Breaking Away: 13-Year-Old Avery Stevens on Finding Success in Rodeo

Welcome back to the show!! We apologize for the two week hiatus, our producer/editor Jon has been out for the birth of his daughter, but we are back every week!!

Meet Avery Stevens, a remarkable 13-year-old rodeo competitor who's making her mark in breakaway roping, ribbon roping, and team roping events. Raised around horses her entire life but only recently diving into serious competition, Avery brings a refreshing perspective on what makes rodeo special.

Guided by her grandfather Larry Darnell, a respected figure in Southern Illinois roping circles, Avery has developed impressive skills that are taking her to the National Little Britches Rodeo at the prestigious Lazy E Arena. Her journey illustrates the unique blend of family tradition, mentorship, and personal determination that defines rodeo culture.

What stands out in this conversation is Avery's insight into the mental challenges of competition. "Sometimes it gets the best of me," she admits about backing into the box before a run. Her grandfather helps her navigate these challenges, recognizing that "your biggest opponent is yourself" – wisdom that applies far beyond the rodeo arena.

The special relationship between Avery and her horses – 8-year-old Vinny and 23-year-old Otis – reveals the deep bond that develops between riders and their equine partners. When asked what superpower she'd give her horses, Avery thoughtfully responds she'd want them to talk so she could understand what they're thinking.

Perhaps most striking is Avery's description of the rodeo community's supportive nature. Unlike many competitive sports, rodeo competitors actively help each other succeed, even when competing in the same events. This culture of mutual support, combined with the sport's accessibility across age groups, makes rodeo unique among youth sports.

Looking ahead, Avery plans to balance her rodeo pursuits with nursing school, following in her sister Abby's footsteps while continuing to rodeo "forever." Her story reminds us why rodeo remains such a powerful tradition – it's not just about winning, but about building character, community, and lifelong skills.

Listen to discover why this young competitor's journey matters and what we can all learn from her approach to both rodeo and life.

Transcript

Coffee Debates and Introductions

Speaker 1 0:01

I don't think that's true.

Speaker 2 0:02

It tastes like burnt dirt.

Speaker 1 0:05

No, it's Okay, that's debatable.

Speaker 2 0:09

Yeah, starbucks coffee.

Speaker 1 0:13

It doesn't turn anybody's feet black.

Speaker 2 0:16

I don't know. That's just what I was told.

Speaker 1 0:18

Her toes or toenails.

Speaker 2 0:20

I don't know.

Speaker 1 0:24

My cousin's kid's four years old. He has coffee every morning with his grandma, his great-grandma.

Speaker 2 0:31

She said it's mainly creamer. Oh, that's what mine is. Mine's like this much coffee and this much creamer. I like creamer with a splash of coffee.

Speaker 1 0:40

Yeah, we went to Starbucks last weekend.

Speaker 2 0:44

Ooh Did you get like whipped cream and crushed.

Speaker 1 0:48

Oreos no, Jessica got that, but I got a vanilla latte. Ew so good and I got one at McDonald's. I don't know if you can see it.

Speaker 2 0:58

At McDonald's. Yeah, not is good.

Speaker 1 1:15

All right, we're sitting down with Avery Stevens today, one of our sponsored writers. How are you doing today, avery?

Speaker 2 1:20

Pretty good. How are you, sir I?

Meeting Avery Stevens: Young Rodeo Competitor

Speaker 1 1:22

am doing good, even though we had to start a little bit late and you were blaming your grandma for that. You doing today Avery Pretty good. How are you, sir? I am doing good, even though we had to start a little bit late and you were blaming your grandma for that. Well, I forgot my shirt in my house and then we had a good time. We may need to turn hers up a little, John, or?

Speaker 2 1:41

get a little, you can talk loud, avery.

Speaker 1 1:43

Okay. So how old are you now? I am 13. Gosh, that makes me feel old. And how long have you been riding? 13 years now.

Speaker 2 1:49

You're right. So I've been riding pretty much my whole life, but this was my first. Or, like the last season was my first serious year of rodeo.

