Category: Rodeo LIFE Cover Feature

Bobby-Jean Jones Colyer had a love for horses long before she competed. Growing up in Bruneau, Idaho, in a town of 300, she borrowed a horse to help her get going. “It’s a cool story – my parents (Penny and Gary) couldn’t even put a halter on a horse, but I grew up in a ranching and farming community that helped me get started.” Bobby-Jean remembers struggling in school. “I wanted to be a cowgirl so bad.” She got her first job washing dishes to pay for her entry fees for high school rodeo. “With three kids there wasn’t’ a lot of money there.” Her dad was a wood shop teacher and coach for basketball and football. Her mom was a stay at home mom. “My dad traded for the first horse I owned. I always wanted to barrel race. That first horse I owned got me started at 12 years old.” Gary built a screened in porch in trade for a three year old horse. Bobby-Jean has two older brothers, James and Danny, neither one who competes in rodeo.

“I could never get her to bake cookies with me – she always wanted to be on a horse,” said her mom, Penny. “But because of this valley and her hard work and determination she did it.” Bobby-Jean is the only female that has ever won the Bruneau Round-Up All Around Championship – it’s a big deal. She has also qualified for the World Series Finale six times, as well as qualifying for the AMERICAN, and the Columbia Circuit Finals. “The biggest accomplishment to me is the fact that Gary and I aren’t rodeo people. We worked in the school district. She was two months old when we moved here – we didn’t have the means or the ways to get her there –she babysat and did whatever she could to get horseback.”

Once she got started, her love of rodeo grew. She started roping and set goals for herself. “When I reach one I want another one.” Her rodeo career landed her a scholarship to Bozeman, Montana, where she made the CNFR in the team roping, goat tying, and barrel racing – one of only two women that qualified in 2002 in the team roping. “I would have never gotten through school if not for rodeo,” she said, graduating with a degree in consumer science. Once she graduated, she went down the rodeo road, but ended up back home and married to Kyle Colyer in 2005. They have two children – Piper (14), Cruz (9). Kyle is a third generation rancher and shows Hereford cattle. She continued rodeoing and added a central entry line to her job description.

 

Bobby-Jean worked for Central Entry, now known as Rodeo Central, the entry system for the Idaho Cowboys Association, two others, as well as several open rodeos. She worked for Central Entry before purchasing it seven years ago. Orla Knight, former ICA secretary for 25 plus years,, developed an online entry system, with that Bobby Jean has made some new improvements. “We worked with a developer, Advanced Software, to offer central entry online to website,” explained the 39 year old. “Contestants can still call, but this gives them an option.” She starts in March and the rodeo season winds down the end of October. During that time, she employs several others to help take entries. “I have a lot of passion for the ICA – I’ve been a member for 17 years, winning Rookie of the Year in 2003. I also served on the board as a barrel racing director for six years.” Bobby Jean explains the rodeo draw as a 2,000 piece puzzle. “The computer isn’t always perfect. We have trades and everyone has to get everywhere … anyone in this business has to care about cowboys because they are not going to get rich doing it.”

During the peak season of taking entries, Bobby-Jean still makes time for practicing. Through her example, Bobby-Jean is hoping to bring back old fashioned work. “In this day and age I’ve read all the books, but there is no substitute for working hard no matter how hard it is. I worked my arena with snow in there and if I don’t get out there and practice, they are going to beat me.” She tells herself there is always someone else out there working at it and there is no substitute for working at it. “When I go to the practice pen I have a goal every time.”
She recently competed in the Art of the Cowgirl Worlds Greatest Horsewoman in Phoenix. “Go big or go home – I split first in the last two events – steer stopping and fence work; after not doing very well in the first herd work and reining. I knew I had to lay it all out there in order to make the top ten finals where it would be a clean slate. 59 would have to check for sure – there’s a lot of very accomplished horsewomen in that and I had to go for it.” She ended up third place overall. She is hoping to find another show horse and is preparing for the Perfect 10 World Series event in Las Vegas in March.

Bobby-Jean continues to train her mind. “I think that having a good mental mind is the only thing that makes it at the end of the day. I’m not always there, but I’m working at it all the time. When you’re passionate, emotions go with it. I’ve always been passionate about horses – they’ve been my go to – when things are rough, I go get on the best in the pen – and the best one always turns things around for me.” Bobby-Jean loves to compete. “It’s not about beating someone it’s about reaching individual goals.”

Her dreams include becoming successful in the reined cowhorse. “I want to change people’s lives by hearing my story and drive them to follow those dreams and goals with horses even if they didn’t grow up with horses or have a lot of money.”

“When I was dedicated as a baby, they said I would flow through the lives of people like the Jordan River,” said Jordan Tierney, 2020 Miss Rodeo America. “I remember being at work one day and having this feeling that I was made to do more than that job.” Her sister, Amy, encouraged her to run for Miss Rodeo South Dakota and now the 25-year-old from Oral, South Dakota, has an opportunity to live a bigger life and have a positive impact on those around her. “I want to leave people feeling better after having talked to me.”

