frost said she is on track to graduate in May from Baldwin High School, where she participates in a
    hybrid classwork program.

    “I do this home-school program through my school,” she said. “I can play sports but still have the
    freedom of online classes.”

    She said she plays basketball and softball, but her true ambitions are in the arena.

    “I have been on a horse since before I could walk,” she said. “I have been barrel racing as long as
    I can remember.

    “My sister and I started high school rodeoing and going to barrel races,” she added.

    Frost said she has always looked up to her older sister, Marion, a student at the University of
    Wyoming.

    “I always just wanted to do what she was doing because I just thought she was so cool,” Frost said.
    “Now she lives 10 hours away, and it’s a lot different going to rodeos and barrel races without
    her.”

    Although Frost said she now travels with just her mom, her love for the sport has not wavered.
    “I know what I want to do,” she said. “I keep my horses healthy, and I give my all every time.

    “Because once you get onto a higher level, it takes a lot of time and effort,” she
    added.

    Frost said while she has six horses at home, she most consistently runs her two
    horses, Casper and Waylon.

    “My main horse is named Casper, and my backup that I run almost as much is Waylon,” she said. “When
    I go to high school rodeos, I usually pick between them, and when I go to barrel races, I run them
    both.”

    Frost said she hopes to have a career as an equine chiropractor. While she has plans for a college
    degree, she added she does not know if she wants to compete in rodeo at the collegiate level.

    “I have not made my final decision yet, but my top school right now is Kansas State University,”
    she said. “I’ve talked to the rodeo coach there too, but college rodeo is a big decision because
    that will be a lot of schooling and having animals there too.”

    One thing Frost said she is sure she will do, no matter what life throws at her, is to continue to
    stay involved in the world of barrel racing with her sister.

    “I may not rodeo forever, but I will still go to barrel races with her because I don’t want to do
    it alone,” she said. “Even if pro or college rodeo is not in my cards, I have good horses, and I
    don’t want to waste them and the opportunity they gave me.”

  • Team Cavender’s: Luke Coleman

    Team Cavender’s: Luke Coleman

    Team Cavender’s: Luke Coleman

    Photos Courtesy of Jennings Photography

  • Team Cavender’s: Kyan Wilhite

    Team Cavender’s: Kyan Wilhite

    K yan Wilhite, a veteran member of Team Cavender’s, said he joined the team three years ago after his now-teammate and fellow tie-down roper, Luke Coleman, mentioned the team to him.

    “I was at Texas High School Finals two or three years ago, and one of my buddies came and talked to me about it,” Wilhite said. “I thought it sounded like a pretty cool deal, so I sent in my application and joined the team not long after.” Wilhite, a New Mexico native, said his family always had horses and cattle, but no one before him was interested in roping or rodeos.

    “I was probably seven years old, and then I found a rope in his shop. Then I just started roping random things like buckets and old metal cans,” he said. “About five months later, I kept on begging to keep roping. After that, my grandpa and one of his buddies built me a wooden roping dummy.”

    Shortly after discovering his love for roping, Wilhite said his dad’s career moved his family to Albuquerque city limits. This move effectively paused any rodeo dreams Whilihite had. “That move lasted about one year, and then when I got back to where I could rope again, I was about eight and a half years old,” he said. “After that, I went to Sylvester Mayfields house for the first time.”

    Sylvester Mayfield is a two-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifier. Mayfield’s son, Shad, has an impressive resume as well. He is a five-time NFR qualifier and won thePRCA tie-down roping world title in 2020.

    “I went to the Mayfields and started roping with them,” Wilhite said. “Sylvester taught me to rope the right way, and then I bought my first rope horse from Shad. “They are from Clovis as well, and my grandpa knew Sylvester. He hooked me up pretty good with them,” he added. “I would go down to their house and rope. I bought my first couple of horses from them.”

    As Wilhite became more serious about roping, his dad and grandfather recognized this and built him an arena to practice. After competing in junior high school rodeos in New Mexico for two years, Wilhite said he transferred to Texas to rodeo.

    “My eighth-grade year, I transferred and started to rodeo in Texas,” he said. “My whole high school rodeo career, I have been in Texas.” Wilhite said his time in Texas has been good for him. He was crowned the Texas High School Rodeo Association Tie-down Champion, and later that year, he captured theNHRSA tie-down world title. Riding his good horse Jag, whom he bought from fellow roper Marty Yates, he was also crowned the 2023 WCRA Tie-down World Champion.

    In 2024, Wilhite decided to take on the big boys in the PRCA and made the Texas Circuit Finals, where he placed third in the third round with a time of 7.7 seconds. He added that he wants to rodeo on his permit again in 2025 but plans to buy his PRCA card in time for the 2026 rodeo season.