Speaker 1 1:57

And what are you doing in rodeo?

Speaker 2 1:59

I break away ribbon rope and team rope.

Speaker 1 2:00

Okay, can you explain the ribbon roping?

Speaker 2 2:03

Yes, sir. So ribbon roping is where I come out of the box and I rope the calf. I have to dally and back up, and my partner Carson Little. He runs out there and grabs the ribbon off the cow's tail and has to run back to the box for the time to stop.

Speaker 1 2:17

So he starts on foot.

Speaker 2 2:18

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1 2:19

From the box.

Speaker 2 2:20

From just out past the box. Okay.

Speaker 1 2:23

And Carson is also your cousin.

Speaker 2 2:26

Yes.

Speaker 1 2:26

Yeah, carson's a good kid. We'll be doing him before too long in here too, so that'll be fun. So what's your favorite? One of those that you do?

Speaker 2 2:37

I really like the team rope and breakaway.

Speaker 1 2:39

Yeah, you heading or heeling, or both. I head.

Speaker 2 2:42

Carson heels for me.

Speaker 1 2:43

Oh, so he's your partner on that too. Yes, sir, are you guys kicking butt yet?

Speaker 2 2:47

We did pretty good this last season. We had a few or I had a few struggles, but it all worked out.

Speaker 1 2:54

What kind of struggles?

Speaker 2 2:56

So I just had problems with my rope in my swing. I had to get it fixed.

Speaker 1 3:00

Oh, and who fixed that? Me and Papa? Yeah, and Papa is Larry Darnell. Yes, sir, he seems to be a common theme with these podcasts now.

Speaker 2 3:09

Yeah.

Speaker 1 3:09

Talking about roping, it's kind of synonymous with roping in Southern Illinois, and I think and I, when I was young, in your age, I was roping there too. He taught me. So there's a bunch of generations that he's taught, which is awesome. Yeah, so there's a bunch of generations that he's taught, which is awesome. Yeah, so you basically lived there in the summers, is that right?

Speaker 2 3:29

Most of the time I lived three miles from their house and every morning when mom goes to work, she just drops you off there and I ride horses with him all day.

Rodeo Events and Overcoming Struggles

Speaker 1 3:35

Awesome and we were just talking about earlier. I offered you some coffee and you denied it because of two reasons it turns your toes black and it tastes like burnt dirt the burnt dirt. I can see where you would think that, but I don't know that it turns your toes black.

Speaker 2 3:53

That's just what I was told.

Speaker 1 3:54

Okay, well, don't not that you need to drink coffee. I think you've got enough energy for all of us, but don't be scared of it because it turns your toes black, because I don't think that's true okay, it tastes like burnt dirt, unless you like, just drowned it out with creamer well, that's pretty good. That's how you said you like your coffee, yes, coffee, or creamer, creamer, with a splash of coffee.

Speaker 2 4:15

There you go.

Speaker 1 4:17

Who, uh, who you riding this year in?

Speaker 2 4:18

these rodeos I've been riding vinny and otis tell us about vinny, we loveny. We do love Vinny around here. Vinny is eight years old. I break away on him and sometimes I ribbon rope on him, just depending on how the weekend's going and break away he is the only one I use in competition right now.

Speaker 1 4:43

Awesome, and Vinny, he was out of Kyle's mare.

Speaker 2 4:49

Yes, he was out of Kyle Vineyard's mare.

Speaker 1 4:51

Okay, I remember when he was born. Yes, I remember breeding her. Yeah, yeah, I didn't realize it was eight years ago.

Speaker 2 4:59

Yeah, I remember when you were out there testing everything.

Speaker 1 5:03

Yeah, and we bred her over at Barnes' in their stocks, I think.

Speaker 2 5:08

Yes, that's where he was foaled.

Speaker 1 5:09

Yeah, and she tried to kill me. Oh, yeah, me and that mare didn't get along.

Speaker 2 5:15

Yeah, I remember the first one. She had the Woodrow cult.