Oral, South Dakota, has a population of 60 and Jordan grew up on a ranch, south of town, riding with her father, Paul Tierney. They raised AQHA horses and cattle. “I just this past year bought my own set of cows and now I’m fully invested.” The youngest of four, Jordan considers herself to be the caboose in the family. “I spent a lot of time with my dad, when he went out to the pasture, I went with him. I was on the stud, Cash, and I remember riding double with him. We had a pony, Teddy, I remember riding him while my dad practiced.” Jordan sees her father as an incredible hard working man. “He works sun up to sun down and is always willing to help anyone that comes along. He gives roping lessons and wants to see people succeed – it all came from his desire to be a rodeo cowboy and that’s taken him far.” Paul qualified for the NFR qualifier from 1977-1986, only missing one year. He was the World All Around Champion in 1980 and Tie Down Champion in 1979.

Her mom, Robin, was the 1985 Miss Rodeo South Dakota and second runner up to Miss Rodeo America. “She sacrificed so much for our family,” said Jordan. “When I was a junior in high school, my mom switched careers – she had been a dental hygienist for 25 years and quit that to start her own oil field service company.” That job required Robin to be away from home for two weeks at a time while she built it up. “She always made my important volleyball and basketball games as well as my rodeos.” That leap of faith has allowed her the flexibility and freedom to continue her love of raising good horses and riding. “She’s an incredible horsewoman.”

Jordan has two older brothers, Jess and Paul David, as well as an older sister, Amy. “I’ve followed in her footsteps my entire life, from sports to school leadership. She and my brothers have been huge encouragers to me in my dream to become Miss Rodeo America.”

Jordan started competing in rodeo in elementary school, competing in 4-H rodeo junior division. She eventually joined the National Little Britches and the South Dakota High School Rodeo Association. “I had a horse accident when I was five on the ranch. I was going out to get cows with my dad and my horse took off with me.” Jordan fell underneath the horse and he jumped over her. “I refused to get on a horse for three years. I started riding again when I was 8 and was very fearful – I didn’t want to go fast. My parents were very persistent and I eventually got faster.”

 

Robin remembers those three years. “We wanted her to go, but really a neighbor girl, Megan Harkless, is the one who got her going again. She would come over and ride and she would ask Jordan to start coming out with her and pretty soon she was walking the horse around the arena while they talked. She was so patient and understanding.”

After that, the best part was taking her to her first 4-H rodeo. “She walked the whole pattern and we were so thankful – and it was such a good feeling,” said Robin. “Here’s what we always knew about Jordan – her personality and the way she was – a slow starter and a strong finisher. She finished amazing and we have been so proud of her determination and diligence to perfect her craft.”

When Jordan got back into rodeo, she didn’t win a lot, but by the time she hit middle school she had a very competitive mare that she ran barrels on (her name was Princess and she was also her brother Paul’s main heel horse). “I won the Junior girls state 4-H championship in goat tying in 2008,” she said. “I do think winning is important because I am a very competitive person so I didn’t like not winning in the crucial times that could’ve resulted in going to nationals, but when you start finding your identity in worldly successes that can be detrimental. I want to be an inspiration for rodeo and ranch girls to try rodeo queening as an addition to all that they do.”

Her rodeo abilities earned her a scholarship to Chadron State College where she competed in barrel racing, breakaway roping and goat tying. She earned a degree in business administration and plans to continue her education after her reign as Miss Rodeo America. “I would like to get the masters online program and start working in a career path in marketing and the agriculture realm.”

 

For now, she is watching the calendar fill up with appearances across the country. “I’ve always been a people person – when I went with my dad, he would give us $5 and tell us to meet him back at the trailer. I found friends and that’s how it all started. This past year as Miss Rodeo South Dakota, I was telling people that I thought I was outgoing; I got out of my comfort zone – figuring out how to bring up conversation.” Her secret is asking people about themselves. “I like learning more about people and their history.” Her platform is Rodeo, Agriculture and building relationships with fans and new comers that foster understanding for the western way of life. She uses part of a Bible verse on her autograph sheets. Psalm 139:14. “I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.”

“I shorten it and say you are fearfully and wonderfully made – that’s a verse I’ve carried with me,” explains Jordan. “I am made in His image and I should be proud of that. I want to make people know that I care and they are worth caring about. I love where I’m at now – I’m having a great time and after this year, I will get back to rodeoing, breakaway roping and team roping.”

“My why is to help build people up the same way that I was built up during my early adolescent years when I had a lack of self confidence. My parents really gave me a strong foundation to stand on with all the good information they gave me to overcome my mountains in life.”

Jordan hopes that as she represents rodeo and meets thousands of people this coming year that they will see her genuine authenticity for the sport of rodeo and the western lifestyle. “It’s what I was raised in and I’m proud to represent it. I hope they remember me for that genuine feel.”

