story by Magie Downares-Nevius
At 16 years old, Luke Potter, is already an old hand when it comes to the tie-down roping. Joining the Central Plains Rodeo Association (CePRA) at the age of 13, Luke has become one to compete with as he is already a three-time finals qualifier and enters his fourth season as a high school sophomore. “The CePRA has great rodeos every weekend. They have good calves, good competition and good added money, which all makes it worth going to,” the Maple City, Kans., resident said.
Growing up in Arkansas City, Kans., Luke inherited his passion for roping from his dad (Grady), who is a former PRCA tie-down roper, team roper and steer roper. “His roping was definitely the foundation for me to go off of, but my parents say that I’ve always been a roper and was still in diapers when I was roping the cat,” Luke said. A 2006 Prairie Circuit champion, Grady is a multiple circuit qualifier, but tore his knee up at the “Daddy of ‘Em All” in Cheyenne and was forced to take some time off from the tie-down roping and is now the primary traveling partner of his oldest son. “My dad has always kept my dream alive. He is with me no matter what and says that he enjoys watching me rope more than competing himself,” Luke said. While his mom (Kristy) did not grow up around rodeo, he says that the encouragement is never ending. “She fits right in, she loves to go and cheer us on,” he said. “She is 100 percent supportive and comes to every rodeo she can. If she is unable to be there, she always finds someone to video my runs and has them sent to her.”
As his younger siblings (Tyler, 11 and twin brothers Royce and Austin, 7) have not taken an interest in rodeo as he did, he says that they still enjoy going and riding horses. “They are all more into sports and the athletic abilities they possess are ridiculous, but who knows, maybe they will look more into rodeo as they get older,” Luke said.
A former basketball player himself, Luke, gave up seven years to focus a lot more on roping. Through dedication to the sport of rodeo, his progression has led him to extending his list of associations to the United Rodeo Association, American Cowboys Rodeo Association, International Professional Rodeo Association, Kansas Professional Rodeo Association and the Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association. “My main goal every year is to win as much as I can wherever I am. The competition is always pretty fierce, but I try to find a way in whichever association I am competing in,” Luke said.
One of eight kids in the 10th grade class at Dexter High School, Luke likes to spend his down time fishing and/or duck hunting. “I’m not often home on the weekends, but when I am, I like to find a good fishing hole and clear my mind,” he said.