Speaker 1 5:18

Oh yeah.

Speaker 2 5:19

Yeah, she didn't like you then either.

Speaker 1 5:20

No, where is she at now?

Speaker 2 5:28

I, you then either. No, she, where is she at now? Um, I don't really know she is. He sold her to somebody and I think a kid was roping on her there for a little while.

Speaker 1 5:32

Out west did she go to colorado or something? I believe so I think so um. So what are you doing on otis? Otis I ribbon rope and team rope on tell us about otis, because he's pretty special, isn't he?

Speaker 2 5:41

Yeah, otis, he is 23 years old and I head on him. And then the ribbon roping. I just explained. I rope on him whenever I'm not roping on Vinny.

Speaker 1 5:53

Okay, otis is still going pretty strong for 23 years old.

Speaker 2 5:55

Yeah, he is he does pretty good for the most part.

Special Horses: Vinny and 23-year-old Otis

Speaker 1 5:59

Yeah and I've. I don't think I've ever seen your grandpa like a horse as much as Otis.

Speaker 2 6:07

Me neither.

Speaker 1 6:08

Yeah, Even old Spider-Man. I think Otis may be the top one. And he is, he's cool. And he looks really good for his age.

Speaker 2 6:17

Really good.

Speaker 1 6:20

So who are your heroes right now in the rodeo world? Do you have any that you look up to and aspire to be, or inspirations?

Speaker 2 6:28

Mostly my sister Abby.

Speaker 1 6:30

Yes, she has been brought up today too. Yeah, she's somebody else's hero. That's awesome.

Speaker 2 6:35

Yeah, she's been out west roping a lot in Oklahoma out of those pro rodeos.

Speaker 1 6:41

She doing good.

Speaker 2 6:42

She's this last run that she just got home from.

Speaker 1 6:45

She did really good at awesome how old's abby now abby turned 22 on june 15th I remember when abby came home from the hospital yeah and larry your grandpa was like you got to meet my granddaughter and she was literally a newborn and now she's 22, yeah, and you know how old. That makes me feel way too old, but she's, she's awesome. You guys are very fortunate to have your grandma and grandpa. Yes, even though you were giving her a hard time earlier I love them to death yeah, his body's a saint. If you could give vinny, a superpower.

Speaker 2 7:24

A superpower A superpower.

Speaker 1 7:26

What would you give him?

Speaker 2 7:28

I don't know Probably to talk. I would like to know what he thinks I like that answer.

Speaker 1 7:33

I wish he could talk too that way. He comes in and says this hurts, right here, yeah.

Speaker 2 7:37

I bet he did this makes it feel better.

Speaker 1 7:40

Yes, I wish they could talk sometimes. What about Otis? What do you think?

Speaker 2 7:45

Probably to talk. He has more personality than some people. He does.

Speaker 1 7:49

He's funny. I would give Otis the ability to just live forever.

Speaker 2 7:56

Oh my goodness, Me too. Wouldn't that be awesome, it would.

Speaker 1 7:59

Like a tortoise.

Speaker 2 8:00

Those things live forever Like a tortoise.

Speaker 1 8:01

Yeah, be as fast as a horse, but live as long as a tortoise.

Speaker 2 8:06

That would be so cool yeah.

Speaker 1 8:08

And I think are you going out to Oklahoma next week.

Speaker 2 8:10

Yep, I'm going to Bethre Oklahoma, next week.

Speaker 1 8:12

And that's the what's going on out there.

Speaker 2 8:15

The National Little Britches Rodeo.

Speaker 1 8:16

And that's at the Lazy E, right the Lazy E, and you're doing those three events.

Speaker 2 8:21

Yep Breakaway team. Rope and river rope.

Speaker 1 8:22

Awesome. Are you ready? Are you going to kick some butt?

Speaker 2 8:25

Yeah, I'm excited yeah.

Speaker 1 8:27

You have obviously winning. That is probably a goal of yours.

