story by Kyle Eustice
When Rose Hill, Kansas, resident Gage Blair answers the phone, it’s clear he’s working hard and simply trying to beat the heat. Midwest summers get extremely hot and humid, which is enough to make anyone sweat. Coupled with the fact the work the 25-year-old is doing is building custom homes, it’s a perfect formula for exhaustion.
It’s nothing he can’t handle. Gage joined the CPRA when he was 16 years old and has always put everything he has into rodeoing, something he learned from his father, Bill Blair, and cousin, Zach Blair.
“My dad was a steer wrestler for 20 years,” Gage said. “It runs in the family.”
Gage’s uncle, Harvey, was a team roper, who once made it to the finals. Along with twin brother Cole, older brother Joel, 28, and two older sisters Kelly and Cassie, and mother Sharon Barrocco, rodeo is something the whole family has always been interested in.
His cousin Zach took him under his wing as a 6th grader, and taught him everything he knew about team roping.
“My uncle Harvey runs a family ranch,” explained Gage. “I used to live there in the summers. Zach would take me everywhere and taught me about riding and the fundamentals of horses. We would ranch all day long. It was awesome.”
Roping has always been an intense passion for Gage. He seems himself doing it for many years to come.
“It’s hard to describe,” admitted Gage. “I’ve never been more passionate about anything else. It’s a different kind of drug. There’s something about swinging a rope that brings joy to my life. Once I learned how, I was hooked.”
Over the years, he’s practiced for countless hours. It didn’t exactly come easy, but he didn’t let that stop him.
“If you want to do something and have the heart, you’ll do anything,” said Gage. “You’ll learn it quickly. I struggled at first, but I kept that rope glued to my hand.”
Gage used to be an avid baseball player. At one point he was on three teams during one season. Once he discovered rodeo, things changed.
“I remember taking a horse to one of baseball games,” said Gage. “I had a rodeo right after so I was trying to fit it all in.”
Gage got married in April to his college girlfriend, Erinn Blair. They met at a football tailgate event while attending Kansas State University. “She roped me that day for life,” joked Gage.
At his first CPRA event, he and his team roping partner Scott won third place. It just ignited his desire to win even more.
“My goal with rodeo is to become the best I can be,” said Gage. “I want to go all over America and rope, and hopefully make it to the Ram National Circuit Finals. Every team roper wants to be the best.”
With his goals set, he credits his success to his strong faith in God. He and his wife attend Metro East in Andover, which they discovered a year ago.
“We found it together once we got married,” explained Gage. “I’m here to tell you, there’s not a better feeling than having someone love the Lord more than me.”
The Blairs recently just built their own home. He puts dedication and heart into everything he does.
“You’re as good as you want to be,” said Gage. “It’s an individual thing. No one can tell you to stop. You can excel as much as you want.”
In the future, he’d like to teach young people about rodeo.
“I love teaching people,” said Gage. “I want to help with youth rodeos. I want to do whatever I can to contribute to the sport I love so much.”
