story by Lindsay Whelchel
For Wade Womack, 23, rodeo is not just about the good time and the challenge, even though he likes a challenge, and to him, riding bulls is certainly a good time and adrenaline rush. Rodeo is about helping to live his faith and spend quality time with his 4-year-old daughter Karsyn.
“I think it’s got a lot to offer,” he says of the sport and adds, “Number one, keep God first, and you can do anything you want. I think it’s a way to spread the word to people out at rodeos, and it’s a good time. It brings you close to friends and family.”
That familial aspect is especially important when Wade talks about his rodeo career and Karsyn.
“I have a daughter, and that’s my priority. So I stick with the local stuff and take her with me as much as I can.”
Karsyn must make a good cheerleader for her dad, because the Louisiana cowboy is leading the standings in the bull riding for the Tri-State Rodeo Association.
The idea of competing as a bull rider in rodeo versus another type of sport is appealing to Wade.
“You’re not really trying to beat someone else. It’s competition, but it isn’t against your buddy. You want your buddy to do just as good as you do. You’re just trying to ride your bull.”
Wade started riding bulls around the age of 14. He won some money in the junior bulls division at a rodeo near his home, and there was no looking back for the young cowboy. At first his mom wasn’t excited about her son’s chosen sport because of the danger, but she came around, and Wade credits his parents, mom, Angie and dad, Kelly, for their support.
“I was blessed with great parents. I couldn’t ask for a better set of parents really, and they’ve supported me 100 percent of the way, hauling me up and down the road through high school rodeos and helping me out after high school, doing whatever they can to back me on it. They didn’t come from rodeo, but they’ve always supported me.”
And with his parents as an example, it’s no surprise Wade is making sure to devote the same attention to his daughter.
“I spend as much time with my little girl, take her wherever. She loves to rodeo,” he says.
It really must run in the blood.