Speaker 2 8:31

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1 8:32

And do you have any other goals this year, this season, you'd like to accomplish?

Speaker 2 8:36

I would just like to rope. Good, just keep roping. Good, make sure my horses stay good.

Speaker 1 8:48

Keep to stay good, just yeah, just better every day. Yes, sir, yeah that's, that's a good, good attitude to have with this. What is it like for you mentally when you back in the box at these places?

Mental Game and Rodeo Family Support

Speaker 2 8:53

so mentally, um, sometimes it gets the best of me, but me and papa do a lot of uh, talking about it, trying to keep, because that is one of like where I get beat. A lot is in the mental game, not thinking. Either you can't or just I. Sometimes I get to think about so many other things that I forget about that.

Speaker 1 9:12

Just go rope your cow yeah, because you're fully capable, absolutely, and your horses are awesome yes, they are you just gotta keep your head straight?

Speaker 2 9:20

right, I'm very blessed to be riding what I've got, pop, papa keeping me up along the way, and my mom, she's. She's a champion, she is. She's a good rodeo, mom, yes, she is and she puts up with you and abby oh absolutely so.

Speaker 1 9:37

Um besides your sister, are there any um other other people you really look up to or aspire to be?

Speaker 2 9:42

um, uh, I, I want to. I would like to ride horses as good as Papa. Papa, he has good hands and I like the way he can teach them to do a lot.

Speaker 1 9:55

Is that something you'd want to do in the future? Train horses, or what are you thinking after school? You got any ideas, yet You're still young.

Speaker 2 10:01

Yeah, I'm going to nursing school probably.

Speaker 1 10:02

Nursing, and that's what your sister's doing, right?

Speaker 2 10:05

Yes, sir, she just graduated art in school last year.

Speaker 1 10:07

Awesome, and your mom and aunt.

Speaker 2 10:10

Yep, my mom and aunt.

Speaker 1 10:11

So it runs in the family Yep, that's awesome.

Speaker 2 10:14

I would like to keep rodeoing for as long I mean forever, but I want to be a nurse.

Speaker 1 10:20

Yeah, your little friend claire was here earlier. Yes, sir, and I was talking to her about if she played any high school sports or whatever. But we got to talking about how rodeo something you can do the rest of your life. Yeah, you take care of yourself, yeah, so that's.

Speaker 1 10:34

That's one cool thing yeah, you never grow out of it no, like a lot, of a lot of the high school athletes. I mean, their last high school football game, that's it, yeah, and then they talk about that game for the rest of their lives, right, which is kind of sad in some regards. No offense to any high school football stars, but the sport of rodeo is pretty cool and you've been around it long enough. We had a lady in here that's new. I can't think of her name. She knows you guys, but she's new to the, the rodeo world, especially the youth world or the youth Youth rodeos.

Speaker 1 11:07

Yeah, but what she was really talking about was how much everybody helps each other.

Speaker 2 11:13

Yeah, it's really awesome because you'll have a friend and you'll be roping in the same event as your friend and they'll come down there and help you in the box or push your cow or whatever they can do to help you out lope down your horse.

Speaker 1 11:24

Even though they're competing against you, right? They?

Speaker 2 11:28

want you to do your best and you want them to do their best.

Speaker 1 11:29

Yes, they do. Yeah, that's awesome. She was talking about how the other rodeo parents help them, because they didn't know that much, even though their kids competing against theirs. I think that's really, really cool, because some of the other sports I know, I mean it's pretty cutthroat. Yeah, I mean there's teams, obviously, but especially when it gets to where scholarships and stuff are involved, I mean people are pretty brutal, yeah, and it seems like the rodeo world is, I don't know how to put it, but more encouraging, yes, for everybody.

Speaker 2 12:01

Yeah, and like Claire's mom and my mom even though me and Claire are open in the same event they would do anything they could for either one of us. Yeah, and everybody's that way.

Speaker 1 12:10

Yeah, that's awesome. So what do you remember? The first rodeo or horse show that you won or really accomplished something that made you step back and be like I did it?

