One Rising Star Cowboy

A Tribute

2008-12-03T19:58:00.000-08:00

Champ 1976-2008

The day had finally come. It was heartbreaking but it had to be done. Austin's old pony had reached a point where he needed to cross the bridge and run through the fields of pony heaven.

We got him May 2007 from a family who was moving north and they thought he was 30 or so then. He was wooley...just shedding his winter coat. We soon found out that Icelandic's shed from the first warm day until the first cold day. They never really "slick out" like other horses. He was just wooley all year...in winter though, he had the coat of a yak.

He was onery to Kennedy but seemed to take an instant liking to Austin. When we would be fed up with his antics and "short man" syndrome, Austin would remind us that he was just a "grumpy, old man" and we would learn to look at him as a "grandpa" sort of pony and we learned to develop more patience. He didn't like to do anything fast including eat which would sometimes take up to 2 hours. He only had one back tooth though so we would wait and then let him out of his stall to join the herd.

When his herd was turned out to pasture in the spring, Champ just went crazy without them. With only one back tooth it was impossible for him to survive on pasture and grain...he required a special diet of beetpulp, grain, orchard grass pellets and a variety of supplements. He was lonely and depressed and so we bought him his own pets...2 goats we named Zack and Cody. To say that Champ was thrilled about the idea is greatly exaggerating. While he enjoyed having someone else here, the goats were a pain! He loved bossing them though so he spent much of his time bullying and throwing tantrums their way.

While he was the smallest and the oldest, he gained respect from the rest of the group. He had no problem letting them know when they ticked him off and once, even Austin got it in the face! Champ had had it with the fillies and didn't realize Austin was behind him when he kicked out. I was ready to find him another home at that point but Austin stepped in and won the day for Champ once again.

He was Kennedy's first rodeo pony and even Austin used him a time or two. He never earned a good time but he put all his heart in to running barrels and poles. He was stubborn though and without a strong rider could take off and do his own thing, as Kennedy found out more than once. With Austin he was as good as gold.

He was a beautiful pony with a honey colored body and soft blond mane. I can imagine that in his day he was quite the show stopper. We heard he had been a parade horse and I can believe it.

He loved trail rides at Hughes farm. It didn't matter that he was old and arthritic, when he saw that was where we were headed, he was off and running. He loved Chazz and trail riding with him was pure heaven for Champ. I'm sure that where ever horse heaven is, he is running through the trails and jumping the low branches. We took him on his last ride this summer and it was clear that he was struggling to keep up. It was then that I knew the decision would have to be made soon.

We discussed it with the vet several times and they urged us to make the decision before November when the weather would turn cold and the east wind would howl through the trees. Even with his big wintery coat and our heaviest blanket, last winter was a struggle for him so we knew that another winter would be impossible. The days became shorter and we spent a great deal of time discussing what needed to be done with Austin. While he knew in his head it was the right thing to do...it was much harder telling his heart.

Austin didn't want to be there so Daddy stayed behind to be with Champ. It was over quickly and painlessly for Champ but took some time for Austin to get through. He is healing and starting to spend more time with his horse, Cooper. While Cooper can not replace Champ, he does help to soothe the soul a bit.

We would like to thank Columbia Equine for their exceptional care of our horses and for the lovely condolence card. Also, in Champ's memory, they gave a substantial donation to the scholarship fund at OSU's veterinarian program. We thought that was just awesome.

God forbid that I should go to any Heaven in which there are no horses. ~R.B. Cunninghame Graham, letter to Theodore Roosevelt, 1917

Austin is the 2008 Northwest Youth Rodeo Junior Bareback Champion-Lots of Pictures from 2008

2008-10-27T20:05:00.000-07:00

We could not be more proud of Austin this year! He has come so far in his skills and despite moving up to a tougher division with larger horses, he came out on top. Many boys drop this event after competing as PeeWee's...true, the horses do get bigger and rougher and the judging gets tougher, but Austin put his heart and soul in to it and didn't give up. A few tried to compete but ONLY Austin was able to cover his rides and rise to the top!

We attended the annual NYRA awards banquet at the Linn County Fair Grounds with my parents and friends of ours, who also have a daughter competing. It is a big celebration with many of the kids turning out to see who ranked in the top 5 for each event and who would win the coveted saddles for All Around Cowboy and All Around Cowgirl in each division (Pre-PeeWee, PeeWee, Junior and Senior). It is also the time when a new board is elected and new rules are voted on. There is a scrumptious dinner served and a silent auction. It is lots of fun and generally enjoyable. Austin has received awards for being in the top 5 for the last three years in bareback and in 2006 and 2007 for bullriding. Even having a broken collar bone last year did not keep him from placing out of the top 5. This year, however, was his year! He was the one and only placing/staying on/qualifying/kickin' butt bareback rider in the Junior Division!

Here are highlights from this year!

On John Wayne in St. Paul, Oregon

On Bay at Clark County, Washington

Molalla, Oregon with the Willamette Valley Junior Rodeo Association

On Bay at Grand Ronde, Oregon

On (or off) John Wayne at the Polk County Fair, Oregon

On Bay at the NYRA Finals in Philomath, Oregon

Update coming soon....NYRA Awards Banquet!

2008-10-26T22:42:00.001-07:00

Watch this space for an update and pictures...coming today (October 27)!!!

An Awesome Finish to A Fantastic Year!