  • Team Cavender’s: Kinley Lowry

    Team Cavender’s: Kinley Lowry

    “I got my first pair of boots and first hat at Cavender’s,” said Kinley Lowry, a first-year member of Team Cavender’s. “A former member of the rodeo team, Jolee Alvey, reached out to me and told me about the team.

    “So, I went on their website and read a little more about it and decided to apply,” she added. “I officially signed with them this past August.”

    Kinley Lowry is a senior at Chapel Hill High School in Mount Pleasant, Texas. While she is an active member of Team Cavender’s and the Texas High School Rodeo Association, she said she has her sights set on attending veterinary school at Texas A&M University.

    “I have always wanted to be a vet since I was very, very little,” she said. “I love animals so much. I want to be able to be a vet and help them and their owners as much as possible.”

    Lowry said she is currently a dual-enrolled student at North East Texas Community College, earning college credit hours while still in high school. She said this would give her a head start on her college career.

    “I am planning on attending Texas A&M-Commerce after I graduate,” she said. “So, the classes I am taking at NTCC right now will help me start as a sophomore or a junior when I get to Commerce.”

    As a current member of the National Honor Society, Lowry said she wants to continue that trend of academic excellence by being a part of the Honors College at A&M-Commerce, where she will study Pre-Veterinary Science with a minor in equine science to prepare her for vet school.

    Lowry said her involvement in the FFA organization helped her chase her dream of attending vet school. She said she serves as treasurer on her FFA chapter’s officer team and is heavily involved in the organization.

    “I do Leadership Development Events and Career Development Events,” she said. “In the fall, I compete on the Agricultural Advocacy and Agricultural Issues team, and this spring, I will compete on the vet science team and the horse judging team.”

    According to a description on the National FFA website in Veterinary Science CDE, students will work in teams to demonstrate their technical knowledge with small and large animals. They complete written exams, scenario questions, identification, and hands-on practicum.

    “Our team made it to the state contest in vet science last year,” Lowry said. “When we were getting ready for the contest, we had a local vet come and talk to us. That was really cool to be able to ask him questions and learn from him.

    “Being on the team has helped me learn a lot about certain skills and instruments used in equine medicine,” she said. “I can carry all those skills over to my horses and my rodeo career.”

    Lowry said she hopes to work towards buying a WPRA card, but vet school and a career in veterinary medicine will be her main focus once she starts attending classes at A&M-Commerce.

    Learn More About Team Cavender’s!

  • Team Cavender’s: Dylan Ouzts

    Team Cavender’s: Dylan Ouzts

    “I had seen things really good about Team Cavender’s,” said Team Cavender’s Athlete Dylan Ouzts. “I think a few of my friends who had been on the team put in a good word for me, and I was officially made a part of the team during the National High School Rodeo Finals this year.

    “It had been a dream to be on Team Cavender’s for a while,” he added. “Now that it’s actually happening and it is real, I am very thankful and excited for the rest of this year.”

    Dylan Ouzts said that although he had lived in Texas all his life, a state that has produced multiple rodeo legends, he had not grown up in a traditional rodeo family.

    “I always rode horses growing up just like everyone else here, but I didn’t really have any family that was involved in rodeo,” Ouzts said.

    Although he did not grow up in a traditional rodeo family, Outzts said he had no shortage of role models and teachers.

    Robson Palermo, a three-time Professional Bull Riders World Champion and 2021 Ring of Honor Inductee, played an instrumental role during the start of Ouzts’s rodeo career.

    “Robson taught me how to really ride my horse so that I could even have the ability to rope and the basics of team roping,” he said.

    “Later, I was able to learn more from Lightning Aguilera, who made the NFR in 2022,” he added. “I started to see a real future in rodeo.”

    Ouzts said he realized he had to choose between school sports and rodeo.

    “I felt like between school and rodeo, I was living two different lifestyles,” Ouzts said. “I played sports at school, but the injuries I would get from rodeoing would stop me from playing baseball and football, so I decided to focus only on rodeo.

    “It’s hard because I love rodeoing, and I see more opportunities and a future there, but I miss playing football and baseball with my buddies at school,” he added.

    During his freshman year of high school, Ouzts said he decided to add another event to his resume, this time on the opposite end of the arena.

    “Jeremy Stevenson, who knew my mom, texted me one day and said he’d like to help me get into bronc riding,” he said. “I went to his house, and he let me use his saddle and gear when I started. I am very thankful for everything he’s taught me.”