Speaker 2 12:23

So there was one weekend and I was for a long time and kind of still am. I was big on, if pawpaw isn't there, I don't know about this, I don't know about this. And there was a weekend he had to leave and go somewhere and um, he was gone the whole week. I was preparing and getting ready. So it was my sister and my grandma and my mom and I was like, guys, pawpaw's not here, pawpaw's not here, and um, I went that weekend and won the breakaway oh nice, how old were you?

Speaker 1 12:48

when was that? It was last year, oh nice and I was still roping on spider-man oh yeah, I miss spider-man me too yeah, he did not like me either he didn't no, he'd cringe every time he sees me. Yeah, yeah, he'd be like oh, he's good to stab me with a needle but he was awesome.

Speaker 2 13:04

I always liked him yeah, he pretty much just did it for you. All you had to do is throw your rope yeah, and he was tough too yeah he was yeah, that's when he didn't feel good. Then he got a little whiny yeah, but he had reason.

Speaker 1 13:17

Yeah, he did. He was. That was a tough one. That was, uh, you know, those situations happen lot, but when it's horses like that, it sucks, yeah. But so what else is going on? You're going to school, not right now in summer.

Speaker 2 13:34

I'll be going into eighth grade. I've homeschooled for the last four years and I'm going to homeschool this next year. I really like that.

Speaker 1 13:45

Yeah, that gives you a lot of time to.

Speaker 2 13:49

I do my schoolwork in the morning, and then in the afternoon I go and help do you have plans to go to a school?

Speaker 1 13:56

are you going to homeschool all the way do?

Speaker 2 13:57

you know, yet I don't know um. We talk about it and of course, but I don't know yeah, well, you got time to decide.

Speaker 1 14:05

Yeah, you would go to Glacier, right?

Homeschooling and Preparing for Nationals

Speaker 2 14:09

um, I go to Glacier but, like Carson and Logan, all of them go to the oh, the Christian school in in Harrisburg, in Harrisburg, that's right.

Speaker 1 14:17

Is that where you'd think you'd go?

Speaker 2 14:18

if you do go to, uh, probably if I was to go back to um like yeah, I know what you're trying to say Physical school. Right.

Speaker 1 14:29

Yeah, it seems like I remember a lot of wasted time in school.

Speaker 2 14:33

Yeah.

Speaker 1 14:34

Like a lot.

Speaker 2 14:35

Yeah, um, I was going to, or I go to a co-op on Tuesdays and I'm there from like uh 830. We start and I'm done at like three 30. And I remember coming home and telling mom I was like mom, they give you an hour for lunch. We could be doing school.

Speaker 1 14:50

Right, yeah, I remember mom and dad are going to Portugal and I was telling her I don't even think I could pick out Portugal on a map. And I can't, because I tried and she goes. I forgot what she said. But basically you know, I took all those classes and I got nothing, and then a lot of the classes.

Speaker 1 15:12

I remember in high school they give you and some teachers were better than others, but a lot of them would give you your assignment for the 50 minutes you're in class and you can knock that out in 10 minutes and you sit there and just piddle and waste your time. So it sounds like you're making the most of your time. Does Larry make you do push-ups too?

Speaker 2 15:34

Oh my gosh, I had to do push-ups the other night. So in breakaway you break to the pin because it gives you your fastest shot, the quickest time you can.

Speaker 1 15:43

Explain that break to the pin.

Speaker 2 15:45

Okay, so the chute sits here, the box sits here, and then you sit at to a like kind of to the left, so that you can break to the front of the chute and the cow leaves, and so you're right behind it. That's your fastest shot and, um, I was not breaking to the pin. So he brings this barrel and he sits this barrel in the middle of it and he goes this barrel shouldn't be in your way if you break to the pin, and my uncle, casey, casey little, he goes if you hit the pit, if you hit the barrel, it's 20 push-ups.

Speaker 1 16:13

I went out there and smoked the barrel oh no, did you do all 20 push-ups I?

