Logan Hay Q & A

NFR RODEO ATHLETE Q&A LOGAN HAY

Get to Know First-Time NFR Qualifier Logan Hay

Logan Hay comes from a long line of rodeo athletes so it’s no surprise that he has made his way into the top 15 of the best saddle bronc riders in the country. Cowboy Lifestyle author, Hannah Crandall dives into what Logan’s life looked like growing up and what it’s been like getting the golden ticket to the National Finals Rodeo 2022! BY HANNAH CRANDALL

Q: WHAT WAS IT LIKE GROWING UP IN SUCH A SUCCESSFUL RODEO FAMILY, AND HOW DID THAT AFFECT WHAT YOUR DREAMS AND GOALS HAVE BEEN?

A: We’ve been going to rodeos since before I can remember before I could walk, so I’ve always been in the rodeo community. Even when we were little, maybe 10 or 11 years old, we would pack up for the wintertime, just homeschool for the winter months, and go to rodeos with my dad; and that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do. I played hockey when I was little, but ever since I was old enough, I knew I always wanted to be a bronc rider.

Q: WHAT WAS YOUR CHILDHOOD LIKE ON THE RODEO ROAD?

A: Me and my little brother, Dawson, had lots of friends in rodeo and that was always the most exciting time for us when we got to go rodeo. We played hockey as well, and we really liked hockey, but we were always more excited to go to rodeos. I remember when we were growing up, we would play with the Wright brothers, it was pretty cool to grow up with those guys and look at us now. Back then, we were all just little buddies, 5 and 6 years old and now, we’re all rodeoing together.

Q: WHEN DID YOU GET ON YOUR FIRST BRONC, AND WHAT WAS IT LIKE FOR YOU GETTING STARTED?

A: I was about 17 when I got on my first bronc set, which is a little later than most people get on their first bucking horse. We were pretty small though, and my dad wanted to make sure we were big enough and ready before we got on. I got started in December of 2013 at a rodeo school, and our first rides were ugly. The first horse I got on, rolled on me, and then my brother Dawson went over the head of his horse and got stepped on. I think that’s just how everyone gets started though. In your first hundred broncs, you pretty much get in a wreck every other ride so it’s a pretty hard sport to get started in. There are very few people that start out and just pick it up really fast.

Q: WHAT HAS IT BEEN LIKE TO SEE DAWSON ALREADY FIND SO MUCH SUCCESS AND DEVON (YOUR YOUNGEST BROTHER) FIND HIS PLACE?

A: Dawson has been to the NFR twice already. He’s had a lot of success, and it’s pretty cool this year to be able to go to the finals with him. I also travel with my cousin Ben Anderson, and it’s really cool to rodeo together with family. A lot of times, guys take it for granted but when you stop and think about it, it’s pretty special to be able to share all these moments with your family. Hopefully, Devon will be up here riding with us in a couple of years as well.

Q: WHO ARE SOME OF YOUR CLOSEST RODEO FRIENDS OR GUYS YOU TRAVEL WITH, AND WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE ON THE ROAD WITH THEM?

A: I’ve traveled with Ben since my rookie year, and we’ve kind of hopped around with some other people, but he and I have been together through it all. We get along really well, and all of us Canadians are really good buddies. To have this many Canadian riders with a chance at the World Championship is pretty crazy. This year is actually a record with six Canadians qualifying for the NFR, and we’re all such great friends so it makes it that much cooler.

Q: WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO HAVE BEEN SO CLOSE TO QUALIFYING FOR THE NFR PREVIOUSLY, AND HOW DID THAT MAKE YOU REALLY DIG IN AND GET IT DONE THIS YEAR?

A: Last year, I missed it by $1,500, which was a bit of a stinger for sure. There were, you know,

120 different rides that went through my head thinking about how I could have done something different but I tried to not think about that for too long. I only let it burn for about a week, and then I just started focusing on the next year and really making sure that wasn’t going to happen again.

I set a goal at the beginning of the year to start in the top 15 and never break that. Then, I broke my ankle at the end of March. I was still in the top 15 when that happened, and it took me a couple of months to get rolling again but once I entered the top 15 again in July, I never fell back out.

Q: WHAT WAS IT LIKE TO GO THROUGH THE UPS AND DOWNS OF THIS SEASON, AND HOW DID YOU STAY FOCUSED? WHAT IS IT LIKE TO BE HEADED TO VEGAS COME DECEMBER?

A: This year has been pretty special for me. I won the Calgary Stampede, which I’ve actually been watching since I was little. My dad won it four times, and that is definitely the biggest win in my career, and it’s definitely my favorite rodeo. That’s a rodeo that lots of people will tell you is their favorite in the world, maybe besides the NFR, which I haven’t been to yet. The atmosphere there is unbelievable, so to win that was amazing.

