story by Lindsay Humphrey
After four years of success in the Young Guns association in Dodge City, Kansas, one thing continues to allude Brecken Tullis – a state title and a ticket to nationals in breakaway roping. “That’s been my goal for a long time, but this year especially since it’s my last year in junior high rodeo,” said the 14-year-old from Augusta, Kansas. Brecken was the girls champion breakaway roper, in the 7-10 division, in 2020 and 2021. She followed that up with a reserve title in 2022 after moving up to the 11-14 division but came back this year to reclaim her title.
“I can catch my calves just right in the Young Guns, but at state finals last year I had some tough luck. I roped my short round calf good, but when I pulled my slack the calf quit me and ran through my loop. So I didn’t make the national team in breakaway.” It’s not surprising that breakaway roping is Brecken’s favorite out of her five KJHSRA events. “It comes pretty natural to me and I have a lot of friends who do it too, so I can cheer for them. It’s just a fun and challenging event, but right now I have a good horse for it so she really makes it easy.”
Bought just last summer, 14-year-old Cadi is the only mare owned by the Tullis family currently. She’s a special horse who doesn’t stand out among the herd of geldings. “She’s been really easy to learn on and she scores well. She’s not super sassy which is good; she’s the perfect partner for me. She pushes me to be better because she puts me in good positions to do my job.” Brecken uses 16-year-old Ruben to heel for Kreed Smith. Even though team roping isn’t her favorite event, but her kind partner makes it more enjoyable. “I think I might like team roping more if I could head, but I haven’t gotten that perfected just yet.”
It wasn’t until this spring season that Brecken finally entered both the barrels and poles on 11-year-old Badger at a junior high rodeo. He’s actually a head horse her parents [John and Casie] own and used by her older brother – Dawson, 16. My mom has helped me get him [Badger] patterned on barrels and poles. It’s helped me with my horsemanship and helped him learn to rate better. He’s fun to run because he listens to me really well and he’s just a good horse with a good personality.” Now in high school rodeo, Dawson helps push calves for his sister and she warms up his horses when needed. Next year, the siblings will rodeo together in the KHSRA and plan to share Badger across a couple events.
Brecken was 2 years old when her parents started hauling her around to see those first rodeos. “They got my brother and I started on horses early on and they wanted us to try rodeo and just see what happens; we both loved it.” Rodeo began as a family sport and continues that way today. “My dad is the KJHSRA executive director and for the past three years I’ve been the junior high boys tie down roping director. I wanted to serve my fellow competitors and gain some more leadership skills.” This past fall Brecken also started volunteering with children’s church held Sunday mornings during rodeo weekends while also serving as the KJHSRA President. She plans to run for office again next year in high school and has some fundraising ideas she wants to begin working on.
“I’ve met a lot of great people and made a ton of good friends through rodeo. Rodeo has been a good learning opportunity for me and all my friends; I think we’ve all discovered skills that we didn’t know we had.” One of those skills Brecken first developed thanks to rodeo was grit. “I remember the first time my horse loped home from a barrel pattern, I was 4 years old. I had always been scared to lope my horse, and it was funny because I started crying when he took off loping but after that I go the hang of it and it turned into a good thing.”