Speaker 2 16:17

had to do 20 push-ups and I did. I did them all, that's good, I've done.

Speaker 1 16:21

I've done a lot of push-ups in that arena. Were you outside?

Speaker 2 16:23

um no, we were at wildfire just getting some practice.

Speaker 1 16:26

But oh yeah, we, we do push-ups all the time yeah, and I remember larry always telling me he had an 87 year old grandma that could swing a rope faster than my 98 year old grandma could swing a rope faster than that I've been there. Oh, that's funny. But how, um, how do you feel when I I mean a lot of your friends come there to hang out like claire spends right?

Speaker 2 16:50

weeks at my house? Yeah, how?

Speaker 2 16:52

awesome is that oh, it's really cool. So we will like a rope all day. We'll ride our colts in them, or we'll ride our good horses in the morning. Why it's cool, we'll ride colts in the afternoon. We break away calves, we rope the dummies, we team rope it's uh, team rope and dummy. And then we like go to my house at night and just hang out once we get all the feeding done and stuff and it's really fun because she's there with me roping and riding and stuff, and then we just go hang out at night yeah, that's, that's awesome yeah, it's really fun yeah I remember, you know, having sleepovers here and there with cousins and stuff.

Speaker 1 17:25

We never got to do that much cool stuff.

Speaker 2 17:28

Yeah, she was at my house for like seven days in a row last week.

Speaker 1 17:32

She's like your little sister.

Speaker 2 17:33

Yeah, she is.

Speaker 1 17:34

And your mom probably loves her too, right oh?

Speaker 2 17:36

my mom loves it. My dad and Claire are big buds.

Speaker 1 17:39

Are they? Yes, I haven't seen your dad in forever. I haven't seen your mom in a long time.

Speaker 2 17:44

Yeah, she's been working and getting ready to go to nationals, trying to get stuff packed.

Speaker 1 17:50

Who all is going with you out there.

Speaker 2 17:52

So Grandma and Papa, me and my mom, then Carson, logan, jen and Casey, and that's all of our group.

Speaker 1 18:03

Does your dad not get to go?

Speaker 2 18:05

Oh no, dad's not going out there. I don't know if he'll come out for a few days or not.

Speaker 1 18:08

He just can't go the whole time Right. How far a drive is that from here?

Speaker 2 18:13

I think it's like 10-something hours. That's not too bad.

Speaker 1 18:17

What kind of snacks do you pack on the road?

Speaker 2 18:19

Snacks, it depends. So Papa doesn't like to stop a lot, so you can put it all in the truck when you can he's kind of leave and we get there. I like popcorn a lot.

Speaker 1 18:32

Popcorn. I think Claire said she likes to pack chips.

Speaker 2 18:35

Chips, yes, and sunflower seeds. We ate a whole bag on the way to Oklahoma last summer.

Speaker 1 18:40

How big was the bag?

Speaker 2 18:41

A big one, it was like a normal bag.

Speaker 1 18:44

Do you eat the shells?

Speaker 2 18:45

No, you're supposed to spit the shells out.

Speaker 1 18:48

I know it just seems like something you would do is eat the shells.

Speaker 2 18:51

I used to eat the peanut shells. See, I knew it when I was little.

Speaker 1 18:54

I knew it. I knew it. I love sunflower seeds too, but then I end up making a mess in my truck.

Speaker 2 18:59

Yeah.

Speaker 1 19:00

I try to put them in a cup or throw them out the window and they blow back in.

Speaker 2 19:04

Yeah, so every once in a while me and Abby will go rope somewhere else and her and Kyle always have sunflower seeds and they always have a bottle and everything. We were driving down the road. Last time we went to rope and we would roll down the window and see who could hold the sunflower seed on their finger the longest.

Speaker 1 19:23

There's never a dull moment with you guys, never, oh, so what?

Speaker 2 19:37

would you say to somebody, because you started, when did you? Start like competing and stuff like serious rodeoing well, just even like horse shows or the little stuff oh, I don't know, a while ago like as long as you can remember, probably yeah, probably I've like I would go to rodeos here and there like some just youth rodeos summer series.