Then, I also set a world record this year at the Hardgrass Bronc Match, which is arguably the best bronc match in the world as well. I’m truly excited to be going to my first NFR, but I don’t think it will really set in until I get on the first bronc that I’ve actually made it.

Q: WHAT WOULD YOU CONSIDER YOUR MOST MEMORABLE RIDE?

A: It has to be winning Calgary this year. I was in the final four with my brother, my cousin, and our good buddy, which was pretty crazy. For all four of us to be in the final four was unreal. I was the first guy out, so I knew I had to make a good ride. I laid it all out there, and that has to be my favorite, most memorable ride.

•This will be Logan’s first NFR qualification, following in the footsteps of his younger brother, Dawson Hay who ranked number 14 this year, barely making the cut off the top 15.

Q: DO YOU HAVE ANY SUPERSTITIONS OR TRADITIONS BEFORE YOU RIDE?

A: I don’t eat chicken before I ride. My dad used to do that, and it just stuck with me. I will not eat chicken before I ride. That’s probably the only superstition I have though.

Q: WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO A YOUNG ATHLETE?

A: Just keep chasing your dreams, and get on and practice as much as you can. The bulk of kids nowadays seem to not be practicing as much. All of us Canadians, for example, pretty much started about the same time, and we practice three or four times a week. Honestly, a big key is to just get on all the time and keep in mind that rodeo mode is a big thing.

I would just say to practice every chance you can and don’t get discouraged when you’re competing in a very discouraging sport. You can go a month or three without winning a dime, and it can make you feel like you’re not riding well, but you’ve got to keep your hopes up and keep battling because it will come.

Q: WHEN NOT RODEOING, WHAT DO YOU DO WITH YOUR TIME?

A: I ranch with my dad, and I like to hunt and fish as well. Then in the wintertime, I like skiing and stuff like that. But most of the time when I’m not on the road, I’m typically helping my dad on the ranch.

Q: WHO WOULD YOU SAY HAS BEEN THE MOST INFLUENTIAL IN GETTING YOU TO WHERE YOU ARE NOW?

A: I’d say, my dad. Right from the beginning, he’s helped me, Dawson, my little brother, and lots of Canadian bronc riders. He raises bucking horses as well, so that’s been a huge bonus. We got to get on horses right in our backyard, and we practiced all the time. He pushed us to practice all the time, and we’re a lot better at it because of that. What better coach to have than an eight-time Canadian champion or 20-time NFR qualifier? There’s not much better to learn from, and just having him and the bucking horses he raised really helped us.

Logan’s Sponsors

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THE RISE OF RANDALL KING

Country Singer Making a Name in the Red Dirt Music Scene

BY LINDSI RIAN

Texas Country artist Randall King has been a favorite of Red Dirt fans since his first single debut in 2016. Drawing inspiration from country legends such as George Strait and Merle Haggard, King is bringing the traditional country sound back to our stereos. Randall grew up in the small town of Hereford, Texas, moving to Lubbock for college in 2009. While attending Texas Tech for a business degree, he fell in love with country music and decided to become a musician himself. Two years later, he decided to transfer to South Plains College and switched his business degree to music production. Now, for the 4th year in a row, King is taking the stage at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. “Everything is flashy and cowboy. I just love it. We bring a party that no one is expecting! We love to take people by surprise!” Randall will be performing December 8th-10th at the NFR Buckle Ceremony at the South Point Showroom as well as an acoustic show on December 4th at Stoney’s Rockin’ Country.

The acoustic show, labeled “Tonk Fest” is the start of a new brand King is working on that he plans to soon turn into a full fledged country festival. Tonk Fest will be a special night with a few special guests that King has deemed “a show you don’t want to miss with myself and some country a** SOBs!”

Randall has kept busy since the beginning of 2022 with 140 shows on his calendar for the year, but especially in March when he hit three major musical milestones within a matter of a week; King released his first full length album, Shot Glass, under his new label deal with Warner, his new record hit #1 for the country genre charts on iTunes for seven days straight, and he made his Grand Ole Opry debut. He’s got no plans of slowing down anytime soon either. The Nashville recording artist is about as straightforward as it gets. Randall states that he is who is, despite what anyone else wants. He claims that his music is the same way. The singer-songwriter pulls lyrics from “the three stages of heartbreak” and never strays from keeping his personal stories within each song.

King hints at a new “honkey tonk with attitude” of his secret 5 song EP called Honkey Tonk Bullshit that was released at NFR 2021 and is currently in the works to turn into a bigger project to come out at a later date. Honkey Tonk Bullshit is only available for purchase in person at Randall King merchandise tables during each concert. Streaming not available.

FOLLOW RANDALL KING AT RANDALLKINGMUSIC.COM