Last week youngsters had a chance to learn from and rope with the best of the best in the rodeo world.
Team Roping at the Schmidt House, or T.R.A.S.H. for short, finished up its 11th year last week Aug. 11-13.
The camp, located just outside of Barhread, is offered by team roping champion Ronald Schmidt. This year’s camp hosted 86 aspiring ropers, up from the 75 young cowboys and cowgirls who came out in 2013.
The students were split into three groups depending on their current roping ability; beginner, medium, and advanced. Throughout the three days the students, who ranged in age from 10 to 16 years old, learned the skills and techniques they will need to succeed as team ropers.
“They get a chance to rope with the best there is in Canada,” said Ronald. “If they don’t get anything from it, they’re not trying, because these guys will tell you anything you want to know. This is your chance.”
Ronald said a lot of the professional ropers come out and help with the camp free of charge. Each year on the Monday night an open roping is held, which adds to the incentive of the professionals coming out.
“A lot of these people stop by on their way north to rodeos in Dawson Creek, Grande Prairie, Lacrete,” said Ronald. “We had lots of help.”
However help with the camp isn’t limited to rodeo professionals. Ronald’s neighbours lend a hand every year, as do the parents who come to watch their children participate.
Some of the youngsters, like 10-year-old Cayden Nickel, were first timers at the camp. Though Nickel has been roping for about four years now, he said he has already seen improvements in his performance over the course of the three days.
“They’re good teachers. I learned how to swing differently,” he said. “I was roping down low, and they taught me to swing up higher because it’s like throwing a ball. You get more power that way.”
The camp ends with a fun jackpot competition, where the students have an opportunity to rope with real steers, rather than the artificial models they practiced on. This roping experience was Nickel’s favourite part.
“It was awesome. You get scores and you have to try your hardest on it,” said Nickel. “It’s fun doing a competition.”
Some students on the other hand have returned year after year, including Taylor Schmidt. The 14-year-old, Ronald’s daughter, has been attending the camp from the time she was old enough.
Taylor’s experience has been nothing but positive, she said, and each year has given her new information and ways to improve.
“Just getting one on one with each and every helper, getting lots of new tips and things I didn’t know, you get to learn lots of new things and take that home with you,” she said. “We get to learn a lot about horsemanship and how to ride your horse, what position, where the speed of your rope needs to be. Everything in roping, you get to hear it all here.”
Taylor added her brother Colton Schmidt, who is a frequenter of rodeo competitions across the province, helps out with the camp. However it isn’t just the roping education that makes the camp fun.
“You learn so much, not even about rodeo but about life in general,” said Taylor. “It’s so good. I just love the camp experience.”
Even those who don’t get to physically take part in the camp enjoyed their time there.
Parents Cory and Teena Hines had two children in the camp this year; their 16-year-old daughter and 12-year-old son. This is the second year the family has driven four and a half hours from north of Lloydminster for T.R.A.S.H.
“We heard about it through friends of ours last year, and put the kids in for the first time last year,” said Teena, who was impressed with the instructors. “It was just such a good experience we came back again this year.”
Cory said he hopes his children, and all the others, learned a little about roping. But more importantly, he said, he hopes they had fun.
“As long as they’re having fun it’s really great,” he said. “It’s all about the kids.”
“It’s a very good experience as parents for sure,” added Teena. “You get to see them improve over the week and see the friends that they make.”
After 11 years of running the camp, Ronald said those friendships the students form are just as important as the lessons they learn. Roping with over 80 other youth allows the youngsters to see they aren’t alone in their love for rodeo.
“Hockey everybody does, baseball everybody does, rodeo is kind of a unique thing,” said Ronald. “These kids can go home now and practice and not feel like they’re the only ones doing it.”