2008-08-26T11:11:00.000-07:00

Austin is the Northwest Youth Rodeo Junior Bareback Champion for 2008!!!

Congratulations!!!!

We are so proud of Austin!! We had a fabulous finish in Philomath on Sunday, August 17th with Austin winning the Junior Bareback division at the NYRA finals with a score of 71 and clinching the division for the entire season!!!

Ok, after that announcement, it's time to give the full update...Austin competed in bullriding at the last Molalla rodeo. It was so hot and we knew Austin had 6 events for Sunday so he elected to just do one event. He was so close and so frustrated. He has really struggled this year in this event but does not give up. We will be attending some practices at the Oregon Junior Bullriders in Lebanon to get ready and get some pointers for the next year. I am including the last seconds of his ride on video thanks to Austin's Papa.

We had a power outage due to lightening Sunday morning so that got things off to a rocky start but we made it in time to Philomath. Austin's first event of the day was calf tying and while he has been discouraged by his size in this event, he went out and made the best of it. He was still over time but he is getting faster at putting the calf down. Austin will be practicing on our goats in the off season. This is one of the events when size can make a difference.

Originally, Austin drew John Wayne again for his bareback event but after what happened at Polk County, they decided to give him the bay horse he rode for a 76 at Clark County. Again, Austin rode this horse and made it look easy riding for a score of 71 and guarenteeing that he would win the NYRA finals buckle. Again, he held on waiting for the pick-up men but got tired and just let go. Per the stock contractor, we were told that if John Wayne was a couple of inches taller he would be a professional rodeo horse and going to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. He is that wiley!! We are very proud that Austin covered him this year (at Spirit Mountain 1 he rode John Wayne for a score of 59) and that he continued to get on him week after week.

Next up was chute dogging. This is another event where size can be an advantage...but perseverance helps too. Austin held on and dug in and went with his steer for over half the arena but just couldn't get him totally stopped. Lots of good effort though and he is looking forward to working on this event next year.

Austin did fine in both pole bending and barrel racing. Chazz did not break formation and had nice clean runs. Time continues to be an issue. I think though that we may have addressed that problem...more to come later in this post.

Finally, Austin had his bull ride. The bull he drew is known for being nasty in the chute and in Polk County Austin was able to get another bull as this one would not settle down even enough for him to get on. Austin got in the chute twice but after having his leg severly pinched turned down his ride. This is very unlike Austin and I believe him when he said that he did not feel okay about this ride. When they turned the bull out it went just ballistic. After the rodeo, the judge told Austin that he made a good choice. That helped.

Overall, it was a great weekend. After the rodeo on Sunday, we hung around for Austin to receive his check and his award buckle. This is the 2nd time he has won bareback at the Shriner's rodeo/NYRA final rodeo. Once as a Pee Wee and now as a Junior. I have no doubt in my mind that he would have won last year as well if he had been able to ride (his collar bone was not yet healed). Austin is looking forward to a short break and playing soccer but will be back at it again soon practicing and gearing up for the 2009 season. Next year he will be old enough to participate with the Oregon Wrangler's Division...the junior high version of Oregon High School Rodeo so look for more information about that.

Also, Austin has a new rodeo horse! After some serious scouting for the just the right horse at just the right price...we found a beautiful quarter pony that Austin has named Cooper's Legend or Cooper (named after his favorite PBR bull). He is young and green and built like a tank (only 3 years old) so he will be spending the soccer season with a trainer. The lady who owned him bought him as a yearling for barrel racing and team roping in indoor arenas but before she could get him completely broke, she found out she was expecting. His groundwork is exceptional and he has been saddled for over a year with a few rides on him but still needs a good 30 days with a professional trainer and he needs patterning. Austin will be spending a lot of time this winter and spring riding him both outdoors and at the J Bar L Ranch's indoor arena getting some miles on him and working the pattern. He won't start roping training until spring and will hopefully participate in some breakaway roping next year.

Well, we are getting sponsor packages ready to give to all of those who have made this rodeo season possible: J Bar L Ranch, Orient Electric, Gallagher Electric, Gresham Electric, Sunbelt Rentals and Mr. Billy Laird of Texas. Keep watching for updates...the NYRA banquet is coming in October, as of Saturday Austin was the point leader for Junior Bareback at the WVJRA and there are practices with the OJBRA and a bareback camp with Bobby Mote so there will be lots to talk about...not to mention our yearlings in training and Austin's new horse!

Thank you everyone for your support!!

Newport and Polk County Fair

2008-08-13T10:31:00.000-07:00

I have so much to report on but sadly, not very many pictures.

Just Keith and Austin went to Newport on Saturday, August 2nd as Kenne and I were in Santiam for the Junior and Teen Miss Rodeo Oregon pageant. Austin participated in rough stock events only so he would not have to trailer the horses. It is difficult for just one parent to manage events and horses so this was easier for all. He was signed up for bareback riding, bull riding and chute dogging.

He drew John Wayne again...they have been going rounds all season with John Wayne currently in the lead. At Newport, John Wayne nailed Austin again, stepping on his right forearm near his elbow. Austin began screaming and yelling and they thought that perhaps his arm was broken. Thankfully, no, but it was swollen and badly bruised and is still healing and yellow today. His chute dogging was immediately after his bareback ride and with his right arm temporarily out of commission, he had no choice but to forfeit that event. He nearly covered his bull but with his arm swollen and in pain it was difficult if not impossible to hold on and maintain his balance.

