story by Lillian Landreth
Caden Stoddard has been in the saddle since he was old enough to hold the reins, and many of his earliest memories include working on his family’s ranch and rodeoing. The 18-year-old from Norris, South Dakota whet his appetite for the sport in the NLBRA, then added in junior high and high school rodeo, qualifying for Nationals multiple times in all three associations. “I love the competition, and I love trying to push yourself to be as good as someone you think is better than you,” says Caden. “I’ve always wanted to be on top.”
The third generation in his family to rodeo, Caden has many examples of what it takes to be a rodeo athlete. “I for sure look up to my grandpa and my dad. My dad (Sam Stoddard) has done everything he can to help me succeed. He’s driven to Clay Center, Kansas to get steers to rope, makes sure the arena is in good condition, and that I have good horses to ride. I don’t know where I’d be without him. He pro rodeoed when he was younger, and he still comes out to rope with us. My grandpa (Joe Stoddard) moved to California and spends the winters down there, but in the summer he comes back to run the chute and comes to all my rodeos. And he helps me with the turn back in cutting.” Joe also served on the state SDHSRA board and as a national director for many years.
Caden, who competes in the SDHSRA in team roping, tie-down roping, and cutting, particularly learned the value of hard work and practice in 2020. “I didn’t practice so hard, but my freshman year we bought 30 head of steers, and during Covid I practiced every day. I could definitely see that the effort put in is rewarded to you. It was easier once I got to that level, and I had more fun with it.”
Team roping is his favorite event. “I think it’s the camaraderie. I know a lot of kids that team rope, and it’s kind of a friendly wager back there. We’re always talking each other up and helping each other out.” Caden and his roping partner, Easton West, have been competing together since seventh grade. “We had some tough luck our freshman and sophomore years, but we just stuck it out with each other, and last year we finished second in the state and made the National Finals together. We live three hours apart but we still make time to rope together every weekend.”
A header, Caden has been roping off his horse Smoky since seventh grade. He’s also been roping calves off LJ since junior high, a tiny horse with a big motor. Luna is Caden’s mount in the cutting, and he has several more horses at home he practices on, including a favorite named Monster. “We got him in a trade deal for $800 and I roped on him all through junior high. He’s missing one eye and he’s got the shortest tail you’ve ever seen, but I owe a lot to him.”
Along with the SDHSRA, Caden enjoys competing in the SDRA and Indian rodeos, as well as ranch rodeos with his friends. He also likes archery and coyote hunting, as well as running mountain lions with his hounds in the winter. Caden stays busy working with his parents, Sam and Danielle, and older sister, Ciara, on their cattle ranch, which was founded in 1918. He plans to take over the operation from his dad someday. “I’m going to go to Casper College and get my engineering degree,” finishes Caden, who is attending on a rodeo scholarship and just graduated from Kadoka Area High School. “I haven’t decided if I want to get my pro card this summer, but right now I want to focus on college rodeo and my degree before hitting the road so hard.”