‘Where did this guy come from,’ is undoubtedly on the minds of many team ropers in the IPRA that watched a rookie 21-year-old header, Colton Bugis, climb from the bottom to the top of the team roping leaderboard since June. With nearly $1900 separating him and the next header in line, Colton is excited to be traveling to the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma for the IFR50 to see if he can finish the season as a world champion team roper.

Originally from Highland, Michigan, Colton’s start in horses didn’t give much of a clue that he would be where he is today. His parents Ed and Penny Bugis and younger sister, Eva, have a family farm where his dad sells grain, and also operates a septic company, King Septic; and none of them had a rodeo background. There was a love of horses in the family, and Colton’s grandma, Carol Redman, bred and raised Welsh ponies that became projects for Colton and his sister. “We were really young, but we would ride and drive the ponies she raised and turn them into show jumping and dressage prospects for other kids. My mom and sister were both really big into dressage and hunter jumpers, so I competed in that world growing up. I was in the Michigan Hunter Jumper Association and the Pony Club of America and did all that until I was about 13 years old.” In his heart however, he was a cowboy, “I always thought I was a little cowboy, running around with a rope when I was a kid. I went over to a roping school near us when I was young and learned to rope goats and got hooked. I started chasing everything I could on my pony, Lightning. A guy down the road, Tim Brown, took me to a roping pen at Rocky Alberts’ Blue Ridge Stock Farm one day, and that was all I wanted to do after that. My dad was glad to see me getting away from the hunter jumper riding and bought me a really good rope horse. It was a big deal for an old farm family to pay that much for a rope horse, but my dad bought me a black 7-year-old gelding named Player that really gave me a good start.”

 

Colton’s mom explained, “Roping is a better fit for Colton. He’s always been a little cowboy from a very young age. We are so excited to go watch him at the IFR50 in January. There is a whole group of his Michigan roper family going out to Guthrie with us to watch him compete. We are all extremely proud of him.”

Before graduating from Hartland High School in 2016, Colton competed in the Michigan High School Rodeo Association for three years, heading for Cale Johnson his sophomore through senior year of high school. The team won the MHSRA champion team roping title in 2015 and 2016 and qualified for national finals all three years they competed together. Colton also competed in calf roping and trap shooting during high school, but team roping was his main focus. Over the years, he’s even ridden ranch broncs for fun. “I come from a very supportive family, and even though my mom and sister didn’t like that I switched to roping, they still always came to watch me and support me in all that I do. They will be traveling to the IFR to watch me compete at my first IPRA finals rodeo, and hopefully watch me win the title there.”

Over the past few years, Colton has spent a lot of time at amateur rodeo associations and team roping jackpots. He attended a horse shoeing school in Purcell, Oklahoma in January 2017. “I didn’t stick with that as a profession, but I did learn enough to do some of my own horses when I need to.” He did, however, make a friend with Baker Roush while at the school, and Baker invited him to his family ranch in Dripping Springs, Texas for the winter. “He and I ranched cows, shoed horses, hauled cattle, and did odd jobs. His family had a wedding venue, so we helped set up things for weddings and maintain the property. I roped some, but mainly did whatever I could come across to make some money while I was there, and then I’d go back home to Michigan for the summer.” While Colton was riding a friend’s calf horse at a rodeo when he was in Michigan for the summer, Mike Culhain made a phone call that began a change in the course of Colton’s roping career. “I told everyone I talked to that I wanted to go back to Texas for the winter. Mike told me he was friends with Bob Masters, and that he would call him and put me in touch with his son Chad Masters. I ended up going out to Chad’s for the winter in 2018.”

Colton started out as the low man on the totem pole at Chad’s, mucking stalls, feeding cattle, and fixing fence. “I did whatever needed done, just trying to do my part. I also got to ride and rope with Chad and worked my way up. Chad taught me how he needed me to ride the horses and how he wanted things done. After winter, Chad went back to competing, and I decided to try rodeoing in the IPRA for the 2019 season. I didn’t really have a partner starting out, but I met Ty Parkinson at the Fort Worth Stockyards and we decided to start roping together in June. Ty is from Australia, and he’s a phenomenal heeler, he’s qualified for the IFR multiple times. We started out doing well together, and really went hard at the rodeos. From June until the end of the season we entered probably 75 rodeos and placed regularly. We won the team roping at St. Tite in Quebec, Canada, and just kept climbing in the standings as the months passed. Going into the IFR50, I’m leading the heading and Ty is leading the heeling.”

 

A little dark brown mare named Betty has helped Colton make his mark in the heading competition. “My good horse ended up having ringbone, and Chad had gotten Betty in from a guy and made me a good deal on her. I’ve been riding her since this spring. She’s a little mare, maybe 14.3, but she is such a good horse and has made my job so much easier. I’m so grateful Chad helped me out with her. Coming from Michigan to Chad’s ranch in Lipan, Texas was very eye opening. It’s a totally different ball game. In Michigan, roping is more of a hobby that you do for fun, but here it’s the real thing; this is what they do. You learn a lot! I learned how to ride my horses better, how to use a rope better, and how to rope smart.” Colton is currently at the Masters’ ranch for his third winter and honing his skills so that he is as ready as possible for the IFR in January.

