story by Ruth Nicolaus
Todd Sweat is an important part of his family’s ranch.
The thirteen year old cowboy, a header, goat tyer, breakaway roper and ribbon roper in the Utah Junior High School Rodeo Association, is counted on by his dad to help around the ranch.
He does chores, driving truck to feed cattle, running the swather in the summer in the hayfield, fixing fence (“it never ends,” he said), and moving cattle.
But when he’s not working, he’s rodeoing. He loves to rope and heads for Byron Christiansen, and in the ribbon roping, ropes for Hinckley Davis.
He is a seventh grade student at Rocky Mountain Middle School in Heber City, where he loves art, especially doing pencil drawings of outdoor scenes. He usually brings his lunch from home, and his favorite lunch is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, with homemade raspberry jelly made by his mom.
Todd owns six of his own mother cows, and shows cattle at the county and state fair level. He wrestles as well.
His mom and dad, Paul and Teri, are proud of him. “He’s no-nonsense, and he’s very serious about rodeo and competing,” Paul said. “He’s very responsible, and he’s a big help to me. I can always count on Todd. I know that chores will be done and the animals will be fed. If I ask Todd to do something, and I know I won’t be home till after dark, I don’t ever wonder twice if it’ll be done or not. I know I can count on him to do adult-like things.”
Todd qualified for state last year in the breakaway roping. He is currently ranked in second in the breakaway and fourth in the team roping.
He has three older sisters (Lexi, Sadie and Emily) and two brothers: Morgan, and Matt.