Speaker 1 19:55

Um, probably three years ago I started doing that, just like going to little summer series and stuff yeah, if there's anybody out there listening that maybe has a horse but maybe doesn't compete and stuff like that, what would you tell them as far as stepping from just kind of horses as a hobby to horses as something you can compete on and pursue, like that?

Speaker 2 20:19

so there's going to be lots of tough moments, but trust me, you can get through it yeah, and finding a good mentor and coach is super important, right? Yes, and don't let your mental get the best of you, because you're, you are your. Most of the time, your biggest opponent, yep, is yourself yeah, and that's true with, with anything right whether it's even when you go to nursing school, right same thing.

Speaker 1 20:43

I mean, abby's probably got stories about that for you oh my gosh.

Speaker 2 20:45

She used to come home every night with a different story.

Advice for Aspiring Competitors

Speaker 1 20:50

Yeah, and lots of tests. I'm assuming Mm-hmm, but you've got a good head on your shoulders. I think you'll do it. You want to go to SIC, like she did the junior college?

Speaker 2 21:00

Probably it depends if I want a college rodeo or not, where I'll go. Oh, I didn't even think about that?

Speaker 1 21:05

where would you, where would you want to go? Have you looked into it, thought about it?

Speaker 2 21:07

no, you got. I mean, there's always like murray and all them, but there's all kinds of places yeah, your uncle casey went to murray.

Speaker 1 21:14

Yes, didn't he?

Speaker 2 21:15

yes, I think so. Yeah, he's from down there, and hazel yeah, that's right.

Speaker 1 21:21

Yeah, he's a good dude he is. I'm gonna here.

Speaker 2 21:24

Oh, he has. Yeah, that's what you can do. He's helped me the last three days out at Wildfire getting ready to go to Nationals.

Speaker 1 21:32

Yeah, Ricky was in here the other day and he said, you guys were up there.

Speaker 2 21:35

Ricky yeah, practicing. He's a pretty good guy too. Yeah, we like Ricky.

Speaker 1 21:48

Yeah, he's Ricky Joey, that's his name yeah, how cool is wildfire?

Speaker 2 21:50

I've never been there yet, oh, but I've seen all the pictures. It looks awesome. It is so like there's the arena and it's covered and it's got like the boxes and stuff and the buck and shoots. They just installed buck and shoots oh, wow yeah, and they have barrel races out there all the time and, um, you can go in there for like five dollars a horse to ride like on practice nights and stuff like any night, oh really.

Speaker 2 22:07

And then like you can go there for like $5 a horse to ride Like on practice nights and stuff Like any night oh really. And then, like you can bring cows, we brought our cows, we brought some of Uncle Casey's cows out there and we broke them in and we roped them for a few days and they have. They were building new stalls.

Speaker 1 22:20

Yeah, like 50, some odd or something right.

Speaker 2 22:22

Yeah, they just built new stalls. They have a putt-putt course, they have a trail course, they have a big old playground.

Speaker 1 22:28

That's awesome, because a lot of these people well, they do a lot of stuff with little kids too, like dummy ropings and stuff right, yeah, the Wildfire, like the youth series, is a lot of it's just kids, so there's a lot of little kids or peewees. Yeah, that's awesome. They put all that other stuff out there for them, because when you go to these events and there's a lot of downtime between your runs, what, what do you do?

Speaker 2 22:52

and the downtime. I usually, if I have downtime, I'm hanging out with my friends, because a lot of my friends are from different states and stuff because we rodeo in different states, so I meet kids from all over the place yeah, that's, that's cool.

Speaker 1 23:06

Lucky Wildfire is there.

Speaker 2 23:09

So I was a little sibling who used to go to all the junior high, all the high school rodeos, and I know what it's like to just like sit there.

Speaker 1 23:14

Yeah.