One week later...it was off to Rickreall and the Polk County Fair. Austin divided his events between the morning and afternoon performances with calf tying, bareback and pole bending in the AM and chute dogging, bull riding and barrel racing in the PM.

Calf tying was a struggle and Austin was unable to get the calf down before time was up. As frustrating as that is, I believe that it is a learning experience for him and one that only makes him try harder next time. I love that he has so much perseverance and will come back and do it again, getting better every time.

Bareback was interesting to say the least. Austin and John Wayne met out on the dirt once again and John Wayne furthered his lead. He is one wiley pony that Austin is set on mastering. When John Wayne came down, after bucking Austin off, he caught Austin's chin (and helmet strap), throat and left collar bone area with his foot. All I saw was Austin sit up, grab his chest and throat and go back down! That was almost more than I could handle. When they called out the paramedics my heart sank. He was okay though and more determined than ever to get that horse. He was pretty banged up and had a helmet and chaps full of dirt but he would live to ride another day.

With pole bending left, Austin saddled up and headed out getting a nice clean run but not the best time he's ever had. Chazz is a phenomenal horse but not much of a rodeo star.

Austin had a break before he was expected to compete so we checked out the rodeo, he downed and Advil and away we went again. His first event was chute dogging. Now, this is where he gets in the chute with a young steer and when the gate swings open, has to grab his horns, stop him and bring him down. Not a job I would choose to undertake! This was his first time ever since he was unable to at Newport. He almost had him stopped a couple of times but didn't give up until he was on the otherside of the arena. He gave his all and looks forward to trying again in Philomath this weekend.

Next came bullriding...this is just not his year for this event. Off he went landing square on his lower back. While he was happy he didn't get stepped on, he was hurting from the pounding he took on his dismount. He will be riding bulls at Molalla on Saturday and will have another go at it in Philomath on Sunday.

Finally, before we knew it, he was up for barrel racing. Again, a nice clean run but just not enough speed.

Overall, it was a long weekend but he is ready to hit it hard again for the WVJRA and NYRA finals in Molalla and Philomath. Pray for safety and that he conqures that JW! Thank you so much to Mr. Billy Laird for his very generous donation and wishes of good luck! We could not help Austin chase his dreams without support! Thank you again :)

With ordinary talent and extraordinary perseverance, all things are attainable. ~Thomas Foxwell Buxton

He flung himself upon his horse and rode madly off in all directions. ~Stephen Leacock

Spirit Mountain 2

2008-07-27T22:56:00.000-07:00

Wow! This season is just flying by! Literally! Another rodeo down...it was over to Grand Ronde for this one. Austin again had a very busy Saturday competing in bareback, bullriding, calf tying, barrel racing and pole bending. Woo! I get tired just going over the list. He had bullriding first thing in the morning and that kind of threw things off. It didn't take long for the squirreley critter to launch Austin...right out of the chute! Howell Rodeo Company brought bigger bulls this time and man, were they tough! We figured out what the problem was though, Austin has been worried to tie his hand in very tight for fear of getting hung up. He has witnessed several boys get drug around the arena and pounded as a result...one even had his femur bone cracked in half. Not something Austin is eager to experience. Dad explained to him that he won't get hung up if he single wraps tight as opposed to double wrapping. He is excited to tie in a little tighter next time and we think it will make the difference in his ability to hold on. Getting hung up on a 1000 lb. bull is serious business. Ok, just getting on the back of a 1000 lb bull is serious business!

He drew the same bay horse that he rode to a 76 in Clark County and he literally flew out of the chute. Austin held on as long as physically possible (5.87 seconds) before being launched, flipped and flopped in to the dirt. He got up fairly quickly but couldn't regain his balance and the paramedics rushed to see if he needed help. He's one tough cowboy though and soon was off to his next event.

Calf tying went better. As you can see from the pictures, the calves are nearly as big as Austin. He manged to get him over and did a perfect half hitch tie but was unfortunately over time. This is a learning experience for Austin and I fully expect that he will get better and better with each time.

Pole bending and barrel racing went great. Sure, he could have been faster but for the first time in several rodeos, Chazz and Austin did not break formation and Chazz did not have a fit at barrel 2. That was definitely improvement. I took Chazz out riding today and I don't know whether it is the rodeos or the alfalfa but he is getting hot! He is ready to roll! I told him he was sure acting young for his 18 years! He loves going to the rodeos and always has a great time whether he does good or not. Just getting out, having somewhere to go and seeing other horses does him a world of good.

Austin was going to ride in Molalla today (Sunday) but his right leg is battered from the middle of his thigh to the middle of his calf, including his knee, and with the rain decided he better just take some down time before Newport next Saturday. Next weekend, he will be doing just rough stock events at the coast (bareback, bulls and his first round of chute dogging) but Sunday he will be back in full form.

Oh, he also rode at the Linn County Wild & Wooley rodeo on Saturday, July 19 and scored a 73 on bareback. That was fantastic! It was a lot of fun and Austin is always happy for the opportunity to ride. It was his first ride in front of a standing room only crowd, but you know Austin, it didn't phase him a bit. I asked him if he liked the crowd cheering for him and he said he honestly didn't hear them. He just focused on his ride. That's my boy!