“My main plan for the IFR50 is to get ready to catch them all so we can go for the average. I don’t get to practice with Ty much, he’s all over the place. But we’ll get together right before we head to Guthrie and make some runs together and we’ll be fine. After the IFR my goal is to just keep getting as good as I can get and see how far I can take it. I’ve been able to learn a lot from several people over the years, and I’ve been lucky enough that people have seemed to like helping me. I plan to take all of it and see where it leads. I may not have come from a rodeo background, but it’s in my blood and I’m here to stay.”

Stetson’s first bucking horse was his brother. “We had a TV stand with swinging doors,” he explained. “Rusty would get in there, we’d open the door, and he’d ride out, with me or Ryder riding.”

Now, at the age of 20, he’s joining his two brothers at the WNFR. “I didn’t know how soon it was going to happen, but I’m glad it’s now,” said the Beaver, Utah, cowboy who is going to Vegas sitting second in the bull riding and leading the all around. “I felt like I was ready, but I didn’t think I would have this much success this soon – I’ve always expected it of myself. Me and my brothers have always dreamed of this since watching my dad.” And watch their dad, Cody, is what Stetson has done since he was little. He’s been to every performance of the WNFR since he was three years old, watching dad for 13 years, then Rusty, who made his first WNFR in 2015, then Ryder in 2016, and now he is going.

The Wright family has made NFR history twice now – in 2014 when four of them (Jesse, Jake, Cody and Spencer) all qualified for the WNFR in the same year and again in 2016 when Cody and his sons, Rusty and Ryder, became the first father and two sons to compete in the same event at the WNFR.

“In my opinion, my dad’s the greatest bronc rider that ever lived. He might not have 6 world titles to show for it, but he’s perfected the style – he stays back, sets his feet, and he’s fast. From a husband to a dad – everything – he’s great. He tells us to trust our stuff and keep gassing it and just perform like you’re in the practice pen. He keeps us all positive; he’s a very positive guy.”

 

Cody enters all three of his sons as well as two others. “He’s one of the best – he enters five guys and all five of us made it to the Finals this year. If we didn’t have him, we’d lose a lot of sleep. He wakes up every morning, looks at the books and enters us.” Along with entering the boys, Cody enjoys training dogs – border collies and kelpies. “Training dogs and entering us makes his living.” Along with his two older brothers, Rusty and Ryder, Stetson has a younger brother, Statler, 16; and a younger sister, Lily, 10. “Stetson’s my middle man,” said his mom, ShaRee. All of her kids rodeo and say collectively that if Lily could ride rough stock she’d be better than all the boys.

Stetson started riding broncs the summer before his freshman year in high school. He started riding bulls in the 5th and under state program and then did junior high and miniature bulls before getting on bulls in high school. “I honestly wasn’t good at riding bulls, Rusty and Ryder were better and it bugged me that I wasn’t good at it. It finally clicked my junior year and it’s been good going ever since.” He also played football and wrestled.
His senior year, 2017, he won the National High School Finals All Around along with All Around at the IFYR the same year. After high school, he rode on his permit in 2018.

 

He had a setback last year in Kansas. “I had won about $70,000 on my permit. The bull stepped down on my hips. I tore my knee and it put me out for the rest of the year.” When he went to enter San Angelo, he had $100 left. “That made me really smart about my money. It was an awful feeling.” He won the first round and that put $5,000 back in his pocket. He won two rounds in San Antonio, so left there with over $20,000. That made rodeoing a little easier on my stomach.”

He had another setback when he broke his jaw this July in Kansas. “Honestly, it didn’t give me a concussion; it was such a perfect hit under my jaw. He hit me in the head first time, and that slid my helmet up; now I’ve got plates and screws and I lost four front bottom teeth.”

He kept riding horses, but didn’t do as well as he had hoped. He got on his first bull in St George, September 21, but had slipped behind Sage Kimzey in the standings. “I passed him and broke my jaw. There’s plenty of money to be won. If I didn’t think I could win, I wouldn’t have bought my card.”
Stetson will join his two brothers as the recipient of the Resistol Rookie of the Year in the saddle bronc riding. He is also a contender for the All Around and Bull Riding saddles. “It’s not surprising,” said ShaRee of her son’s accomplishments. “He has always been a determined kid. Once he sets his mind to stuff, he works to get it. It’s super neat to see him work towards these goals. It was a setback when he broke his jaw July 31 in Dodge City, the day after his birthday.” That rodeo was one he went to by himself. “He usually travels with Ryder, and he was by himself. “I think they are each other’s biggest support team,” she said. “It’s hard as a mom when you have one that wins and one that doesn’t.”

