Confessions of a Horseshoer

Youth Rodeo

202 Youth Rodeo Cowboys and Cowgirls don’t just rise up completely formed off of some cattle ranch, and although some people might disagree, most are not born, they are made. A lot of these youngsters start up on ranches and farms,but the proving grounds for many is the Youth Rodeo. The ages of the participants range from two to nineteen. Youth rodeo in my part of the Northwest usually has four divisions: Pre-Pee Wee (ages 2 to 5), Pee Wee (ages 6 to 10), Junior (ages 11 to 13), and Senior (ages 14 to 19). For several years I’ve volunteered at these rodeos in what is called the “stripping chutes,” where the lassoes are taken off the steers and calves after their event and the animals are driven into pens, and I am humbled and astonished at the courage and talent of these young boys and girls. The rodeo grounds where youth rodeos are held are the same grounds used by professional rodeos, and the people and the scenery look much the same. The crowds are much smaller, however, made up mostly of family members. You’ll see the same competitors walking around wearing big earned silver buckles large as saucers, but these will mostly be on children . . . little five- and six-year-old boys and girls, cocky young eight-year-olds, serious and competent eighteen- and • Youth Rodeo • 203 nineteen-year-olds. You’ll hear country music playing in the background both before and during the rodeo. You’ll see cowdog puppies on horses’ lead ropes everywhere, and may hear an opening prayer that doesn’t ask for help to win, but to do their best and avoid injury. There will often be a couple of hardy-looking seven-year-old boys or girls wearing fancy cowboy shirts embroidered with the names of local sponsors, and during the opening ceremonies you’ll see tiny little three- and four-year-olds proudly racing their ponies all around the arena, hats blowing off all over, none getting stepped on by horses. Looking at the Day Sheet that lists the competitors and their events, you’ll frequently find good old Western names like Cody, Wyatt, Clay, Jake, Cole, Jessica, Emily, Dakota, Blake,Cheyenne,Justin,Shawnee,Lacy,Baylee,and Cassidy. Before the rodeo gets underway you might hear the announcer warning the volunteers in the arena about the rodeo dress code: cowboy hats, boots, jeans, long-sleeved shirts, no tattoos showing. Very infrequently you’ll see what I saw recently : a blond yuppy lady in the stands wearing shorts, tank top, and sandals, completely ignoring the rodeo and bothering the people around her by talking loudly on a cell phone about property analysis. The Rodeo Queen and her Court race out during the opening ceremonies. The ages of the Queen and her Court at the last youth rodeo I attended were 13, 13, and 8. The criteria for selection were: Personality and Communication Skill, 40 percent; Appearance of the girl and the horse, 20 percent; and Riding Ability, 40 percent. 204 • Confessions of a Horseshoer • And if you’re lucky like me, you’ll see a tiny cowboy in cowboy hat, boots, jeans, shirt, chaps, and a pacifier in his mouth as he tries to lasso his dog with a rope. I talked with a young Pre-Pee Wee competitor and her mother prior to the opening ceremonies of one local rodeo, interested to get the child’s thoughts on rodeo and life in general.The girl was decked out in complete cowgirl attire— hat,boots,chaps,Wrangler jeans,and western shirt—but she wasn’t much for talking. When I asked her how old she was, she held up three fingers. She said her name was Hayley, and her pony’s name was Ringo. Beyond that she didn’t have more to say, so her mother answered for her. “Where did you get that great big buckle?” I asked. Mother said it was a “participation” buckle from the previous year when Hayley, at the age of two, had participated in 51 percent of the year’s eight rodeos. Hayley smiled proudly. Her events were Barrel Racing where three large metal drums are placed in triangle formation and the rider directs the horse around those barrels in the correct pattern, and Flag Racing where the rider races down to a barrel that has a coffee can on...