Rodeo Life

Monthly Archives: July 2025

Breaking Barriers: From the rodeo arena to the big screen, Najiah Knight is paving her own road.

Written on July 14, 2025 at 12:00 am, by

By Lilly Platts | Photos Courtesy of Najiah Knight Najiah Knight grew up watching her father ride bulls and knew from an early age that she wanted to follow in his footsteps. The high school senior from small-town Oregon has had many successes in her young career, riding her first steer at seven. Najiah has  Continue Reading »

JJ Gottsch’s Gamblers Come Up Aces

Written on July 14, 2025 at 12:00 am, by

By Alex Lowe | Photos Courtesy of JJ Gottsch JJ Gottsch has enjoyed eight months of basking in the glory of ultimate professional success. He is not resting on his laurels. The CEO of the 2024 Professional Bull Riding Team Series Champion Austin Gamblers, Gottsch has been busy working to keep his franchise stacked for  Continue Reading »

Beyond the Arena: The Jake Eary Memorial Rodeo

Written on July 3, 2025 at 12:00 am, by

By Eva Wathen | Photos Courtesy of Carrie Mary Rodeo is a testament to the Western lifestyle, which incorporates family, community, passion and tradition. Whether a first-time audience member, a returning fan, a child living their dream of competing in their favorite event, or a seasoned competitor, rodeo creates cherished memories for all. It is  Continue Reading »

Team Cavender’s: Kash Loyd

Written on July 1, 2025 at 12:00 am, by

By Charity Pulliam | Photos by 807 Sports Photography For Kash Loyd, rodeo is more than a passion—it’s a path shaped by family, tradition and professional ambition. The high school junior from Rio Vista, Texas, has been competing since he was 3, and for nearly three years, he has proudly worn the Team Cavender’s patch—something  Continue Reading »

A Strategic Fourth of July

Written on July 1, 2025 at 12:00 am, by

By McKenzie Frizzell The road to the NFR is filled with more than just quality runs, diligent preparation and a strong mindset for success. It’s more than smart decisions regarding traveling partners or the time put into setting achievable goals that contribute to what you want out of the sport. For rodeo cowboys and cowgirls,  Continue Reading »

Walking Frito Salad

Written on July 1, 2025 at 12:00 am, by

By Clay Noel Harper | Recipe by & Photo Courtesy of Christine Jenks Sometimes, as mothers and wives, it can be easy to lose sight of our true role in our families and communities while we focus on the tasks at hand—raising babies, homemaking, feeding cows, raking fields, training horses, keeping books and all the  Continue Reading »

Elora Kiddle

Written on July 1, 2025 at 12:00 am, by

By Lilly Platts Each year, the Calgary Stampede draws attention from around the world, not only for the historic rodeo but also for the iconic poster created to promote the event. With the Stampede now celebrating its 113th year, the posters have become valuable, collectible pieces of art; for artists, having a piece be used  Continue Reading »

Community and Kākou: How Rodeo is Staying Alive on Maui

Written on July 1, 2025 at 12:00 am, by

By Lilly Platts | Photos Courtesy of the Miranda Family Every Fourth of July, the Makawao Stampede brings cowboys and cowgirls from around the world to Maui’s Oskie Rice Arena, owned by Kaonoulu Ranch. Ken and Morag Miranda represent the fourth generation that manages and fosters the annual Hawaiian rodeo, which has been a part  Continue Reading »