    While Ouzts was learning to rodeo, he said his family was learning along with him. One person he said has taken it all in stride is his dad, Burton Ouzts.

    “He didn’t grow up around rodeo at all, and he didn’t think much of it when I started roping,” he said. “When I started riding broncs, he did question me pretty hard because he knew how much I loved playing football. I think he sees now how much I also love riding broncs.”

    No matter what he chose, Ouzts said he knew his parents would be supportive.

    “My mom, Shana Ouzts, always makes it to my rodeos,” he said. “I can’t say how thankful I am for her being supportive of me and my dreams.”

    He added there is no shortage of support from the friends he’s made on Team Cavender’s.

    “Jace Stout and Cooper Lane have helped me a lot too,” he said. “Whether they are teaching me something new about bronc riding or giving me pep talks, they are always helping.”

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  • Team Cavender’s: Brodey Clemons

    Team Cavender’s: Brodey Clemons

    “I have a few friends that were on Team Cavender’s in the past, and this year at the Texas High School Rodeo Finals, they set me up to talk with some people. I did well enough that they offered me a spot on the team right before nationals,” said Brodey Clemons, a senior on the team. “I really feel like I am part of the family now.”

    Although he will only have one year, Clemons said he is excited to settle into his newfound home on Team Cavender’s.

    “I am from Florida but moved to Weatherford, Texas a year ago,” he said. “There is not a lot of rodeo in Florida, and to progress and get better, I had to move to where there is more of an opportunity to rope and rodeo.”

    Many cowboys move to Texas from their home states every year. The state boasts a long list of PRCA world champions and countless roping jackpots and rodeos year-round.

    Moving from Okeechobee, Florida, to the Lone Star State was always in the plans for him and his family, Clemons said. But the move was a bit easier after his brothers came to Texas for school.

    “Weatherford is the place to go if you are going to be a better calf roper,” he said. “Now that I am here, I have the opportunity to travel with people like Kincade Henry, my brother Cole, and Riley Webb.”

    Kincade Henry has qualified for the National Finals Rodeo twice. Riley Webb, who has also made two NFR appearances, was the 2022 Rookie of the Year and the 2023 PRCA Tie-Down world champion, and Cole Clemons is on track to make his first trip to Las Vegas this year.

    “I like to set goals. Last year, I set the goal to win the state tie-down roping title, and I got that done,” he said. Clemons won the short go with a 7.8 to secure the THSRA Tie-Down championship.

    The next goal he said he has set for himself involves playing with the big boys in the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association.

    “I will buy a PRCA permit in December after I turn 18 and rodeo on my permit for the next year,” he said. “Then, buy my card once I have a year under my belt and hopefully win Rookie of the Year and make the NFR.

    “Because my brother is in the top 15, and he is winning rookie of the year right now, I have some big shoes to fill,” he added.

    Although he has gold buckle goals, Clemons said he started out learning the same way numerous other cowboys do.

    “When I was a kid, I rode calves and sheep, but then I got into calf roping,” he added. “I learned a lot from Jason Hanchey, and my mom started hauling me and my older brothers to clinics and rodeos.

    “I started home school in junior high. If you are going to rodeo at a truly competitive level, it is hard not to be homeschooled,” Clemons said. “If you are truly going to be the best and at the top of your game, you really have to devote your life to it. I love it, and I wouldn’t change it for the world.”

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  • Team Cavender’s: Kiley Hargrave-Batten

    Team Cavender’s: Kiley Hargrave-Batten

    While Kiley Hargrave-Batten only joined Team Cavender’s a year ago, she had nothing but good things to say about her experience.

    “It was really a wonderful experience the year I was on the team,” said the 17-year-old cowgirl from Trinity, Texas. “The whole organization is full of amazing and kind people. They have been some of my biggest supporters.”

    Kiley said she was honored to be a part of the youth team during her final year of high school in 2023-24, but she said her rodeo career started much earlier in life.

    “I have rodeoed pretty much my whole life,” she said. “I think I was six when I asked my Papa for a pony for Christmas. I knew from then on rodeo is all I ever wanted to do, and I have done that ever since.”

    Kiley now has quite the list of accolades that include qualifying for the Texas High School Rodeo finals, Jr. National Finals Rodeo, and the Hooey Patriot three times each. She also has been the THSRA Region 9 pole bending champion three times. All these awards and qualifications are thanks in part to her pony, Socks.

    “My Papa bought me my pony at my first rodeo in Waller, Texas. We then trained him together, and that has been such a special memory,” she said. “My Papa is easily the biggest influence I have had in my life. He taught me everything I know, and I am forever grateful for him and his experience.

