PAFRA Sharing Perspectives of Young Rodeo Competitors

The PAFRA organization has watched several youth competitors grow in the sport of rodeo. The members love to wrap their arms around these fierce contestants to help them grow. Please enjoy two different perspectives of challenges and victories met by our next generation of cowgirls/cowboys.

“I have only been in PAFRA for two years, but in those two years I have met many different people from many different backgrounds, all who have taught me very valuable lessons and skills. I believe I would not be where I am today without PAFRA. This year I am the barrel racing event director, and it has already helped me grow as a person and leader. I am going to be leading about 40-barrel racers this year. By learning how to handle money and communicate with many people. One person was Al Hyatt, who sponsored the entire barrel racing event this year. I am so grateful for this opportunity and all the experience I have gained.” -Graci Hall, 15 years old, Grade 11

“As the years have gone with me growing up, I have mainly done Team Roping and Barrel Racing. In all, I have done just about every event in rodeo history, except being a roughie. I don’t believe that I should put myself in that type of danger, just for a little bit of money. But as time has gone on, I have expanded what I know and do. This year, my mom pushed me to do another event that I have never done before. This turned out to be the event that helped my entire year and helped me go to a bigger destination that I didn’t think I would get to. This year was one of my favorite years of rodeo. My parents put me into the High School Rodeo. High School Rodeo was so much fun. I met a lot of new people this year, and I got to have fun with Team Roping and my other event.

My parents and I have been on the road almost every weekend this year. My partner and I started the year out strong in Team Roping but we went downhill after we got farther into the year. After about three or four rodeos, my parents showed me what reining was. I was hesitant at first, about it, but I’m glad I went through with it. It ended up taking my parents about three different rodeos to show me what I was able to do in this event, which showed me that I enjoyed doing it. The way they put me into it was that they brought me to my first one and said watch everyone else go then my turn to try it. I had never had real practice in that event before then.

The reason I brought this event up is because it shows how quickly your life can change in a matter of seconds. One minute you can have all the plans of what you want to do. Then the next minute you won’t know what to do. The reason this links together is during my rodeo season I was all good with just Team Roping and not trying a new event but then in a matter of minutes my mom tells me that I’m in an event I have never done before. It was scary, to be honest, but I’m glad she did it. I had never thought in a million years that I would show my horse in an event like that. I always thought I would show my horse in Team Roping or Calf Tie Down before reining. But always remember that when one door closes another one opens. And another door opened for me. It gave me a path to High School Rodeo Nationals and a way to show that I can do anything I put my mind to. This showed me that my limits in life are greater than what I expected them to be. I expanded my entire way to see how I ride my horse, how I work cows and just how to treat my horse in general.” –Aighdanlee (Tater) Huber

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