A local cowboy and cowgirl have tied up the chance to represent Barrhead and Canada at the seventh-annual National Junior High Finals Rodeo.
Taylor and Kagen Schmidt will travel down to Gallup, New Mexico, on June 26 to July 2 to compete in the Team Roping portion of the rodeo.
The Schmidts are cousins, and both are in Grade 6 at Barrhead Elementary School.
Exposure to roping began early for the cousins.
“I started when I was about seven or eight years old. At my place, we had a roping event every year called trash for kids. Trash stands for Team Roping At The Schmidt House. It’s where kids can come and learn to rope. I was standing around watching when my friend told me I should get on the horse,” said Taylor Schmidt.
“I was a little younger when I started, maybe around six years old. I started at my grandpa’s house, he and my dad taught me a lot,” said Kagen Schmidt.
Participating in the Alberta High School and Junior High Rodeo Association was their first exposure to competitive rodeo.
“The season starts in August. We decided we both wanted to do roping, but neither of us had a partner. That’s when we decided we’d rope together,” said Taylor Schmidt.
The Schmidt tandem did well throughout the 13-performance rodeo season, and it gave them an opportunity to compete in the provincial finals.
“Our first time roping together, Kagen caught a leg and I would rope the head. We had to rope three steers, and then the judges would calculate the average time. We had the top time and were second on the average, which helped us get to the finals,” said Taylor Schmidt.
The participants accumulate points throughout the season based on their performances at each event. Those points are carried over into the season’s final, where the top four finalists in each event won a chance to compete in Gallup.
“They put up the final results when all the events were finished. When I saw the results for the team-roping event, that’s when I saw we were in first place. I was very excited when I saw that. I had to tell my mom and dad,” said Kagen Schmidt.
“I was very very excited. It was our first year roping together and we got a chance to go down to Gallup,” said Taylor Schmidt.
The cousins chalk up their successes to the fact they have great chemistry together.
“What helps us lots is we live not even a minute away from each other. I go to his house or he comes to my house and we rope together. We practise the whole year at least once a week,” said Taylor Schmidt.
Rodeo is in the Schmidt’s blood, as Taylor’s father is a past Canadian Champion. Their respective brothers have competed at Gallup in the past.
The Schmidts will be driving down to Gallup with a horse trailer and their two favourite horses. Taylor rides Angel and Kagen rides Legs.
“I’ve rode this horse since I started riding. She worked really well for me. She still does actually,” said Taylor Schmidt.
The Schmidt family is planning to do some travelling while in Gallup, taking in the sights and sounds of the surrounding hot spots.
“On the way down there we’ll stop in Moab, Utah and stay there a half-day to do some white-water rafting and check out the mountains,” said Kagen Schmidt.
“I went down there a few times already with my big brother, and the best part of going down there is the ride down and the ride back home,” said Taylor Schmidt.
Featuring more than 1,000 contestants from 47 states, Canadian provinces and Australia, the National Junior High Finals is the world’s largest junior high rodeo.
In addition to competing for more than $75,000 in prizes, NJHFR contestants will also be vying for more than $100,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named the NJHFR Champion.
“I expect to do really good,” said Taylor Schmidt.
Taylor claimed the title of Girls’ Rookie of the Year in the AHSJHRA.
“I’m going down to give it my best and have some fun,” said Kagen Schmidt.
To earn this title, contestants must finish in the top 20 after two go-arounds of intense competition before advancing on to Saturday’s final championship performance.
Along with the great rodeo competition and the chance to meet new friends from around the world, NJHFR contestants have the opportunity to enjoy volleyball, tug-of-war, contestant dances, family-oriented activities sponsored by Fellowship of Christian Cowboys, and the chance to shop the NJHFR western tradeshow, as well as visit the historical attractions of New Mexico and nearby Arizona.
To follow the Schmidts at the NJHFR visit the National High School Rodeo Association’s website at www.nhsra.org.
