By Lily Weinacht
Wyatt Bentz has been rodeoing since he was four, and ever since his first rodeo, the 14-year-old cowboy from Washington, Kan., has worked industriously on his events, qualifying for the NJHFR for the second time this year. He won the KJHSRA in both goat tying and breakaway roping, which also secured him the 2015 KJHSRA Reserve All-Around Champion title. Wyatt’s hard work especially paid off when he placed 18th in the goat tying world standings.
Introduced to rodeo through their dad, Wyatt and his older sister, Makinna (16), quickly adopted the sport as their own. Their sister, Joree (seven), also competes in rodeo. “It’s fun,” Wyatt explains, “and you get to hang out with a lot of people that you only see at rodeos!” His junior high events include ribbon roping, team roping as the heeler, goat tying and breakaway roping, while he does chute dogging, steer riding, tie-down roping, and both heading and heeling in the KJRA. “Team roping is my favorite event,” says Wyatt. “I like competing with a partner – I rope with Logan Mullin.” Wyatt has also competed several times in the Rising Stars Calf Roping in both tie-down and breakaway roping.
Frequently practicing in the arena with his parents, Phil and Lainie Bentz, Wyatt also looks up to horse trainer Roy Durfey and roper Colby Houlton. “They rodeo, and they’ve helped me a lot,” Wyatt explains. “I get lessons from them, and they’re pretty nice!” Wyatt and his sisters often practice together, while they also work together on their family’s farm, where they raise beef cattle. Wyatt has also been raising longhorn cattle for the last three years, using them first for tie-down and team roping before breeding the heifers or selling the bulls. Other animals include a dog named Bailey, cats, goats, and of course, horses. “I team rope and goat tie on a horse named Gray – he’s the first horse I ever owned,” says Wyatt. “I’ve rodeoed on him every year since I started competing. My breakaway and ribbon roping horse is Marty. I just got him last year from Colby Houlton, and he’s a pretty good horse.”
The Bentz farm is several miles outside of Washington, and Phil owns and works in his veterinary clinic in town, which Lainie does the bookwork for. This summer, Wyatt went to a basketball camp and played on a summer league team in between rodeos, while also doing 4-H, inlcuding woodworking, rockets, showing his beef cattle, and doing western pleasure, western horsemanship, and the speed events with Gray. A highlight for Wyatt was winning grand champion with his rocket and taking it to the Kansas state fair.
Entering his freshman year at Washington County High School, Wyatt is especially looking forward to playing football and basketball. He continues to maintain his 4.0 GPA, and is on the Frontier Farm Credit academic team. On the verge of another change, Wyatt starts high school rodeo this fall. “I’m nervous for high school rodeo, but I think it will be fun!” He is also looking forward to the start of hunting season, which he does with his dad, hunting turkeys, ducks, and deer. If he had a day to do whatever he chose, however, Wyatt would spend it roping with Trevor Brazile.
Meanwhile, his favorite rodeo in the KJHSRA is held in Dodge City. “I like the big arena, and it’s where they also hold the PRtCA rodeo,” says Wyatt, who is considering becoming a professional roper someday. His short term goals, however, are focused on winning several more state titles. “I’d like to win a state title in high school and make it to the NHSFR. I’m thinking about college rodeo, but I want to focus on becoming a lawyer,” he says. “And finally, thank you to all of the people who have helped me in rodeo!”
