Training the next generation of rodeo riders

Featuring 2-year-olds galloping around barrels on their stick horses and 6-year-olds riding sheep bareback in mutton bustin’, the Tooele Little Buckaroos held their last regular rodeo of the 2008 season at the Deseret Peak Indoor Arena last weekend, Oct. 24 and 25.

For 10 years, the Tooele Little Buckaroo Rodeo Association has been a training ground for future rodeo riders, providing rodeo competition for youth ages 2 through 16.

“We went up to Farmington to participate in their Little Buckaroo Rodeo for about five years and then decided to start our own Little Buckaroo Association right here in Tooele,” said Troy Johansen, arena director of the Tooele Little Buckaroo Association.

Some of the contestants at last weekend’s rodeo came from as far away as Idaho to get the experience of competing in a rodeo.

The rodeo started off with the daring and dangerous riding events of bull, steer and calf riding followed by bareback horse riding, mutton bustin’ and then stick horse barrels for the younger crowd.

The next event involved running out and slipping a ribbon off the tail of a goat, followed by team roping. In team roping, two riders chase a steer with the first rider trying to lasso the steer’s horns and the second rider trying to rope a hind leg.

Breakaway roping followed, which involved a calf sprinting across the arena floor while a horse-mounted rider tries to rope the calf.

Calf and goat tying followed and then the final events of barrels and poles.

In barrels, the rider takes his horse on a course around three barrels. In poles, a total of six poles are placed in a straight line. The rider sprints their horse to the end of the poles, turns and then maneuvers between the poles, turns around and returns between the poles and then sprints straight ahead.

Wesley East, the professional rodeo announcer for the Tooele Little Buckaroos, has been announcing rodeos all over Utah for more than 20 years.

“These Little Buckaroo Rodeos have been great at captivating the interest of youngsters and preparing them for rodeo riding,” East said.

East recalls several young rodeo riders he has seen go on to place in amateur and professional rodeo riding.

Ethan McNeil of Erda placed second in bareback riding at the National High School Rodeo Association contest last year. McNeil used to participate in the Tooele Little Buckaroos.

Shawn Proctor, also a former Tooele Little Buckaroo, now 22, joined the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) in 2005 and is currently ranked at 25th place in World PRCA standings. He earned just over $44,000 in rodeo riding last year, according to the PRCA official Web site.

Twenty-two-year-old Sonny Murphy, from Riverton, used to ride in Tooele Little Buckaroo Rodeos and joined the PRCA in 2005. Despite having to sit out most of the 2007 season to recuperate from a broken vertebra in his neck, the PRCA Web site lists Murphy’s career earnings as $187,000.

Some riders have expectations of becoming professional riders. The opportunity to make a living doing what they enjoy most is attractive.

Zac Gonda, 14, and his brother Devan, 16, of Lake Point hope to follow in the footsteps of Proctor and Murphy and become world class rodeo riders. They each have been participating in Little Buckaroo Rodeos for four years, after their father brought home a flyer describing the rodeo. A neighbor, Robbie Hopper, who is an experienced rodeo rider, has been coaching them.

Lessons learned from rodeo riding and competition go beyond the arena.

For 12-year-old Kasey Quarnberg from Grantsville, the rodeo is a family affair. Kasey’s grandfather, mom and dad and sister Katey have all been rodeo riders. Kasey has been in Little Buckaroos for four years.

“The rodeo has taught me responsibility, because you have to take care of your horse,” Quarnberg said, “and also teamwork, because you have to work with your horse.”

Mikelle Hardman, 7, from Grantsville, is a stick horse and goat ribbon pulling champion who also loves to ride in barrels and poles.

“Taking care of my horse is a lot of hard work, but riding is fun,” Hardman said.

For 8-year-old Chloe Crump of Erda, who has been a Tooele Little Buckaroo for two years now, riding in rodeos is a cane to enjoy horse riding.

“I love horses and I like riding around the barrels the most,” Crump said.

If Johansen has his way, Tooele Little Buckaroos will be around for a while.

“It is hard work to put on these rodeos and it takes a lot of help,” Johansen said. “But when you see these kids grow up from the time they are 2 years old and what the rodeo does for kids — not just in terms of rodeo skills but their character and overall development into adults — that’s the real payoff and it’s worth it.”

Tim Gillie: tgillie@tooeletranscript.com