story by Michele Toberer
Whether it’s one of the Zac Brown Band songs, like “Chicken Fried” or a catchy rap song he knows the lyrics to, when Louisiana cowboy, Hadley Dunnehoo hears it playing as he backs in the box, he’s feeling positive. “I just zone everything out, back in the box and just say to myself: this is it, I’m about to have a good run, I know I can go rope this steer.”
Hadley is a sophomore at Reeves High School, in his hometown of Reeves, Louisiana, where he lives with his supportive parents, Ryland and Michelle Dunnehoo. Rodeo comes naturally to the 17-year-old cowboy, and he doesn’t’ remember much of his life that hasn’t included having a rope in his hand. “Since I was at least 2-years-old, I have been carrying a rope around, roping my toys or anything I could.” Both Ryland and Michelle had some influence on that, as Michelle competed in barrel racing in the Louisiana High School Rodeo Association during her youth, and Ryland team ropes, mostly heading. Hadley’s uncles, Josh Dunnehoo and Reggie Dunnehoo, both team rope, and Reggie used to ride bulls. Reggie’s son, Bryce was Hadley’s roping partner in junior high. The whole family gets together at Hadley’s home arena to practice and enjoy roping together.
Hadley entered his very first rodeo, when he was in 6th grade, and competed all three years in the Louisiana Junior High Rodeo Association, as a team roping heeler. During those years, he was a 3-time state finals qualifier, 2-time average champion at state finals, and he qualified and made the trip to the national finals in Lebanon, Tennessee his 8th grade year.
This year in the LHSRA he is heeling for his new partner, Morgan Sparks. Because they live two hours apart, they each practice separately, but are coming together as a team quite well at the rodeos. He has a positive outlook for what the year will bring for the team.
Most of Hadley’s chores around his family’s ranch include taking care of horses and cattle. He generally feeds before school, and after school he and his cow dogs will pen the steers up so he can get ready to rope. He’s grateful for his friend, Paul Hebert who comes over quite often to head steers for him. The horses he rides are both bay Quarter Horses that mean a lot to Hadley. Roxanne is 13-years-old and is the mare that he rode when he won the average champion titles and went to nationals. She was given to him by a special family friend from Whitesboro, Texas, Seth Jordan, who is like an uncle to Hadley. “He means a lot to me, he has helped me a lot with my roping, and everything.” Hadley says Roxanne knows her job and does it well. “Nobody wants to mess with her when it’s time to rodeo, she’s all business.” Snoopy is Hadley’s 19-year-old, back- up heel horse, that can be grumpy sometimes, but overall has a great personality and Hadley feels like he can do anything on him.
U.S. History is the class that Hadley is most interested in while he’s at school. He loves learning about the wars of our country’s past; how they started and finished. Other than that, he is more focused on getting the days done, so that he can get back to the roping pen. When he isn’t roping, Hadley and his friends enjoy fishing for Bass and hunting for Whitetail Deer, as well as mud-riding on their 4-wheelers.
Once he graduates, Hadley hopes to go to college, and is considering becoming an electrician. He first wants to give the path to the WNFR a shot, as he dreams of being one of the top heelers at the pro-level one day. There are a couple professional ropers, Patrick Smith and Ryan Motes, that inspire Hadley to work towards that dream. “I’ve learned from them to stay aggressive, and not get lazy with my rope. No matter what, don’t give up, keep on pushing.” But, they’re not who Hadley looks up to above all. “God has helped me out in my life the most, and He’s got me where I am with my team roping.”
