story by Michele Toberer
Watching bucking bulls is something Cayden Mosier has been doing longer than he can remember. Besides marathon watching of the PBR on television, the 8-year-old cowboy has celebrated his birthday at a Professional Bull Rider event in St. Louis, Missouri every February since he turned two years old. Cayden’s mom, Chelsie, explained how he got his own start in rodeo, “When he was three, we were at a small rodeo and he wanted to enter the mutton busting, he rode that sheep and it has just kept going from there.” Now the young Leadwood, Missouri cowboy will be entering the 3rd grade at West County Elementary School next year and has been riding in the International Miniature Rodeo Association for almost three seasons. Still intent on riding all things that buck, besides riding miniature bulls, Cayden is now also riding saddlebronc and bareback bucking ponies.
Cayden’s dad, Chad Mosier, works in a family-owned automobile body shop, Dale Mosier Autobody. His mom, Chelsie Hampton, owns a daycare business, and his stepdad, Justin Hampton, is a bridge builder and works as a pickup man for Wooten Rodeo Company. There are many at the Wooten Rodeo Company that have helped Cayden get his start as a young rough stock cowboy. “Cayden rode sheep for 2 years, and when he was 5, he went straight to mini bulls. He first got on a miniature bucking bull owned by Keith Wooten that they call Huey the Hereford, and he’ll just trot out of the chute. Justin would be working as a pickup man at the rodeos, so I would be back there putting him on the bulls, and Keith, his wife, Lori, and daughter Kiera, Matt Metz, Darren Murray, and several more, would always help give him pointers and jump in to help him. They have been so motivating to him, especially when he started wanting to ride the bucking ponies.”
Cayden has competed twice at the IMRA finals rodeo held during the International Finals Rodeo in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma each January. Last year he finished as the reserve champion saddlebronc rider and placed 5th in bull riding. “It was exciting to ride during the main performance at the IFR with all the big cowboys. My favorite thing was getting interviewed on television last year.” Cayden looks forward to competing at the IMRA finals this January and is hoping that the third time is a charm, so that he can leave as the overall champion in his division this time.
Cayden and Justin built a drop barrel and spur board for him to practice with and he tries to practice as often as he can for his events. He has already learned to manage time, as he juggles his free time between rodeo and baseball. Cayden plays several positions for a very competitive traveling baseball league, where his team, The Orioles, will be competing in a world series tournament after winning several state tournaments. “We don’t do anything lightly, we’re all in when we get into something.” Cayden does like to hunt and fish when he’s not playing ball or riding at rodeos.
When he is older, Cayden would like to have a career like his favorite bull rider, J.B. Mauney, riding bulls like the legendary bull, Bushwhacker. Ultimately, he would like to work in the family business, “I’d like to work at my grandpa’s auto body shop one day.” But, for now, he is perfectly content to do exactly what he is doing. “We’re so grateful to be a part of the IMRA and are so appreciative of everyone that helps us. Their whole goal is to work with him, and if this is what Cayden wants to do, they want to make it a positive experience for him.”