Now that Stetson is about to get on 10 bulls, he is working on keeping in shape. “I’m hopefully going to be healthy and fast so I can outlast everyone there.” He’s doing it with speed and agility drills, to get his feet fast. He likes to ride his bike too. “I jump up on crates, sprint through ladders, and run across the field. Mostly running and jumping.” His goal for the WNFR is to be the fourth guy to ride all ten bulls at the NFR; Jim Sharp, 1988; Adriano Moraes, 1994; Norman Curry, 1990. “I figure if I did that the world champion would come easy.”

After the WNFR, Stetson and his fiancé, Callie, will welcome their first daughter in January. The couple plan to marry shortly after the WNFR. Stetson will start the 2020 season in Denver. “I’m going to get on for as long as I can,” he concluded. “I’m excited to see what’s in store for us.”

 

Doug Clark will receive the coveted Ben Johnson Award at the National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum’s annual Rodeo Historical Society’s Hall of Fame Gala on November 9. Doug was born in Tulsa, Oklahoma. “I grew up in a saddle shop – Veach Saddlery – which belonged to my grandfather, Charley Beals, and was started 100 years ago by his father in law, Monroe Veach.” He spent his summers and every day after school at the shop. “I helped make saddles and repair things. My dad tooled all the saddles for years there and it’s a family business so we did a little bit of everything.”

He started tie down roping when he was 10. At that same time, he started competing in the junior rodeos in all events. “They were called FFA rodeos,” said the 57 year old that calls Wayne, Oklahoma, home. “I was fortunate enough to be around the right guys and my dad was quite a horseman. We are a huge rodeo family, so that’s all we do.” Doug and his family lived in Tusla and in the early 70s they moved 90 miles east of there to get out of town. They built an arena and that’s where Doug really started honing his skills. He went one year to the IPRA rodeos, competing in tie down roping and team roping (heeler), earning the title as Rookie of the Year in the tie down roping. He hit the road in the PRCA circuit in 1981, as soon as he was 18. He was ranked in the top 20 year-end standings for several years, winning the top rodeos and invitational ropings of the year, nationwide, while traveling on a part-time basis. He was the PRCA’s Prairie Circuit Champion tie down roper and competed in many circuit finals in that event. He set an arena record at the Cheyenne Frontier Days in 1987 when they roped calves weighing 280-300 pounds, as well as winning their coveted championship buckle for the all-around title in 1995. He added steer roping to his events entered and in 2005 earned the Pendleton, Oregon Round-Up steer roping championship. The win helped boost him to the qualification for the 2005 PRCA National Finals Steer Roping where he won second in the average and top horse of the finals.

 

“I went as much as I could – I never set a goal to win this or that. I was training and traveling with some of the top guys so I couldn’t really go as much on my own.” Doug was riding and selling what he was riding to those guys. Doug has had horses either owned or ridden by Clark Quarter Horses at the National Finals Rodeo and National Finals Steer Roping Finals for over 30 years. Much of Doug’s career has been riding and training horses for the top ropers of the day, like Trevor Brazile, Tom Ferguson, and Roy Cooper. Never ‘living on the road’ entering and competing in rodeos, Doug’s real passion and specialty has been in training horses and people in a clinic format and one-on-one training in his home. “My dad was a great horseman – a quiet mild mannered gentleman – and learned how to be a good judge of horse flesh.” Doug was influenced by the old timers – great horsemen and ropers.

Along with the pros, Doug and his wife, Linda, have had the privilege of helping kids along the way. “We’ve had a lot of kids come live with us over the years. We still take kids in who want to get better in rodeo – but really it’s all about life – it all goes together.” Every one of the kids that have come through his doors has learned about everyday living. “That includes everything from riding 20-30 horses a day, shoeing, fixing corrals, cleaning pens – you name it.” It’s the Doug Clark school of hard knocks. The kids come in, learn how to be horsemen – sleep on a lumpy old couch and work alongside Doug to achieve their goals.

 

“The parents entrust us with their kids and that’s a huge compliment,” says Linda, who is the cook, but doesn’t admit to being the cleanup. Doug and Linda have one daughter, Darcy, who competed as well. Doug and Linda got married in 1985. “We met on Valentine’s Day at Baton Rouge at a rodeo,” he recalls. Six months later Doug and Linda were married. Darcy was born in 1991, and joined the rodeo road when she was young. “When Doug was horse showing, she went along. “We won a lot of awards including the Super Horse in 1999 one year, competing in all the roping events.” He was a trainer and exhibitor and judge during his time at the AQHA. Darcy competed on Doug’s old roping horses and qualified for the CNFR in 2008 in the barrel racing. She also won the breakaway at the IFYR in 2006. Darcy and her husband, Billy Good, a steer roper, still hit the rodeo road. Linda works part time as well as running a courier business with her daughter, Equine Courier Services, driving 10,000 miles a month delivering semen and embryos.