I will be out most of the week at the Santiam Canyon Stampede but will update when I return home after Austin competes in Newport (Saturday) and Molalla (Sunday).

A Very Hot Weekend in Oregon

2008-07-14T13:47:00.000-07:00

Austin had a fantastic weekend in both Clark County and Molalla. It was a long, hot two days but worth it. On Saturday, he had 5 events!!! Of course, he had bareback and bull riding. He also used Chazz for barrel racing and pole bending and tried calf tying for the first time. It was just crazy! Let's start with calf tying...the calf was nearly as big as Austin but he managed to twist it's head back towards it's body which helped it to fall. He has been practicing his tying but using dogs and people and goats is not quite the same and took just a little too long. There was tons of effort though and he now knows what he needs to do to get it done!

Chazz was hot and tired and not as cooperative as he could have been for barrel racing and pole bending. He just loves poles but got so excited he cut the last pole and broke formation causing Austin to get a "no time." He finished the pattern anyway to remind Chazz of what he is supposed to do. As far as barrel racing, Chazz seems to have a problem with the 2nd barrel. He'll run fine and turn on the first and fly to and around the third but the second just throws him off. Saturday was no exception. Austin finished but with a "no time" in this event as well. He was frustrated but managed to get over it.

Bull riding was disappointing but not for the reasons you would imagine. After riding big bulls the last two rodeos and finally starting to get his groove, another parent complained to the stock provider and they were forced to use small (nearly Pee-Wee size) bulls on Saturday. All of the Junior boys complained and not only had a hard time riding but they didn't have very good rides either. All of the boys that rode Saturday have been doing this for quite some time (and many also ride at OJBRA) so this was a real let down. I am hoping with so much support for bigger bulls, there will be a positive change at Spirit Mountain. Austin did not cover his ride and in the picture you can even see how he went one way and the bull went the other.

On to bareback...the highlight of the day! Austin had a fantastic ride! He drew a horse that had not been bucked out yet and it was very active in the chute. This can make even the most seasoned cowboy nervous...they do not call the chute a "cowboy coffin" for nothing! Austin actually considered not riding but with some encouragement for both Tenisha and Jonathan, he hopped on and scored a whopping 76! That was the best ride he has ever had. He made it look so easy! The horse was just hoppin' and spinnin' and he stayed dead center. He even hung on after the buzzer waiting for the pick-up men to get him but they never got quite close enough for him to let go. Also, utilizing the pick up men is a learned skill and not one he has had the opportunity to try or learn yet. He will be attending Bobby Mote's bareback camp next year where he will get the opportunity to practice this very important skill. So, that about wrapped up Saturday. We came home very late, fed animals and put everyone to bed, ate dinner and crashed only to get ready to do it all again on Sunday!

Thankfully, he had fewer events at the Buckaroo grounds in Molalla. Rough stock is the first event of the day and because they run bareback and bulls so close, Austin opted out of bullriding. He would have had to jump off his horse and gear up immediately for bullriding and that can be really hard on the body. He was the only bareback rider in any division so he went right after mutton busting and a few pee wee bulls. PBR bullrider, Ross Coleman, was there helping kids and working in the arena. He grew up in Molalla and rode there and with the NYRA. He was so down to earth and was just one of the guys helping out. Many kids bombarded him with questions looking for a secret but he just wanted to be like everyone else. I'm not sure Austin even said more than hello to him when he came along to help with his bareback rigging. It's not Austin's style despite being a huge fan! Ross just told him to hold on and bare down. Austin drew a HUGE horse but with no fear hopped on and rode him right out as if he were a pony. He was docked points for riding two handed so he scored a 59. Still decent and something to be very proud of. He rides two handed only because he is such a little guy and has simply not developed the arm and hand strength necessary for fighting a 1000 lb animal. It won't be long the way he is growing before you see the right hand flying! He really seems to have hit his stride in this event and it is shaping up to be just AWESOME!

He also ran barrels and poles with Chazzy and would have had an awesome time on poles if Chazz hadn't got so excited again. He'll just have to keep at it. But in barrels, Chazz ran his fastest time...just over 26 seconds. They can average anywhere between 18 and 24 seconds so he is really doing well. He has cut over 5 seconds off his time in about 4 weeks. That is amazing! I expect to see continued improvement here as well.

Wow! That was a long post for sure. On the home front we would like to thank Jack Gallagher of Gallagher Electric for his continued support of Austin. He has made the opportunity to perform at Molalla with the WVJRA possible and we greatly appreciate it. If you click on their name under sponsors, you can visit their website and get all the information about the business and all they do. Thank you again, Gallagher Electric!

Austin, his dad and Papa attended the Molalla Buckeroo on the 4th of July and had a wonderful time courtesy of Sunbelt Rentals. It's always fun to watch the pros match their strength and wits against the beast.

Austin has 2 weeks off until the next rodeo on Saturday, July 26th (10am) at Spirit Mountain in Grand Ronde, Oregon where he will be competing in bareback, bull riding, barrel racing, pole bending and calf tying. It should be an awesome day! On Sunday, July 27th (12 noon), he will again be at the Buckeroo grounds in Molalla participating in bareback, barrel racing and pole bending. We would love to see you there!

Watch for details coming up regarding a benefit rodeo for Kennedy (Austin's sister) on Saturday, September 6 in Molalla. We plan to have junior rough stock events and Austin will be riding! More information should be available soon.

