By Laurie Dineen
Daniel, a 17 yr. old from Black Forest, Colo. is anxious to start competing in his sixth CJRA rodeo season. A member since 2010, he has continued to demonstrate his roping skills as a team roper and tie down roper first in the Jr. Division and now in the Sr. division. “I had a pretty good year last year at the CJRA finals,” said Daniel. “I was 8th going into the finals in tie down and won the average and ended up 3rd for the year end.” Additional year end awards included 4th in ribbon roping, 5th in the mixed team roping and 6th in the open team roping, both as a heeler and was 4th All Around Sr. Boy.
Daniel comes by his riding talents naturally. Riding since he could walk, his dad, Greg (Doc), rodeoed in his younger years and is an avid team roper. He has coached and encouraged Daniel and his older brother and sister, Taylor and Hannah, with their horsemanship and rodeo skills both in and out of the arena. “I have competed in Little Britches and Junior rodeos in Granby/Frazier since I was little”, said Daniel. “But I like the CJRA because it has more events for ropers and I like to be able to rope with my dad in the Parent/Child team roping. The competitiveness at the CJRA rodeos has also helped me become a better roper both physically and mentally.”
For the upcoming rodeo season, Daniel’s goals are to place more consistently in his events. To achieve this, he ropes the dummy every day and practices on live cattle at least 2 times a week. “We have 6 calves that I practice my tie down on and roping cattle for team roping. My dad and brother help me a lot and I watch a lot of roping videos,” he said. “Jake and Clay O have inspired me as well as Shane Hanchey and Tyson Durfey. They all instill the importance of good ground work – nothing wild, just the basics.”
When not going to school or rodeoing, Daniel spends his spare time working in his shop making spurs, a talent he learned from watching his grandfather, the late Don Meeske who was a renowned spur and bit maker, as a young boy. “My grandmother had all his tools and let me have quite a few to work with. I have taught myself everything I know by trying to copy some of my Grandpa’s spurs. I have made and sold six pair so far,” said Daniel. “I guess I get my rodeo talent from my dad and my artistic talent from my mom, Tammy, who is a professional artist specializing in watercolor.”
Meeske, a junior at Pine Creek High School also takes welding courses at Pikes Peak Community College. After High School he plans to work as a welder/fabricator, make spurs and continue to rodeo at local jackpots and armature rodeos.