Not only does Doug train horses and hold clinics at every age and skill level in all roping disciplines, but for many years he showed horses in the American Quarter Horse Association. He was one of the teammates winning the 1999 Super Horse Award showing the stallion, Look Whos Larkin. Doug also has been involved training and even owning three of the many horses recognized as finalists for the AQHA/PRCA Horses of the Year, which is an award voted on, annually, by top ranked cowboys.

Doug has enjoyed his entire career and life being around the horse industry as a fourth generation rodeo participant. “I enjoy what we do and I want to keep doing it. We’ve got some good kids and some good horses,” concludes Doug. The Ben Johnson award is bestowed upon a person who has had a notable career in the arena, as well as, working outside the arena helping others to achieve their rodeo and personal goals. “I was honored with the award – I didn’t even know I was in there – it’s not what happened in the arena as much as what you can do for other people and helping them get where they want to go.”

Timothy Troyer is the 2019 International Finals Youth Rodeo (IFYR) Saddle Bronc Champion and is also sitting number one in the International Pro Rodeo Association. From Columbia, Kentucky, Timothy admits there’s not a lot of saddle bronc riders around where he lives. Put that with his height, 6’2”, and the fact that he just started riding broncs two years ago, and that makes his win at the IFYR even sweeter. “I just started going to rodeos and figuring it out along the way,” he said. “I do base all my success on God and I couldn’t do it without Him. My brother Jesse has always been there to support me and push me to get better – he is definitely one of my biggest motivations!” Timothy spends many hours working out – preferring the old school workouts like jumping and cross fit work.

This was his second year at the IFYR. “It’s a great place for young people to get started and compete and it pays well.” Timothy was home schooled – he grew up Amish. “We weren’t allowed to go and even watch rodeos – no competitive sports. We played a lot of baseball or volleyball. But we couldn’t go to games.”

Timothy’s parents decided to leave the Amish community when he was 13. They moved to Westcliffe, Colorado, for four years before moving back to Columbia. “A month after we moved to Colorado we lost everything in a house fire and had to start over from scratch,” said Timothy. “But with help from God, family and friends we recovered.”

 

He doesn’t miss much about growing up in that lifestyle but says it helped him in life by teaching him life skills. “I know how to make a living from hard work,” he said. “We still talk Dutch at home and cook the same. I build furniture on the side, and that’s one thing that I will always do.” The one thing that stumped him was social media. Although he’s figured it out, he admits that it is over used.

While Timothy, Jesse, and his younger brother, Dwayne adapted well to the change, it has been more difficult for his mom, Kate. “I was taught so different that it’s hard. We didn’t learn English until we went to school at the age of six.” She also misses getting together with family and friends. She still raises a big garden and does all her own canning and freezing. They also raise their own meat, butchering a steer when the elk meat runs out. William is a big hunter and heads to Colorado every year to get an elk. The boys have gone with him.

Timothy has been riding for just over two years. “I always wanted to do it as a kid and my parents wouldn’t let me until I was 16.” He picked up rodeo on his own. “My brother started riding bareback horses when he was 16. I bought a saddle and a pair of chaps and started entering exhibitions at rodeos. I watched some YouTube videos and halfway had the basics figured out.” The hard part for Timothy was entering. “I didn’t know anything about associations; I just searched for rodeos to enter.”

Kate, wasn’t too happy about him riding right off, but she’s comfortable watching it now. “It was scary for me,” she said. “It was totally new for us. He was introduced to it through friends who barrel raced. The boys grew up on a farm – their dad used to train horses when he was younger – so they had always been around horses – we used them for everything.”

 

The other delay in Timothy’s starting was due to an accident he had in 2015. “He was at work and fell 22 feet off the roof, shattering both bones in his left leg above his ankle. It’s full of plates and screws– it took three surgeries to fix that. It took a full year until he was back to normal.” Timothy has worked on his father’s (William) construction crew since he was 13. He used to build houses and pole barns. William switched to excavating two years ago.

Timothy heads to school at South Western Oklahoma University this fall. “I am going to go for a business degree at Weatherford, Oklahoma, and rodeo.” He admits he’s a little nervous to start school. “I’ve never been to a public school – the Amish school I went to had 20 kids and was a 30×40 building.” He made it through the eighth grade in the Amish school. “That’s when you graduate anyway.”

He has continued his education online to prepare for college. “I’ll have classes every day of the week.” For now, rodeo will have to be done on the weekends. The goal is to have his own business someday – either in furniture or construction. For now, he’s going to enjoy college, rodeo, and his girlfriend, Sadie Wolaver, who he met at a rodeo in Canada. They have been dating since November. “I would marry her right now, but I don’t want to get married and have financial problems, so I’m saving up for it.”

“We’re proud of our boys and what they are accomplishing,” concludes Kate. “I love to watch him now. He’s got the determination and will power to push through and get after his goals. He doesn’t give up very easily. I would say he gets that from his dad.”

