story by Lily Weinacht
Regan Wheatley was on his way home from Rock Springs, Wyoming, and the 2018 NHSFR before he realized he finished fourth in the nation’s all-around rookie cowboy standings. “On the way back home we were talking about how I did, and I thought that was kind of cool to be up there,” says Regan. The 16-year-old from Calhan, Colorado, qualified for the NHSFR in cutting and reined cow horse, and finished 25th in the cutting and 21st in the reined cow horse. “In the first round of cutting I was proud of myself—it’s hard for me to stay focused and I really dialed it in. I was second in the round with a 148, and it was a lot of fun to go out there and be in the top three like that. Next year I’ll get a little more experience and prepare more, and hopefully it will work out a little better.”
He started his rodeo career in the NLBRA as a Little Wrangler, and entered his first cow horse show when he was 10. “You get a lot out of showing—you get to deal with a lot of different people and learn how to sell a horse and ride different horses. I get to ride some really great horses, and that teaches you a lot about how to take coaching from other people and take care of your horse right. I wouldn’t be here without the people who’ve helped me. It really teaches you a lot of good life skills and things you’re going to need to know.”
Regan’s parents, Scot and Bonnie Wheatley, are his greatest supporters, and he also looks up to his grandpa Jack McComber, who helps him in the cutting, and NRCHA trainers like Matt Koch and Jeb Stoltzfus. “Blue Allen is the one who started me in the cow horse. He gave me a great horse, Chics Peppy Pistol, who died of colic several years ago, but he was an amazing horse and really taught me a lot. I’ve been doing the cow horse longer, and I feel experienced in that,” says Regan, who won the senior division of the Youth Cow Horse Championship in Amarillo in November of 2017, held during the World Championship Rodeo. “I was lucky enough to borrow a horse for cutting at Nationals from Gary and Jessica Gonsalves, and he’s an amazing horse who’s helped me a lot with learning how to cut and set everything up.” The 17-year-old gelding, Kit Rock Star, has won more than $82,000 in the NCHA, and the cow horse Regan rode at Nationals—Bug Lights—is owned by his family. “I’ve shown him a long time, so we have each other figured out. I rope on him too when I get the chance and I think that helps him a lot.”
While Regan is also interested in tie-down roping in the CSHSRA, he decided to focus on showing in the National Reined Cow Horse Association’s first ever Youth World’s Greatest Horseman contest this February. When he’s not riding, Regan likes wrestling for Payton High School, while his 11-year-old sister, Sage, is also involved in sports and plays basketball and runs cross country. “I want to make it to Nationals in both of my events again and really hope to be fortunate enough to go win something,” Regan finishes. “I think that would be an amazing opportunity.”
