story by Lily Weinacht
Dustin Brown roping with his brother, Bo Brown, and their father, Dale Brown, is judging
– Five O’Clock Images
Growing up in a family that ran a rodeo company, Dustin Brown was destined to compete in the sport. He and his brother, Bo, helped their parents, Dale and Theresa Brown, run Brown Rodeo Company from their home in Jacksonville, Ala., putting on 20 rodeos a year with both the ACA and PCA. Dustin grew up roping with his dad, and was the student president for the AHSRA his junior and senior years of high school. Now 32, Dustin competes in the SPRA in team roping as a header or heeler. He also used to compete in tie-down roping. “There’s a special moment for me at each rodeo,” the SPRA team roping director describes. “The stands are full of people and the announcer says a prayer and we sing the national anthem. The crowd goes wild, and that’s about as American as you can get. My wife and kids are involved, and it keeps the family together. The thrill of competing keeps you young, too,” he adds.
While Brown Rodeo Company was retired in 2000, Dan and his family now run Brown Livestock. They raise 200 head of Corriente cross cattle. “Our timed event cattle go primarily to SPRA rodeos and a few PCA rodeos. We also bring sheep, goats, and roping cattle to the West Georgia Junior Rodeo Association,” says Dustin. “My kids compete at their rodeos, which they hold once a month.” Dustin’s dad, Dale, is a rodeo judge, his brother, Bo, is a pickup man, Bo’s fiancé, Casey Cole, is a timer and secretary, and Dustin’s wife, Whitney, is wrangling kids, making it a true family business.
Dustin and Whitney recently bought property near Jacksonville and are in the process of starting their farm. Dustin and Whitney were both married previously and have a yours, mine, and ours family, with their daughter, Millie (2), Dustin’s daughter, Bailey (8), and Whitney’s two sons, Brody (7), and Jake (5). “Our oldest two kids are competing in junior rodeos, and Jake is riding horses with us, but he hasn’t shown interest yet in competing,” Dustin explains.
During the week, Whitney is a physical therapy director at a hospital in Jacksonville, and Dustin works for Goodyear Tire Company, building tires at their plant in Gaston, Ala.. He does shift work, which gives him plenty of time to practice at his dad’s roping pen. His horses include an 11-year-old palomino head horse named Ol’ Yeller, which Dustin and Bo take turns roping off of, and Slim, a 19-year-old gelding that has been in the Brown family for many years. “When Slim was eight and he was ready to haul, he got one of his front feet in the fence and nearly cut it off,” says Dustin of the heel horse. “We doctored him and were told that we could ride him again but he would probably never compete again. After two years he was ready to compete. He walks with a limp, but he’s got a big heart, and he’s a winner.”
Outside of rodeo, Dustin and his dad and brother are avid big game hunters, hunting white tail deer, elk, and mule deer as far away as Illinois and Canada. But Dustin loves rodeoing with his family best, and his goals in the sport include winning a year-end championship with the SPRA, and ultimately, raising his kids up in the sport. He concludes, “I want to thank the good Lord for allowing me to do this for so long, and my wife – without her support and help, what we do just wouldn’t be possible. And thank you to my parents for starting me in this lifestyle. I owe them a lot, and my brother is real special to me, too. He’s my main roping partner and best friend.”
