story by Lily Weinacht
Drake Taysom of Gardner, Kansas, is starting the spring high school rodeo season leading the bareback riding. The 18-year-old slipped his hand into a bareback rigging for the first time as a sophomore and qualified for the NHSFR that same year, also his rookie season. Since then, he’s returned to Nationals a second time and joined the URA and KPRA, along with adding saddle bronc riding to his high school rodeo events. “Bareback riding didn’t come easy to me. It took a while to start catching on to it, but once I started figuring it out, I was having fun. It’s definitely a demanding event, but I’m enjoying it,” says Drake.
Originally from Utah, Drake grew up around horses and enjoyed taking them hunting in the mountains. His dad rodeoed in high school, and when Drake wanted another sport to pursue after he finished cross country, he landed on rodeo. “One thing that keeps taking me back to riding is the adrenaline rush and the feeling you get after a good ride. Getting to college rodeo motivates me, and I’ll hopefully get my PRCA permit and start working my way up. It’s just a blast. It’s definitely a sacrifice and takes dedication, but that’s what makes it worth it.”
Drake enjoys the physical demands of his events and goes to the gym daily, lifts weights, and works on his spur board. “Getting technique down and really getting aggressive — I find that the most interesting part about bareback,” he says. Occasionally, Drake goes to Kansas State University to get in some practice when rodeo coach Casy Winn is bucking horses. Drake also spends time with Rod Hughes, a KHSRA director from Fort Scott, Kansas, who competed in the PRCA. “He’s really helped me out since my sophomore year. He picked up a kid who didn’t know much about the sport and turned me into the rider I am today.”
Drake has started traveling on his own, but enjoys hauling to rodeos with his parents, Shane and Sheila Taysom, and 14-year-old brother, Degan, who competes in bareback steer riding in the KJHSRA. “Since I started riding, my parents have been really supportive and put everything they have in me. Degan and I practice together every once in a while, and I help him on the spur board with technique,” says Drake. He started doing online school through Manhattan Virtual Academy at the start of his senior year to have more flexibility to travel to rodeos and still keep up with his studies. “This year I’m doing more AP classes like AP Psychology. I’m trying to challenge myself and get AP credit to help with college. I want to be a pharmacist—that’s six to eight years of schooling, but it’s well worth it. I really enjoy being around those health professionals. It’s a good industry—there will always be health professionals.”
While Drake is still contemplating what college he plans to attend, either in Kansas or Utah, he is certain he wants to college rodeo. Outside of school, he enjoys hunting and fishing with his dad and brother, but he’s anxious for rodeo season to pick up. “Outside of state, my favorite high school rodeo would be Dodge City, just because the arena we ride in is really nice—they hold the PRCA rodeo there in the summer—and the chutes are pretty good. My rodeo goals are to win that state bareback title and finish out the season strong. It’s going to take a lot of work and I’ll definitely have to dedicate myself to it, but I can do it. I haven’t quite rode at Nationals like I want to, but it is an awesome event, and I think this year will be different.”
