Jase Bustad gets in position to rope the legs of a calf after his brother Jonah secured the head. The Bustad brothers won the jackpot award for team roping. Jonah also received the Jake Thompson Fearless Memorial Belt Buckle and Jase earned first place in the 15-18 breakaway roping category.
While swinging a rope over her head, Aysha Long gallops toward the target on a sunny Saturday at the Clark County Saddle Club.
Hunter Gilbert, 7, has a big smile on his face as he gets ready to lasso his target during a youth roping clinic on May 12 at the Clark County Saddle Club. Lacy Jo Evans said each of the five clinics this year featured 35 to 50 participants, ages two to 18.
Lacy Jo Evans can’t imagine her life without horses.
“I’ve been around them since I was three,” she said. “I probably had a pony waiting for me when I was in my mom’s womb.”
Evans shares her passion with the next generation by teaching youth roping clinics at the Clark County Saddle Club. She said there were five sessions this year. Some had 35 riders, ages two to 18. Others had more than 50. Parents and grandparents brought their children, got them up on a horse for the first time and watched them take off.
“I enjoyed seeing the kids who had no idea about roping and they showed up in their tennis shoes,” Evans said. “We gave them the opportunity to try it out. We provided them with a rope and a horse, and everybody was willing to lend a helping hand.”
It took a few tries for these young, wide-eyed riders to figure out how to catch up to those moving targets, toss the rope and hook themselves a winner. Some of them got tangled up in their own rope, but they were relentless in completing this task.
“Personally, roping is one of the most challenging things I’ve done,” Evans said. “When it all comes together, it’s a big deal for these kids. I love to see the smiles on their faces. They’re glowing.”
On May 12, three riders achieved memorial buckles for their success in the clinics and outside the saddle club. Ryder Proctor and Jonah Bustad received the Jake Thompson Fearless Memorial. Jase Bustad earned the Kenny Stone Sportsmanship Memorial.
Evans said Stone and Thompson were influential members in the Vancouver Rodeo scene. Thompson died in an accident last summer. He was 13.
“Jonah was so excited, he switched out his belt buckle for the one that said Jake on it,” Evans said. “It’s all about remembering those who came before and carrying on their legacy.”
Jonah and Jase Bustad teamed up to win the live roping cattle competition. Jase Bustad also clinched first place in 15-18 breakaway roping.
“There’s a huge sense of accomplishment; two horses and a steer all coming together in eight seconds or less,” Evans said. “When there’s two siblings out there, it’s even better.”
Jenna Lynn Bustad claimed first place in the 6 and younger dummy roping category. Lexi Williams won 7-11 dummy roping and Morgan Thompson took first place in 14 and younger breakaway roping.
Evans thanks Stacy Barker, Jimmy Barrett, Johnny Hudson, Adam Johnson, Craig Kampe, Charley Keller, Zach and Jourdian Proctor, Zach Raley and Justine Talbott for helping her run these clinics. She has been around the Clark County Saddle Club since she was 7.
“There are a lot of generations involved over the years. A lot of history being passed down,” Evans said. “Everybody wants to grow up to be a cowboy or a cowgirl. Maybe for just once in their life, this gives them that opportunity.”