    “I went on to win the Texas State High School Finals Pole Bending title and National High School Finals Rodeo Pole Bending title on him in 2021,” she said. “That is easily my proudest moment, to be able to win those titles on a horse that my Papa and I trained together.”

    Although Kiley now has several horses in her string, Socks holds a special place. “I have three horses. Socks, my pole horse, and then I have two barrel horses: Easy and Luna,” she said.

    “I have had Socks for 12 years now, and he has always been my favorite,” she said. “After winning me the state and national finals my freshman year, he really has made all my dreams come true.”

    She said Easy and Luna are newer to her herd, having both of them less than a year.

    “Easy came to me from a really great family about three months ago, and Luna, I have been riding for a family friend for about five months,” she said.

    Kiley said she attended public school in the Groveton ISD. She went to Groveton Elementary and then to Groveton Jr.-Sr. High school until she graduated in the spring of 2024. During her time there, she was a varsity cheerleader and cross-country runner. She was involved in the FCCLA, BETA, FCA, and UIL student youth organizations. Outside of school and rodeo, Kiley said she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, especially if it involves the swimming pool.

    Find out more about Team Cavender’s Here

  • Team Cavender’s: Cooper Lane

    Team Cavender’s: Cooper Lane


    Although his time with Team Cavender’s is coming to an end, Cooper Lane said he fulfilled a goal he set for himself when he was invited to join the team.

    “I always wanted to be on Team Cavender’s,” he said. “It was a goal of mine. When I was in junior high, everyone that was a winner was on Team Cavender’s.

    “Everyone I looked up to was on Team Cavender’s,” he said.

    “I got the phone call the week after my freshman year at state [Texas High School Rodeo State Finals] right before my sophomore year,” he said. “I’ve been a member ever since.”

    Cooper described the moment he got the call inviting him onto the team.

    “I’ll never forget it. My best friend John Crimber called me and asked if I had also gotten a message about a meeting with a rep to join the team,” he said. “I hadn’t, and my heart sank.

    “And then, sure enough, the lady called me while we were on the phone,” he said. “I was over the moon because I felt like I really accomplished something big going into high school when I made it on the team.”

    Now that Cooper has graduated from high school, he said he is going to attend Clarendon College to rodeo under Brett Franks, a three-time WNFR qualifier who began coaching at Clarendon in 2013.

    “It’s bittersweet. I’m sad to leave home, but I am stoked to go college rodeo under Brett,” he said.

    “I picked Clarendon because it’s a smaller school that will work with rodeo athletes,” he said. “The weekends I’m not at a college rodeo, I plan to be gone as much as I can going to pro rodeos.”

    Cooper said he plans to rodeo on his PRCA permit until he is closer to the end of his college career. “I’ve been going to a lot of pro rodeos, but I want to wait until closer to my junior year to buy my pro card and then make a run at the NFR,” he said. “I plan to be all online, then I don’t have to worry about going back to class in the middle of the rodeo year.”

    His goals for this year include qualifying for the National High School Rodeo Finals and winning the saddle bronc riding national title. He was close to achieving that goal in his sophomore year of high school when he finished third in the standings. Because he is still entering pro rodeos on his permit, he said his main goal right now in the PRCA is to make the Texas Circuit Finals and the PRCA Permit Finals.

    Cooper said he looks up to three-time PRCA saddle bronc riding champion and seven-time WNFR qualifier Brody Cress in the sport of professional rodeo. He said he recently had the opportunity to ride with Cress to a rodeo.

    “He roomed with my cousin in college, and they were always over at the house,” he said.“Brody has helped me a bunch. I got a new saddle, and I sent it to him, and he fixed it up for me.

    “I called him and told him I didn’t have anyone to go with to a rodeo recently, and he said I could hop in with him,” he said. “That just made my day because it’s a chance to gain knowledge from the guy I look up to going down the road.”

    Cooper spoke very highly of his role model and mentor. “It’s surreal for me. Now that I’m eighteen I’m going to the same rodeos he’s going to. It really opened my eyes,” Laneadded. “He’s helped me learn how pro rodeo works. How to enter, how to stay in the gym while on the road, all those little things. He’s dealt as much knowledge as he can to me.”

     

  • Team Cavender’s: Grace Dubois

    Team Cavender’s: Grace Dubois

    As the second oldest of six siblings, Louisiana cowgirl Grace Dubois said rodeo runs in the family. Following in their
    parents’ footsteps, all of the Dubois kids compete in rodeo. “My dad ropes, and my mom did high school rodeos,” she
    said. “All of us rodeo all the way from youth rodeos to high school.”

