story by Lily Weinacht
Mason Gibson from Reading, Kansas, finished his rookie season in the KJHSRA with a qualification to the NJHFR in Huron, South Dakota. The 14-year-old took 4th in the chute dogging and 6th in the ribbon roping with Makayla Matile at state, while he also competed in tie-down roping, and team roping with Josh Meyer. “I was feeling pretty good going into it about my horses and all the events. I practiced a lot, and I did good at the last rodeo before state,” says Mason. He also enjoyed the barn dance, and took shelter with everyone at the county extension office when a tornado came through. “We crashed an engagement party there and took pictures with the bride and groom,” he says with a laugh.
Mason heard about junior high rodeos from his friends and was also drawn by the opportunity to travel more. “My favorite place to travel is probably Guthrie, Oklahoma, at the Lazy E, even though it was cold. I went to the Border Bash, and I’d never been there before. I got third in the chute dogging in the average.” Mason also competes in the KJRA and did the FJRA rodeo series last winter, and chute dogging is his favorite event wherever he goes. “It’s fun, and it’s intense at times,” Mason explains. “I like the fun about rodeo, and not everybody can compete in it, so it’s kind of cool to be one of them. A lot of people who are in the association help me—we’re all kind of like one big family. My mom will run the chute for me and my dad will rope with me, or our neighbors will come and rope with us.” Mason would also love to spend a day in the roping pen with Tuf Cooper. “Because he’s humble about everything, and he’s pretty good at what he does.”
Mason’s dad, Jason Gibson, qualified for the Working Ranch Cowboy Association Finals in 2002 and 2012, and while he roped with the neighbors, Mason was always nearby watching them. By the time he was 5, Mason started competing in junior rodeos, then took up roping when he was 9. An only child, Mason says the only drawback is not having a roping partner around all the time. He travels with his parents to rodeos, and his mom, Mandy Gibson, videos his runs.
In tow are Mason’s two horses, Bucky and Gray. “My calf horse is Bucky, and we got him last summer. We sent him to a trainer named Cole Wilson, and Bucky is great,” says Mason. “My team roping horse is Gray, and I like him because I can do about anything with him. He went to the 2012 WRCA Finals with my dad.” Mason also has roping calves and steers, which he also practices chute dogging on, and a 4-H steer, Heffe, whom he’ll show at the fair in August. He’s showed in 4-H for the last seven years and also enjoys competing in ranch rodeos with his friends. He competed in a team ranch rodeo last year with his cousin Shelby Welsh, and his friends Carter and Coy Miller. They won the team event, and Mason especially enjoys the sorting and doctoring.
He plans to spend his summer break rodeoing and going fishing, and this fall Mason starts his freshman year at Osage City High School. Last year he played football, basketball, baseball, and ran track for his school. His team won track and Mason took third in discus, while his basketball team went undefeated. He’ll also start high school rodeoing this fall, with plans to tie-down rope and team rope, and pick up steer wrestling his sophomore year. “I want to try and make the high school national team when I join, and keep rodeoing when I’m out of school.”
