Article by Charity Pulliam

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Although his time with Team Cavender’s is coming to an end, Cooper Lane said he fulfilled a goal he set for himself when he was invited to join the team. _x000D_
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“I always wanted to be on Team Cavender’s,” he said. “It was a goal of mine. When I was in junior high, everyone that was a winner was on Team Cavender’s._x000D_
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“Everyone I looked up to was on Team Cavender’s,” he said._x000D_
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“I got the phone call the week after my freshman year at state [Texas High School Rodeo State Finals] right before my sophomore year,” he said. “I’ve been a member ever since.”_x000D_
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Cooper described the moment he got the call inviting him onto the team._x000D_
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“I’ll never forget it. My best friend John Crimber called me and asked if I had also gotten a message about a meeting with a rep to join the team,” he said. “I hadn’t, and my heart sank._x000D_
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“And then, sure enough, the lady called me while we were on the phone,” he said. “I was over the moon because I felt like I really accomplished something big going into high school when I made it on the team.”_x000D_
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Now that Cooper has graduated from high school, he said he is going to attend Clarendon College to rodeo under Brett Franks, a three-time WNFR qualifier who began coaching at Clarendon in 2013._x000D_
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“It’s bittersweet. I’m sad to leave home, but I am stoked to go college rodeo under Brett,” he said._x000D_
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“I picked Clarendon because it’s a smaller school that will work with rodeo athletes,” he said. “The weekends I’m not at a college rodeo, I plan to be gone as much as I can going to pro rodeos.”_x000D_
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Cooper said he plans to rodeo on his PRCA permit until he is closer to the end of his college career. “I’ve been going to a lot of pro rodeos, but I want to wait until closer to my junior year to buy my pro card and then make a run at the NFR,” he said. “I plan to be all online, then I don’t have to worry about going back to class in the middle of the rodeo year.”_x000D_
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His goals for this year include qualifying for the National High School Rodeo Finals and winning the saddle bronc riding national title. He was close to achieving that goal in his sophomore year of high school when he finished third in the standings. Because he is still entering pro rodeos on his permit, he said his main goal right now in the PRCA is to make the Texas Circuit Finals and the PRCA Permit Finals._x000D_
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Cooper said he looks up to three-time PRCA saddle bronc riding champion and seven-time WNFR qualifier Brody Cress in the sport of professional rodeo. He said he recently had the opportunity to ride with Cress to a rodeo._x000D_
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“He roomed with my cousin in college, and they were always over at the house,” he said.“Brody has helped me a bunch. I got a new saddle, and I sent it to him, and he fixed it up for me._x000D_
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“I called him and told him I didn’t have anyone to go with to a rodeo recently, and he said I could hop in with him,” he said. “That just made my day because it’s a chance to gain knowledge from the guy I look up to going down the road.”_x000D_
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Cooper spoke very highly of his role model and mentor. “It’s surreal for me. Now that I’m eighteen I’m going to the same rodeos he’s going to. It really opened my eyes,” Laneadded. “He’s helped me learn how pro rodeo works. How to enter, how to stay in the gym while on the road, all those little things. He’s dealt as much knowledge as he can to me.”_x000D_
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