story by Lindsay King
Calf and steer heads are all that 13-year-old Clancy Teague from Rattan, Oklahoma, likes to throw a loop around. A breakaway roper, ribbon roper and header in the team roping, Clancy simply grew up in rodeo leading to his current career in the OKJHSRA. “I have team roped since I was little so I am just used to it by now. It is easily my favorite event.” He tried his hand at heeling but decided to stick with heading instead. He won the champion header saddle in 2017 in the ORYA and was reserve champion in the breakaway roping and ribbon roping. “We are on the road about every weekend, if we do not have a rodeo we try and find a jackpot somewhere.” A family sport for the Teague’s, everyone goes to the rodeos, roping the dummy and enjoying each others company between events. “Rodeo is a lot of fun for me and my family. It is something that we have always done and I have always liked to do.” Misty, his mom, helps get everyone ready for their events: braiding manes, keeping everyone fed and videoing runs. Clancy has an older brother, Briar, 15, and two younger brothers, Cutter, 11, and Tryan, 8. “Cutter is not a big fan of competing in rodeo but Tryan breakaway ropes and rides the mini broncs.”
Clancy spends most of his time with Briar and Philip, his dad. “Dad takes us to most of the rodeos and helps us a lot in the practice pen. Briar and my dad always help make me better when I mess up and give me confidence.” Clancy and Briar support each other, work on mental strategies on long drives and even share some horses. At junior high nationals this year, Clancy entered some of team roping jackpots. He placed third and fifth in the jackpots as well as winning a round in the junior high. “I was really proud to do so well competing on a national level.” Ironically, Clancy rode his dad’s heel horse, Robby, to head off of in the team roping. “This year at the rodeos, my head horse, Buster, would not go through the roper barriers so I had to ride Robby. I am working with Buster to go through the barrier for next year.” He rides his brother’s calf roping mare, Flojoe, for breakaway roping but his favorite is Robby because he gets him into position every time.
Clancy will be in eighth grade at Rattan Junior High School this year where his favorite subject is history. “I like learning about what happened in the past to see how the world grew up to become what it is today.” He plays first base for the baseball team and is a wing on the basketball team. “Baseball is my favorite for sure, I have played more of it and I am better at it than basketball. When I get out there I have a lot of fun with my teammates.” Clancy is also an avid hunter and fisherman, but deer hunting is his favorite. The summer allows Clancy to help out around the house, he especially likes working with the young colts. “We have been riding some of the two- and three-year-old colts. I help my brother get them started.” He hopes to continue working with young horses in the future if he gets the hang of it. His backup plan is working for his dad at Diamond T Trailers, a manufacturing business producing equipment and utility trailers. In his free time, Clancy watches heading videos but mostly he listens to his dad.
