RODEO PROFILE
RISING STARS OF RODEO FLORIDA YOUTH QUALIFY FOR THE JUNIOR AMERICAN PATRIOT
t was a mere seven years ago when, in 2014, the concept of “the world’s richest one-day rodeo” came to fruition. The “amateurs”—many of them Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and Women’s Professional Rodeo Association competitors—arrived at the Dallas Cowboys AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas, to take on the very best of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo champions.
where the ladies get to shine as ropers.
The American Patriot Rodeo, often referred to as just “The American,” has expanded into a week of semi-finals and a weekend for the main event. It now bills itself as “the world’s richest weekend in Western Sports.” The rodeo is scheduled Feb. 26 to March 7, 2021, at Will Rogers Memorial Center in Fort Worth, Texas. At press time, qualifying events were underway.
Three brothers, Cole, Brody and Owen Clemons, from Okeechobee, are all in the team roping event. The brother/ sister pair of Courtney and Parker Carbajal of New Smyrna Beach qualified together in team roping, and individually with Courtney in goat-tying and breakaway roping, and Parker in tie-down roping. Twin sisters Michelle and Morgan Barnes are in the pole-bending event, with Morgan also qualified in breakaway roping.
And it, like the NFR, has expanded to include a Junior American Patriot Rodeo for youth who are 19 years old and under. It is set March 2 to 6, 2021, at the same venue. Florida will be well represented, because more than 50 of the Sunshine State’s youngsters are to compete in the events of pole-bending, goat-tying, barrel racing, team roping, tie-down roping, steer wrestling—and the hottest thing in rodeo—breakaway roping,
While the team roping, steer wrestling and barrel racing events cover all ages, the other events are broken down into the following divisions: 12-and-under, 15-and-under and 19-and-under. Twelve-year-olds can qualify in all three divisions, if that is what they register for—which is exactly what 12-year-old Harley Pryor of Moore Haven did, in breakaway roping.
Bud Roebuck’s daughter, McLayne, of Lake Placid, will be competing in barrel racing on her horse “French Contender.” (Bud Roebuck was the 2018 National Reining Horse Association champion, featured in the August/ September 2019 issue of Florida Country Magazine.)
At left, Jerry Easler, 18, of Jennings, qualifying in tie-down roping at National Little Britches Rodeo. Above, Lake Placid's Carlton Pailey Pearce, 9, taking second place in WPRA Junior Barrels at March Arcadia All-Florida Championship Rodeo.
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LEFT PHOTO BY JAMES PHYFER/RODEOBUM.COM, RIGHT PHOTO BY KATHY ANN GREGG
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Written by: Kathy Ann Gregg