Don't aim for success if you want it; just do what you love and believe in, and it will come naturally. ~David Frost

Sucess seems to be largely a matter of hanging on after others have let go. ~William Feather

You can't go through life quitting everything. If you're going to achieve anything, you've got to stick with something. ~From the television show Family Matters

Change in Schedule and Spirit Mountain-We're On Our Way!

2008-06-18T15:05:00.000-07:00

The season is already moving along at a fast pace and we're only a few weeks in! Many thanks to the J-L Ranch for the use of their truck and horse trailer. We could not do any of this without them! They are amazing!!! Thank you so much, Jesse and Linda!

We are making a change in schedule for this year...due to the rising cost of gas (diesel is nearly $5 a gallon!) and other horse related expenses (hay and feed and farrier services) we have been forced to make some very tough decisions regarding rodeo this season. We decided to attend the rodeos in which Austin has the most events. Those will be the NYRA and WVJRA this year. It was with heavy hearts we had to opt out of the OJBRA for the 2008 season. It was hard to justify the expense of gas and entry fees for one, 6 second ride. The day alone would cost us nearly $100 and after much discussion (Austin included) we came to the conclusion that we were not being good stewards of his sponsorship funds in attending those events. We may decide to do one or two as a permit rider but will be unable to attend enough to justify the cost of membership fees and expenses. This means fewer rides for Austin as far as bull riding is concerned, but he will be able to participate in more events through the NYRA and WVJRA than we had originally planned. If the budget allows, we may again include the OJBRA next year in his list of rodeos to attend. So, here is the revised schedule:

Saturday, July 12 Clark County (NYRA) 10am-Clark County Saddle Club

Events: Bull Riding, Bareback, Calf Tying, Barrel Racing and Pole Bending.

Sunday, July 13 Molalla (WVJRA) 10am Molalla Buckeroo Rodeo Grounds

Events: Bareback, Barrel Racing and Pole Bending

Saturday, July 26 Spirit Mountain (NYRA)
Sunday, July 27 Molalla (WVJRA)
Saturday, August 2 Newport (NYRA)
Sunday, August 3 Molalla (WVJRA)
Sunday, August 10 Polk County (NYRA)
Saturday, August 16 Molalla (WVJRA)
Sunday, August 17 Philomath (NYRA)

As each rodeo nears, I will again be posting the schedule with events that Austin will be participating in so watch for updates.

At the first Spirit Mountain rodeo, Austin participated in bull riding, bareback and barrel racing. He was fortunate to draw John Wayne (provided by the Howell Rodeo Company) and covered his ride with a score of 59. Let's just say it could have gone better. I wish I had shot the video with my digital camera as one minute he was seated on the back of JW and the next, his left leg was over the horse and he was hanging on the side by his hand! That was certainly reflected in his score but covering his first bareback ride as a Junior was the goal. Conquering that hurdle gives him the confidence needed to move beyond hanging on and on to concentrating on his ride. I'm so proud of him for having the courage to participate in this event when his peers won't even try. He is currently the only Junior Bareback rider and one of a very few in the NYRA. There are a couple of seniors and a handful of pee wees. It is a tough event as there are more things involved than just hanging on. Marking out, spuring and making a good ride of it while a raging horse is doing his best to launch you across the arena or dump you in to the fence is a challenge. I was so focused on videotaping his ride for him that I don't have any still pictures either but when you see us next, we would be happy to show you the video.

Hanging off the side is not without it's risks and Austin now has a fist size goose egg on the inside of his knee that is sporting a variety of shades. A few additional bumps and bruises and a split knuckle to boot but that was the worst of it and within a couple of hours, he was riding his bull. You just can't keep a good man down!

Austin was thrilled that he drew the biggest bull in the Junior pen for his bull ride. You would not have thought so after St. Paul but having faced his fear of just getting on a full grown bull was enough to get him excited about doing it again. Sorry, I videotaped this as well instead of taking photographs. Being able to watch the video helps Austin tremendously. He gains a different perspective and can see his areas of strength and his weaknesses. I will have to solicit help with the video camera so I can keep up on the pictures! While he did not cover his ride, he did double the amount of time he was able to stay on making it 5.5 seconds...just under the required 6 seconds. I think his bull was nearly taller than him so that is excellent. His form was good but his landing painful and he struggled with a pulled groin and lower back this week. You would think that it would not be worth it but he just counts down the days until he gets to do it again.

He did not run Chazz in pole bending this past weekend but did make an attempt at barrels. Chazz decided he wasn't in the mood for running and after the first barrel, they butted heads with Chazz stopping, doing a little bucking fit and then moving again. Dad shot the pics while Mom took the video so there are pictures from this event. Dad is unable to take pictures during Austin's rough stock events because he works behind the chutes getting Austin's ride ready and him prepared. Austin could not possibly do this without the love and support of his dad.

So, from here, Austin gets a few weeks to recoup and get ready for Clark County and Molalla. He will spend some time working with Chazz and getting him ready and practicing his calf tying on anything that he can catch. I may try to shoot some digital video next time to share as I know that would be a lot of fun for everyone. Also, check out the comments from the last post. Austin's idol, World Champion Bareback Rider-Bobby Mote, left him a note. I don't think Austin has stopped smiling yet!! Thank you, Bobby, and as a parent I appreciate what a wonderful example you set and that you are a role model my son can look up to. You are awesome!