The 18 year old is from Yampa, Colorado, a small town located 30 miles south of the famous Steamboat Springs ski resort. Even with that close proximity, Jace doesn’t ski. “I get so busy with sports, I don’t make time for it.” Due to conditions and his high school sports, Jace is unable to practice in the winter. “We had 5 feet of snow last year and freezing temperatures all winter.” During the fall, he splits his time between football and rodeo and then wrestles throughout the winter. He was the running back and linebacker in football for Soroco High School and he wrestled in the 170 pound division, earning the state title this year in 2A. After spending the past three years as runner up, he finally reached his goal. Jace has wrestled since kindergarten, working his way through middle school into high school and coaching the peewee program. “I love the sport – it teaches great life lessons – I love that kind of competition. You are out there by yourself so there are no excuses. Dedication and teamwork are still in there as far as practice partners – being accountable for your actions on and off the mat. Wrestling teaches discipline in cutting weight, making weight, and grinding it out. It’s very rewarding in the success because it’s all you.”

 

As a freshman, Jace was a big surprise to a lot as he made it to State finals, and ended up runner up – for the next three years. “It was a rough go for a while, but we got it done.” What he concentrated on this year was his mental game. “Honestly in life and in sport – if you can mentally overcome stuff, that will make the difference in your success.”

Jace competes in the Colorado State High School Rodeo Association, where he is this year’s All Around Champion. Going into the fall season he would play football Friday night and then immediately head to the weekend rodeos where he competed in reined cowhorse, tie down, team roping, and steer wrestling. Add that to the fall ranch work, Jace kept busy. His family ranch runs 1,300 leased cow calf pairs during the summer and fall gathering on the 12,000 + acres takes some time. Add shipping to that and the family of three boys has their work cut out for them. “My brothers and I are the cowboys pushing them up to summer pasture and putting out salt and mineral during the summer. Then we gather in the fall.”

Jace and his two brothers, Eric, 21, and Kody, 16, started their own cow herd when they were young. “I bought two cows in second grade and same with my brothers. Each year, we’ve grown our herd.” They have around 200 of their own cows now. “Mom and dad treat us good – we work pretty hard on the ranch and they help by taking care of most of the expenses on the cattle.” The cattle on the ranch are divided into four big bunches and the boys check on something every day during the summer.

 

He comes by his love of horses through his parents, Mark and Jeannie Logan, who competed in reining before the boys were born. They started raising horses with their stud, Doc Sugar Catalyst when Eric was just a baby and most of their horses they rodeo on and work the ranch on comes from Doc. Jace and his brothers found their niche in the horse world through rodeo, starting with the local gymkhana club and NLBRA, then climbing the ranks of junior high and high school rodeo. Jace competed in team roping and dally ribbon roping with Eric, and the brothers were crowned the NLBRA dally ribbon roping world champions in 2012.

Jace has been pro rodeoing since last October, running down the road with Eric, who also steer wrestles. They use the same horses and haze for each other. “I pulled a check at my hometown rodeo, the Steamboat Springs Pro Rodeo series. We hit that ten week series every weekend.” One of the horses, the haze horse Skeeter, is one that was raised at the ranch. The steer wrestling horse, Gray, was bought out of Texas when Eric was at Odessa College. Besides steer wrestling, Jace and Eric also compete in team roping together. Jace heads on Skeeter-the haze horse, and Eric heels on a horse they also raised on the ranch and used in reining. During the week the boys and Eric’s fiancee, Shelby-who breakaway ropes, make time to practice everyday. The family put in an arena a few years ago which allows them the flexibility to practice whenever they have free time from the ranch.
Jace is going to the University of Wyoming this fall to study Animal Science with a concentration in livestock production. He plans to apply that later in life as a ranch manager. For now, he’s going to rodeo for a while. “I want to see how far I can go in it.”

Piper is currently mastering four ponies, and has been working on that for a year. She began her career as a trick rider at the age of four. She added Roman Riding a year later, hopping on her brother’s ponies one day in the arena. “My brother was driving a wagon and I wanted to be part of that, so I just jumped on.” She relies on her brother, Cash, for the ponies. Cash doesn’t mind anymore because the ponies aren’t fast enough for him to use on the chuck wagon. Chuck wagon racing is a Canadian thing, and he started with ponies, and is now moving to Shetlands. Along with the rodeo events, both Piper and Cash do a lot of work on the ranch, which has been in the family for five generations. The family lives in Wardlow, Alberta, a small ranching community, three hours from the border in the middle of nowhere. Between Brooks and Hanna, the community is known for the Calgary Stampede rodeo horses that make their home there as well. Most of their family lives around the area.

 

Piper is a gymnast, nicknamed Pipes because she is so strong and has the ability to do things that kids her size can’t do. Her gymnastics teacher, Petre Neda, is an Olympian champion. He immigrated from Austria and coached the Olympian gold Korean team. She started at age 2 and at this time in her life, her groundwork in gymnastics is more difficult that the strap work of trick riding. “That’s what has set her apart,” explains her mom, Kelsey. “She can do difficult maneuvers like the bar work in gymnastics. Her snappy groundwork is her signature. The maneuver she likes the least is anywhere that the ponies can potentially bite her. “Since she rides naughty ponies, she has a hard time trusting her horse so she would prefer to vault.” Her work ethic in gymnastics included 20 hours of training a week. “Her coach was very strict – back hand springs, back walkovers, putting her feet in bars against the wall and lifting up; multiple chin ups and climbing a rope up a wall were other “warm up activities” he required of Pipes. “Piper respects her coach because he can do anything she is doing and when she doesn’t want to try, he shows her.”

