story by Lillian Landreth
Dawson Kautzman of Capitol, Montana, competes in four of the five timed events in the SDHSRA. The 16 year old particularly enjoys tie-down roping, but also works hard at steer wrestling, team roping as either header or heeler, and reined cow horse. He’s been to Nationals every year since eighth grade, and qualified in steer wrestling, tie-down roping, and reined cow horse. In 2021, he finished 30th in the nation in the tie-down roping, and 23rd in the steer wrestling. “I love the amount of athletic skill in the event (tie-down) and the adrenaline rush I get,” says Dawson, who also competes in the SDRA and NRCA.
He started entering youth rodeos when he was five or six, following after his two older sisters, Coven (20), and Logan (18). Their parents, Ted and Reann Kautzman, both grew up ranching, but the siblings are the first of their family to rodeo. Dawson helps his family manage their 500 cow/calf pairs, from moving cows to fixing fence. He also fits in as much rodeo practice as the weather allows. His will to win fuels his motivation to work hard. “I don’t like to lose,” he explains. “If I lose, I just try to learn from it and move on. I get back to a practice pen and focus on what I want to do, and when I go to a rodeo, I try not to beat myself, and win. It’s definitely a mind game.”
In both the mental and physical preparation for rodeo, Dawson looks up to several cowboys. “Brice Ingo from Pueblo, Colorado, has really helped me and showed me everything I need to know. Jason Schaffer helped me get over the hump the last few years and brought me to another level. Steve Bond taught me everything I know about reined cow horse,” he says. “Where I live, steer wrestling is really big—if you’re from around here, you steer wrestle. I started steer wrestling when I was really little. Colt Floyd and Matt Gilbert have seen it all and helped me a lot.”
Dawson travels to many of his rodeos with his parents, and up to four horses in tow. He rides Boone in both tie-down roping and reined cow horse. “He’s really good at short setups, like Nationals and State,” says Dawson. “My steer wrestling horse is Nike. I just bought him last year. It took a few months, but we started clicking right when we needed to. My head horse is Chief. I’ve ridden him since I was 12, and I know him like the back of my hand. I heel on a horse named Scooby, and he’s only 6 but he can really run, and really stop.”
While he lives in Montana, Dawson attends school in Buffalo, South Dakota, where he is a junior. He says he isn’t a fan of bookwork, but enjoys the ways his weightlifting class helps him in rodeo. Dawson also plays football as the team’s linebacker and running back, and plays basketball. If he has free time in the fall and winter, he can be found in the great outdoors hunting deer or elk.
“I really want to win a state title in calf roping, and the all-around title,” Dawson finishes. “I want to college rodeo in the South—down there, they rope every day and have all the competitions. Then I want to pro rodeo after that.”