Updates on the yearlings to come!

Riding: The art of keeping a horse between you and the ground. ~Author Unknown

It is not enough for a man to know how to ride; he must know how to fall. ~Mexican Proverb

Horses and children, I often think, have a lot of the good sense there is in the world. ~Josephine Demott Robinson

And We're Off!

2008-06-02T12:03:00.000-07:00

It was an exciting start for the 2008 season. As many of you know, Austin moved up from the Pee Wee Division to the Junior Division at both NYRA and WVJRA. This meant much bigger horses and full-size bulls! Wow! It was a little intimidating, but as Austin does with all things in life, he cowboyed up and gave it 110%. We could not be more proud of him. His first event of the day was bareback riding.

He had the wiley horse, John Wayne, that came flying out of the chute! Austin held on for about 5 1/2 seconds and just missed the required 6 seconds. Considering he hasn't ridden in this event since last July, before breaking his collar bone, and the horses last year were much smaller, he did an exceptional job! He had one scary moment after being bucked off when he saw the horse coming down on his head but at the last minute he moved and the horse turned and instead stepped on his hand. It hurt but didn't keep in from participating in his other events. We video taped the whole thing so he has been able to watch it and see what he can do different next time when he rides at Spirit Mountain. He's hoping to have another crack at ol' John Wayne.

Then he had a short break from rough stock as he warmed up Chazz for pole bending. Austin competed in pole bending last year with our old pony, Champ, and did ok considering the age of our pony and his lack of desire for speed. Chazz can be fast but is a little round and out of shape, however Austin got him moving. We watched as faster horses broke formation over and over and were disqualified and I told him that accuracy is more important than speed. He did fine but he is hoping that as the season progresses, Chazz will pick up in speed and keep his accuracy.

Then it was back to rough stock. Austin drew a large bull that, thankfully, did not have horns. That just about gives me a heartattack! He was psyching himself out though and believes that affected his ability to have a good ride. It didn't help that his bull kept laying down in the chute and even pinned Austin's foot against the chute gate. All that time in the chute is not good for a nervous cowboy, especially one with a beat up and sore riding hand. He got on though and that is the first step to conquering fear. He has rode twice since breaking his collar bone but he now has first hand experience at serious injury and knows what he is in for.

Finally, he finished up the busy day by running Chazz on the barrels. We have been working at this at home and Chazz has been a real pain! He would get to the barrels and walk around them or dawdle or just start kicking and hopping. We had no idea what to expect so we were pleasantly surprised that he did what Austin asked. He could have been faster but that will come in time. Overall, it was not a bad start to the season.

Austin's next event will be Saturday, June 14 in Lebanon for OJBRA and then he will compete in bareback, bullriding and barrel racing at Spirit Mountain on Sunday, June 15th. Watch for more information coming soon!

No hour of life is wasted that is spent in the saddle. ~Winston Churchill

God forbid that I should go to any Heaven in which there are no horses. ~R.B. Cunninghame Graham, letter to Theodore Roosevelt, 1917

Rodeo Season Starts Tomorrow in St. Paul!!!

2008-05-30T21:42:00.000-07:00

I can hardly believe that tomorrow is the first rodeo of the 2008 season! How exciting is that?? At St. Paul, Austin will be competing in bareback, bull riding (full size bulls and horses this year!), barrel racing and pole bending. So how has Austin spent today? Well, we went to the zoo and then he spent the evening shooting his BB gun, catching salamanders and frogs and helping dad get the trailer loaded and checking all of his gear for tomorrow. We also brought mom's horse home so we wouldn't have to get him in the morning. The girls were less than thrilled and Chazz has not stopped calling for them since he arrived. He could care less that Champ and the goats are here...he wants his herd. I think this will be good for all of them although I can't imagine they will like it.

Yesterday, we purchased the last of his much needed equipment including new cowboy boots. We didn't want to get them too soon as we knew that he would wear them out before the season started and who knows what they would have looked like :) He's only had them about 24 hours and they already look broken in.

Well, its off to bed since we have to get up at the crack of dawn. Thankfully, Dad and Austin will be out feeding the animals and throwing the last minute things in the truck. Many thanks to J Bar L Ranch for the truck and horse trailer. We couldn't do this without your support! We also want to thank Sunbelt Rentals, Gallagher Electric and Gresham Electric. You all make fulfilling Austin's dreams possible!

Watch for an update later in the weekend!

Rodeo Season!

2008-05-09T12:45:00.000-07:00

It is that time of year again!! The saddle is in the shop along with the bareback rigging...Chazzy is getting in shape...boots, chaps and hats are being bought...sponser magnets are being ordered...we're on our way! In just a couple of weeks, Austin will be bucking out and haulin' around the clover leaf. Hard to believe that it is fast approaching. Watch for lots of pictures and video here to see how he is progressing this year. He is riding as a junior so the bulls and broncs are getting bigger! Please join us in praying for no injuries this year...no broken bones, stitches or other serious bumps. Please check the schedule here and I will be posting it to the side bar as well. If you want to join us and need directions and times, please contact me via e-mail at: mduval@willamette.edu and I will be happy to share them with you. Here is the tentative schedule...subject to change to due injury:

