story by Riata Cummings
Cole and Kade Dubois are 14-year-old twins from Lehi, Utah. They just finished their eighth-grade year at Willow Creek Middle School, where they both enjoyed their exploring technology class which gave them the opportunity to explore some of the fun and interesting aspects of computer science. They have two older sisters, Emmalee and Amanda, and their parents are Justin and Ann Dubois. Together they enjoy traveling the state for high school and junior high school rodeos, as well as playing football.
Kade and Cole started rodeoing when they were 4 or 5-years-old, following in the footsteps of their parents, who rodeoed when they were in high school. Kade is a breakaway roper and Cole enjoys tiedown roping. They also team rope together, Cole turning the steers and Kade picking up the heels. The boys practice whenever they can, usually alternating between team roping and roping calves.
Kade uses a sorrel horse named ‘Lil’ Man for the breakaway roping, and he heels on Buck, a smooth and consistent buckskin. Kade has qualified for the state finals every year of his Jr High career, and this year he is headed to state in the top 4 for breakaway roping. He set a goal to win the average in the team roping and to qualify for nationals in the breakaway roping. Cole uses a horse named Rocky, who they acquired early this year, to head for his brother, and his calf horse is Rocket, who stops hard and can be trusted to do his job. Cole has qualified for the National Little Britches Rodeo 3 different times, as well as qualifying for the Jr High state finals every year he has competed. This year he is in the top 4 of the tiedown roping standings, and set a goal to catch all his calves, take the average in the team roping, and make it to nationals.
Rodeo has taught Kade that, “Life is tough. You are always going to have rough moments, but you’ve got to keep going.” Cole similarly remarked that, “Nothing is very easy. If you mess up you have to try again and again until you do it right.” Kade’s hero is Larry Fitzgerald, the wide receiver for the Arizona Cardinals’ football team. Kade looks up to him for his talent on the field and his dedication to helping the less fortunate. Cole’s hero is their father, Justin, whom he looks up to for being a hard worker, dedicated to his family. His dad taught him how to rope, and he is grateful for his father’s example.
Kade lives by the saying, “If you get bucked off, you get right back on.” The quote reminds him that, “You can’t just give up when things get challenging, you have to keep doing it until it works out.” His greatest strength is his ability to drive for the things he wants. Rodeo pushed him to develop that strength because bad runs are discouraging but, “you can never give up. I’ve learned that things will go better if you try harder.” Cole’s experience with rodeo has helped him develop his determination to succeed. After his first two seasons didn’t go as well as he had hoped, he came back with tenacity and a goal. He lives by the Star Wars quote, “Do or do not—there is no try.” The saying reminds him that, “If you are going to do something, you give it your all or not at all. There really should be no in-between.”
Kade and Cole would like to thank their parents and family for giving them the opportunity to rodeo and the support to go after their goals.