Speaker 2 23:15

So yeah, it's really fun. I would have friends from some of the kids at Abbeywood Rodeo. They had little siblings and stuff, but I know what it's like so I like that they have that, because even um, whenever I'm not roping and stuff, me and my friends will take some kids and we'll go play at the playground and we'll go play puck and putt golf and all that kind of yeah, that's, that's really cool.

Speaker 1 23:36

What's the funnest place you've ever been to besides wildfire?

Speaker 2 23:40

oh so the flickerwood, the little bridges, that is probably my favorite rodeo I go to.

Speaker 1 23:45

How come?

Speaker 2 23:46

All my friends are there. All my friends are there. We have the hotel just down the road. We can go swim, we go out to dinner. There's lots of spots in Cape. It's pretty big, so we just hang out there yeah that's cool.

Wildfire Arena and Looking Ahead

Speaker 1 24:04

Where's the biggest arena you've ever got to compete in?

Speaker 2 24:08

Probably so. I did not rope here but the Riata Buckle where my sister went. It was Lazy E that's probably the biggest arena I've ever been in.

Speaker 1 24:15

And you're going to be in there next week.

Speaker 2 24:17

Yes.

Speaker 1 24:17

Are you excited?

Speaker 2 24:18

or nervous. I am super excited.

Speaker 1 24:20

Yeah, I think you're going to kick butt.

Speaker 2 24:22

I hope so.

Speaker 1 24:22

We have faith in you. And did you see all this stuff on the table? Back here.

Speaker 2 24:26

Yeah, I did when I walked in.

Speaker 1 24:28

Yeah, you get to take all this home, yeah. So when we decided that we wanted to sponsor kids, we reached out to some of these drug companies we work with and we told them what we were doing and the response we got was awesome. They loved it. And the next thing we know we're getting boxes and boxes of stuff to give you guys. Naltrex sent some hats and some cool stuff. Pulse Vet you've probably seen a Shockwave, vinny.

Speaker 2 24:56

Yes.

Speaker 1 24:57

They sent backpacks and T-shirts, and then there's a tub of the Protec GI, which would probably be a good idea to give your horses while you're out there, because the stress of traveling can really really hurt their tummies.

Speaker 2 25:10

They're going to be out there for a week.

Speaker 1 25:12

Yeah, when do you guys leave?

Speaker 2 25:14

We're leaving Wednesday or Thursday next week.

Speaker 1 25:16

And you'll be there for a whole week.

Speaker 2 25:18

Yes, yeah.

Speaker 1 25:19

So that's trailer time. That's a whole new environment. So I mean stress in horses. Horses, I mean just like it's a head game for you, it's got to be. I always think, when we bring horses in here, like what, like, like you said, if vinny could talk, I just wonder what he thinks when he walks in sometimes he's like I ain't going in there it's like they're gonna put needles in me or do something, but but taking care of their stomach is is super important, because if they've got a bellyache they can.

Speaker 1 25:45

Can you know, if you want to win? They got to perform their best.

Speaker 2 25:48

Really mess things up yeah.

Speaker 1 25:50

So you've got that you can take the finals and all this cool stuff. So you can't have this stuff because it's for display, but we've got your backpack stuffed over there and your tub of Pro-Tex, so we appreciate you accepting the sponsorship.

Speaker 2 26:05

Thank you guys so much.

Speaker 1 26:06

I know you'll represent us well.

Speaker 2 26:08

Yes, sir.

Speaker 1 26:09

And thank you so much for taking the time to be here.

Speaker 2 26:12

Thank you.

Sponsorship Gifts and Final Encouragement

Speaker 1 26:15

Even though, according to you, your grandma made you late. But so good luck out there. Have fun, I will, and rope fast.

Speaker 2 26:24

I'm going to try.

Speaker 1 26:25

Keep your head clear, keep my head clear and we want to hear all about it when you get back too. All right, all right, so thanks again.

Speaker 2 26:32

Thank you.

Speaker 1 26:32

Avery and thanks for tuning in and until next time, take care of your horses and yourself.