Saturday, May 31 St. Paul (NYRA)
Saturday, June 14 Lebanon (OJBRA)
Sunday, June 15 Spirit Mountain (NYRA)
Sunday, June 28 Lebanon (OJBRA)
Saturday, July 12 Clark County (NYRA)
Sunday, July 13 Molalla (WVJRA)
Saturday, July 19 Lebanon (OJBRA)
Saturday, July 26 Spirit Mountain (NYRA)
Sunday, July 27 Molalla (WVJRA)
Saturday, August 2 Newport (NYRA)
Sunday, August 3 Molalla (WVJRA)
Saturday, August 9 Lebanon (OJBRA)
Sunday, August 10 Polk County (NYRA)
Saturday, August 16 Molalla (WVJRA)
Sunday, August 17 Philomath (NYRA)
Saturday, August 23 Lebanon (OJBRA)
Sunday, August 24 Lebanon (OJBRA)
Saturday, September 13 Lebanon (OJBRA)
Saturday, September 27 Klamath Falls (OJBRA-State Finals)
Sunday, September 28 Klamath Falls (OJBRA-State Finals)

Watch Our Star on YouTube!

2008-04-03T22:35:00.000-07:00

Here is promotional video for the Oregon Junior BullRiders Association with Austin riding! He is the rider right before the credits. You can't miss him...of course, it was the one day we forgot to throw his chaps in his gear bag! I tried to embed it in the website but it won't all me to, so just follow the link...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RuGSSvO0aXk

Updates and schedules coming soon...watch this space! Also, new pictures! The first rodeo of the season is in St. Paul on Saturday, May 31st. Austin will be riding bulls, bareback, running barrels (with Taz) and poles (with Chazz). It will be great fun and his first rides as a Junior contestant for the NYRA!

One Week Later

2008-03-03T22:57:00.000-08:00

Here it is...just a week later and you would never know anything had happened. All that worry for not! Austin just continues on with his daily chores of feeding, helping dad and letting his pony out when he's done eating in the morning. Never mind that he likes to just hang out with the horses and play with them. Nothing has changed...Austin accepts that being around horses means occasionally injuries happen...it's part of life. There is just no fear in this kid!

I asked him one time if he was ever afraid when he drops down in to that chute ready to take on the wild beast and he said no way. Excited? Yes! Nervous, perhaps? Sometimes...but nope, he is not afraid. Why? He said that it is because he has faced the scariest thing imaginable and lived through it...his sister getting sick and possibly dying. Losing someone he loves is the scariest thing he can imagine and he survived it. After that, nothing is truly scary. Exciting...sometimes anxiety inducing...sometimes nerve wracking...but never truly scary. How many 11 year olds would say that? He has fear in it's true perspective. Something we face, tackle and move on. He does get startled...he does worry...and sometimes he is shocked beyond belief...but scared...not very often.

He just does what has to be done and moves on. Staring real fear in the face does that to us.

Looks like he's ready to tackle the season, huh?

"I took to the life of a cowboy like a horse takes to oats. " ~Clinton McCoy

One Tough Cowboy...A Kick to the Teeth

2008-02-24T21:46:00.000-08:00

Austin is a tough kid. I have seen him bucked off on to his head, stomped on, ran over and beat up. Since he was 5 years old, he has been stitched, stapled and glued multiple times. His chin, his head, his hand, his cheek...never mind the numerous bumps, bruises, strained muscles, etc. And all this was before rodeo! Then in rodeo we have seen several more of these and a broken collar bone.

He is tough. He may cry the first 10 minutes but after that he calms down and just does what he has to do to fix the situation. When he was 7 years old, he had his cheek split open during a little league baseball game. Sure, he screamed...he thought he lost his eye...he couldn't see anything. Once we reassured him that his eye was fine, never mind the big gaping slit in his cheek that was pouring blood, he immediately calmed down and was ready to pay the piper. As we waited in the ER, he laughed and talked and acted as if everything was normal...people just stared. When it came time to stitch him up, he insisted that no local was necessary and went with just a topical anesthetic. When he had his head stapled...he didn't even want that...Austin is tough. Not much phases him. When Running Deer bit a chunk out of his wrist the day after we got her...he screamed! But within an hour, he was right back out there helping care for them...no fear in sight.

Even when he broke his collar bone...the ER doctor didn't believe it was that serious because Austin was so calm. His heart rate and BP were normal and he was laughing and watching TV. However, it was split in two.

Last night just proved my theory....here's how the story goes...

Our girls can be onery. They love to not only eat their food, but anyone else's as well. They have no problem bullying their way in to the boys' food or taking food from each other. They can open stalls, the feed room and untie Champ's stall as well. They are very smart cookies! Last night, they untied his stall, ran him out and helped themselves to all his grub. Champ only has one back tooth, so unlike those little Yahoos, he needs all the food he can get. They don't care.

Austin went out to run them out and put Champ back in and relock the stall. Now, Champ can be a booger. Anyone who watched him with Kennedy at Pee Wee rodeo last year knows this. He doesn't always want to go right back in his stall when you want him to. This was the case last night. Only Austin knew that if he did not move him back in soon, his food would be devoured by the Yahoo sisters. He did not have a whip or anything to motivate Champ but came up behind him and "shooed" him along. It didn't go well...

