story by Siri Stevens
This is Bransen Cagle’s first year in the Junior SRA, but not the first year this 6-year-old has competed. He got his start by watching rodeos. “We took him to a rodeo in North Carolina, a local Sunday bull riding event, when he was two, and he was determined that he was going to ride a sheep,” said his father, Justin. “I told him he had to learn how to walk before he was going to ride. He bugged us until we let him and it’s been an every weekend affair since then.”
Bransen competed in the National Junior Bullriders Association, traveling to Amarillo to qualify for their Finals. When Bransen gets ready to ride, he gets pumped up, jumping around.
His family heard about the Junior SRA and joined this year. “They offer the two day rodeos, and since I’m a fireman, it works better to have the option of picking which day to go,” said Justin. Justin, his wife, Kami, and Bransen’s little brother, Weston (11 months), all go to cheer him on. “We really enjoy it. Its family oriented –they are great with the kids and match them with stock. It’s laid back and relaxed but at the same time they are very fair.”
Bransen is competing in the Mutton Busting, determined to be just like PBR’s JB Mauney, who went to school with Justin.
Bransen goes to school at Shephard Elementary where his favorite thing is recess. He plays basketball and baseball. “I play left field and pitch.”
He has a three dogs, Madox, Charlie, and Stella. He likes Stella, a blue heeler, the best because she’s a puppy. He lives in the country, but doesn’t have horses. “We sold them because I don’t play with them. One of them was mean to me. Every time I rode one of them, they would put their neck down and make me fall off.”
