story by Michele Toberer
Coming from a long-line of rodeo cowboys and cowgirls, Lairen Hall of Salem Arkansas, is happy to have found her place in her family’s rodeo story. Lairen has been immersed in the lifestyle from the beginning growing up in Salem, Arkansas watching several generations of her family competing at rodeos. Lairen rode horses but found outlets for her competitive spirit on the basketball courts and softball fields. She played sports throughout high school, graduating from Salem High School in 2007. Lairen’s only sister, Erica Canant competed as a barrel racer, and Lairen spent many rodeos supporting her sister and videoing her runs. “After high school, I started competing in rodeo myself, I’m a competitive person, and I knew that I’d rather be out in the action than on the sidelines with a video camera.”
The news of Lairen’s interest in competing in rodeo, thrilled her parents, Kimmy and Sonya Hall, and Lairen’s father Kimmy, was glad to find a horse for her and get to work helping Lairen with her new goal of being a breakaway roper. “My dad mainly taught me the whole process, he stayed out in the arena with me and taught me everything I know and is still teaching me more today. He was ecstatic that I wanted to rope, and says he gets more nervous when I compete, than I do.” Although she’s ridden several horses since she began, she’ currently riding a 20-year old bay gelding she calls Ace. “He’s a consistent and easy to ride horse that I’ve won the most money on and my dad also team ropes on; he’s an all-around horse that goes everywhere with us.”
Lairen graduated from Arkansas State University, Mountain Home, and has been a teacher at ICC Elementary School in Violet Hill, Arkansas, for 7 years. She currently is teaching reading to third and fourth graders. If she is not teaching, she is often riding, and nearly every day includes a roping session. Lairen has competed in ACA rodeos for the past 6 years and was excited to win the 2017 ACA Reserve Champion Breakaway Roper title, also winning the average at the ACA 2017 Finals. She has also won two buckles at the Mike Watson Summer Series Rodeo in Ash Flat.
Lairen was just married to Tyler Ochoa in May 2018. Tyler recently retired from bareback riding, and Lairen’s dad already has him in the roping pen, teaching him the ins and outs of roping. The couple spent their honeymoon in Jamaica, and after just a few days they were missing their routine. “There was beach sand there, but not the arena sand we’re used to, once you get used to doing something constantly and you get away from it for a few days, it makes you want to get back to it.” Now that the wedding and honeymoon are behind them, Lairen and Tyler have goals to get back to rodeo, Lairen would like to start going to some bigger rodeos, and possibly step up to a better horse, and Tyler will be preparing to enter the team roping.
Part of what she enjoys most about competing in the ACA is the people that she’s met, and the friends that she’s made. “Everyone is super friendly and lends a helping hand when you need it.” But, what she most loves about competing in the ACA, is that it’s often a family affair. Lairen travels to rodeos with her dad who once competed in calf roping but now competes as a team roper. They are often joined on the arena floor by more of the Hall clan, as her uncles and grandpa, Morris Hall, 83, is still actively competing in team roping as well. Her sister’s horse is recovering from an injury, so she’s often the videographer for the crew, along with Lairen’s loudest cheering section, her nieces, Harper, 3, and Remi, 7. Lairen is generally joined in the box by her Uncle Cavin Hall, reminding her to “get her head right and get out right,” and her dad there motivating her, and in the chute to push her calf. “My family is always there to help me win a paycheck and have fun doing it and helping me grow and get better each year.”