Ok, I have to back up...their is a change in pecking order occuring in the Duval herd. Chazzy has been king for quite some time. When it was him and Champ, order was established and Chazzy had primo everything. Then the girls came and they were young and scared and followed Champ's lead and let Chazz be the boss. Now, they are comfortable. They are figuring stuff out and they no longer like being at the bottom of the pack. In fact, little Running Deer has had it! She is getting pushy with the boys and her "sister" and letting them know she wants to be top dog. It isn't going well for the rest of the group. They are now reshuffling and figuring out who is who and fights have erupted occasionally. Nothing serious...just some pushing, threats to kick and nipping but everyone is on edge. Apparently ol' Champ has had it...

So, back to Austin and Champ...in the "shooing" and moving, Champ decided enough was enough and gave what should have been a "warning" two-foot kick to Austin that he did not want to be bossed only his back feet made perfect contact with Austin's face! He tried to block his face (and this probably kept him from having a wired jaw) but still ended up not looking so good. My sister was out with him and saw it all. Austin never fell...please, go back and read that again...Austin was kicked in the face and did not go down. I would have been on the ground howling like a beaten dog. Blood spewed from his mouth and my sister said that Austin had a few choice words about what happened...I don't blame him. You should have heard me the morning Running Deer kicked me with both feet in the rear! I know my neighbors did...and some are not so close. He headed for the gate and to me and all I could see was blood pouring through his fingers.

Even after spitting and rinsing and spitting I could see nothing other than flowing blood and that he hadn't lost his teeth. His lips were swelling and his cheek was fiery red but he was more ticked than anything. His arm was turning purple and his fingers and wrist were killing him. Let's just say, the local ER must think we are insane parents...we let our son ride bulls (although they though we said he fell of a "bowl") and now he got kicked in the face by a horse! I headed out and Austin was calming down. Dad and Uncle were on their way to a poker game when they got the call and so we met Dad and picked him up. Then 2 friends who were headed out to our place to vist called and so they followed us to the ER to visit...not exactly what we had in mind but we were so glad they were there.

The ER was packed, but to make a long...very, very long...story short...nothing is broken and he will live to ride another day. He is pretty banged up and will have some lovely changes in color to his face over the next week and his lip is cut in several places along with the inside of his cheek and his arm, wrist and hand are banged up as well. We know how very lucky we are that he had no broken jaw, missing teeth, broken nose, broken cheek bone, broken hand, wrist or arm. And no stitches! That is incredible luck for Austin.

And you know what? He took Champ out for a trail ride today as if nothing ever happened. Looks like we're ready for rodeo season, huh?

Sometimes you get and sometimes you get got.~Anonymous

Never approach a bull from the front, a horse from the rear, or a fool from any direction.~Anonymous

A cowboy is a man with guts and a horse.~Anonymous

Getting Closer!!

2008-01-28T11:41:00.000-08:00

Despite the snow on the ground and the nasty chill in the air, rodeo season for Austin is just around the corner. Membership forms, notarized statements saying we won't sue if he is killed or injured and schedules abound in my e-mail and on my desk...all begging to be filled out and returned...with check, of course. Before we know it, the sun will be warm upon us, beating down like Dante's inferno and we will beg for the cool days of winter...but NOT today!

I just love rodeo season, despite the scorching heat and suffocating dust. I love watching the kids chase goats, weave poles, round barrels, but especially hold on for the most thrilling roller coaster in the west. Now, the getting up early and long drives I could do without but when I see his grimy, dirt streaked face beaming with pride after he covers his first ride of the season, it makes trudging through the mud pit of winter worth it. The excitement and exhileration of knowing that he conquered the beast is an image I pray I never will forget...no matter how old he (or I for that matter) gets.

So, the first rodeo of the season? OJBRA in Hermiston in April. Schedules and details to follow!

Also, we could never make this dream possible without the help of our sponsors so...we salute you and thank you for your continued support.

It's not too late to sponsor Austin this year! Let us know as we would love to have you on board. We are working on a sponsorship program that will include ADVERTISING for your business!

See you all soon!

"A man, a horse and a dog never get weary of each other's company." -anonoymous

Mom of the Rodeostar

A Successful 2007 Rodeo Season

2007-12-16T19:31:00.002-08:00

We would like to thank all of Austin's sponsors for their generous financial support during the 2007 youth rodeo season. Their donations helped to make his dream of competing a reality. Austin continued to participate in rough stock events this year that included both pee wee bareback and steer riding and took 2nd place at the season opener in St. Paul, Oregon! He expanded his skills by competing in timed horse events such as barrel racing, pole bending and goat tail tying this summer and looks forward to competing in chute dogging, breakaway and team roping in the 2008 season as a junior contestant.

Austin continued to improve and develop his skills under careful guidance from the NYRA, the WVJRA and with the OJBRA. This kept us very busy and on the road for much of the summer. He was able to compete from Newport, Oregon to Vancouver, Washington and everywhere in between!

While steer riding in Molalla with the WVJRA this past July, Austin was thrown and broke his right collar bone. Despite his injury, he successfully covered his time and walked away as a 2nd place winner. He was healed enough to compete at the NYRA finals in Philomath on Saturday, August 25th and finished the season in 5th place for Bareback and 5th place for Bullriding. He also qualified to ride at the OJBRA Championship in September although he was bucked off both days. He understands that there are risks he faces every time he rides but has no plan to give up his dream of being a rodeo cowboy.

Austin continues to work with his horse, Chazz, in anticipation of the 2008 season and may have found a roping horse as well. We are excited what the new season will bring!