Pipes received her first formal training in trick riding from Rae-Lynn Armstrong, who was Madison MacDonald Thomas’s partner in Magic in Motion. “I met her through that,” explained Madison, who has been working with her for four years now. “She’s determined with a lot of try and a lot of heart. She’s very fun to teach – you can throw anything at her and she’ll try it. For someone as young as she is and the pressure of the shows we put her under, it’s incredible what she can do and handle.” Madison, who has been trick riding for 20 years, teaches trick riding from coast to coast. “The number of trick riders is growing,” she said. “The ‘trick’ is learning how to use your body, and Pipes is a natural – I love that little girl – she’s a fun one.”

The trick riding and Roman Riding has come easily to Pipes, who practices Roman Riding often while the family is moving cows. This is the first year that she has had to work on the mental part. She’s never been nervous before. In Roman Riding there is no room for error. In order to “button up mentally,” Pipes has implemented a song into her preparation time. Fairland Ferguson used to performa in the show Cavallia, so Pipes sings the song: ‘Strong in the legs, quiet in the hand, chest and eyes up and go sell eggs.’ It’s an inside joke – she repeats the song until she is calm and focused.

Piper leaves with Madison July 2, and she will go all the way to the end of August. Kelsey will travel along. “Maddie is contracted with Flying U, Mr. Rosser has given me my first chance to see if I’m good enough to be with her,” said Pipes. Her first show is Nephi, Utah, July 11-13. This is her first full summer on the road and she is excited. She came down to the states from the end of January until the middle of March for The AMERICAN and performed during the Junior American. “My teacher sent me homework. Miss Gray has been her teacher since kindergarten and now in third grade, she will work ahead to get done before she leaves. Half of her class is gone for the winter.

“It gets pretty cold up here, so many of them go to Arizona,” explains Kelsey. “We do everything in -40 degree weather and it will be like that for a long time.”
There is a tremendous amount of work that goes into the few minutes in the arena. “The production behind it takes a whole team,” said Kelsey. “It takes two hours just to get in the arena.” For Pipes, she would rather skip that part.

“I don’t like to brush my hair,” she admits. “I just want my hair in braids.” She is not taking after her mom – who has a chain of beauty schools in Canada.
“I grew up out here and I wanted to braid my ponies hair instead of barrel racing,” said Kelsey. “I worked internationally for Revlon for several years as Canada’s creative director. So I got to go to Barcelona and Paris, designing shows. I loved this side of the business, so I started schools. I have a great team – we’ve had the same team my whole career and we’re committed to each other. You can’t be strong without that.” Her ability to produce a style show has helped with the specialty act scripts. “We can do the photography, the make-up and all the art that goes behind it.”

Her husband, Wes, spends his days doing ranch work, and is supportive of his children’s interests. “It takes a lot of time, but it’s good.” After a full day of looking after cows, haying, or whatever is necessary, he practices with the kids, rope a little with Cash. As a former bronc rider in Canada, he knows what it takes to get trucks and trailers ready to go. His bronc riding skills have come in handy as Cash breaks his ponies. “The ponies are too small for me to get on, but I can coach him.” He stays behind when the family hits the rodeo road. “I got the easy job – I fly down to watch and then fly home.”

 

…A Little more about:

Cash Yule

Cash started working with ponies when he was six – he is 11 now. His secret is to spend lots of time with them. “Don’t give up and don’t let them win or they will keep doing that over and over again,” he said. “When I was little, I liked to play around with them. When I got older I started doing other stuff with them. I try to pick the better ones that aren’t naughty.” His cousin dropped off a trailer load when Cash was younger and he sorted through and picked the ones he thought he could break. “The other ones that I couldn’t break, I would buck them.” He puts them on a wagon and drives them until they are tired. He tarps them and ponies them on to something and Piper is often the rider.

 

Cash is in sixth grade and attends a school where there are 75 kids in school from k-12. His favorite part is social studies and math. He plans to play defense in the NFL one day as well as become a veterinarian. Along with racing ponies, Cash team ropes.

Last year, Kynan Vine, rodeo director of Calgary Stampede, hired Cash for the Presidents Day – a private performance done before the Calgary Stampede to recognize the sponsors. Last year it was geared towards kids and they had the opportunity to produce their first rodeo. They had to find all the other kids to help, they did events like ranch roping, mini broncs, barrel racing. He pushed the kids – they learned how to take the entire production seriously. He has become a huge mentor – they work hard for him and the rewards. Cash just sold 25 ponies – ponies that he raised. He has quite the business going on.