    She said her father, Shel Dubois, has had the biggest influence on her rodeo career. “My dad has helped me my
    whole life. He’s taught me everything I know,” she said. “He’s always out there, every day, helping me get better.”
    Dubois said she had never played any sports outside of rodeo. For her, it has always been rodeo and roping. She
    competed in youth, junior high, and high school rodeos. “Rodeo is kind of my whole life,” she said. I don’t do much
    outside of it.”

    Dubois said she is a member of the Catholic Church, and she and her classmates in her church finished confirmation. Confirmation is one of the seven sacraments of the Catholic Church. These seven sacraments are baptism,confirmation, Eucharist, penance, anointing of the sick, marriage, and holy orders. They are categorized into three groups: sacraments of initiation, sacraments of healing, and sacraments of service.

    “Recently, I did my confirmation, which was my last sacrament I had to do for the church,” she said. She also recently completed the last of her homeschooling curriculum and has now officially graduated from high school. She said she is soon to be 19 years old, and as of right now, she plans to pursue a career that will keep her in the equine workforce.
    “I was looking at going to college, but I think I’ve decided I’m going to learn massage therapy for horses and then go more in-depth with osteopath,” she said. “I’m just going to amateur rodeo for now while I do that.

    “But I also went to a clinic with Jake Barnes a few weeks ago, and he told me I could do well training horses,” she added. “So, I think I want to try out training futurity horses also.”

    The young cowgirl is originally from Church Point, in southern Louisiana, but says she plans to move eventually, though she’s more certain where to. “I’m still trying to figure out where I want to go and what I want to do,” she said. “I maybe am thinking I want to go to Texas.”

    Dubois mentioned she wants to wait to hit the ProRodeo road until she is financially stable enough to handle everything the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association has in store.

    “Since I was 15, I’ve been on my own financially for rodeo,” she said. “I bought my own truck and everything like that, so I have to think about the money in it. Eventually, once I have money and a new trailer and am prepared, I want to do pro rodeo,” she said. “But I think it’ll be a couple of years.”

    She said she has enjoyed being a member of Team Cavender’s for the last three years. She said she will miss the experiences she has had moving forward. She highlighted Cavender’s as her biggest sponsor and supporter.

    “They have supported me and advertised me a lot,” she said. “They’ve gotten my name out there too, not just the other way.”

    She said that she hopes to maintain a relationship with Cavender’s and other team members moving forward.

  • Team Cavender’s: John Crimber

    Team Cavender’s: John Crimber

    If you’ve watched any PBR action this year, you’ve undoubtedly experienced rookie sensation John Crimber. Currently sitting at number two in the Unleash The Beast Standings, Crimber won his first Professional Bull Riding this year in Jacksonville, Florida, and continues to dominate in the bull riding. 

    Crimber is no stranger to bull riding. His Dad, Paulo Crimber, is the Florida Freedom Head Coach and a 10-time PBR World Finals qualifier. Paulo also won the average at the 2004 National Finals Rodeo. When asked what helps him stay focused on the road, he attributes his success to his Dad. “My Dad is the one that kind of keeps me in line,” Crimber says. He remembers watching his Dad ride at the NFR in 2004 and wanting to be like him.

    “I always wanted to be a bull rider. I grew up watching my Dad, and I wanted to be like him.”

    Now, at only the young age of eighteen, Crimber is taking the sport of bull riding by storm. Going into the weekend at Billings, Montana, he has won six round wins in the 2024 season and is 589.33 points ahead of world No. 3 Dalton Kasel. He continues to work out and gets on practice bulls to stay consistent. “That’s what I’ve been doing, just trying to get better every week and every day. I bought a couple [practice bulls] after I won Jacksonville.”

    In addition to working out and getting on practice bulls, Crimber credits much of his success to opportunities such as being on Team Cavender’s. “It’s helped me a lot, just introducing us to new opportunities.” He has been on Team Cavender’s for three years now.

    “We get to go to the summit every year. And last year, actually, it was the day before I went to my first PBR. Joe Beaver went over there and spoke to us, and he kind of motivated me.”

    If you’ve ever wondered what it’s like to be at the top as a teenager in the PBR, Crimber has this to say, “Being so young and doing it at 18 years old has been just a blessing. It’s crazy to think I’m 18, doing what I always dreamed of, and being on the run for a world title.” Although fans may poke fun at him, saying he looks like a baby, he remains confident and has big goals for the future. 

    Crimber continues to talk with Beaver and hopes he will get drafted after the World Finals. “Hopefully, I’ll get drafted to a team and be riding for one of those teams for the rest of the season.” In the meantime, we’ll be cheering on this young gun and following his future in the sport of rodeo.