CALDWELL — Before the rodeo, it's all about the kids. The future generation of professional cowboys and cowgirls, and at the Caldwell Night Rodeo (CNR), there's a lot of talented ones.
“My barrel horse is named Willy, and George is my team roping and breakaway horse, and Dally is my goat and pull horse,” Abilene Joslin, Junior Rodeo contestant said. “It is fun to hang out with everyone and do rodeo.”
From 10-year-olds riding bulls to 4-year-olds roping goats, the Junior Rodeo is no doubt cute and fun to watch.
“I do the flag race, and then I ride calves, team rope, breakaway, and then I do goat tying and steer roping,” Willy Jepsen, Junior Rodeo contestant said.
Although they're small in size, these kids have no fear.
"I don’t really see it as scary or nerve-racking," Hannah Moyle, Junior Rodeo Contestant said. "I just feel it as fun and it's just like any other time to have fun."
They're all competing for a spot in the Junior Rodeo finals on August 21st, but the pressure doesn't seem to get to them.
“Nothing really goes through my mind. I just do my job,” Jepsen said.
Most of them started rodeo at the age of three or four and fell in love with the sport after watching their parents.
"I was doing it at home and being with family and friends over the years," Moyle said. "My dad did it his whole life, and my mom so I just kind of caught on and just did it."
“I like to ride steers and it's not scary," Rozin Mason, Junior Rodeo Contestant said. "I want to do it because my dad rode bulls."
If you ask them what their favorite part about the rodeo is, they'll say being their friends, but they also learn a lot and continue to keep getting better.
"I ran my first 19 here but it was a long time ago, and now I am getting faster but that was in barrels my first run here," Moyle said.
Make sure you keep a lookout for these junior cowboys and cowgirls because in several years they'll be the next professionals
"I just want to keep going, no break or anything," Moyle said.
