story by Lily Weinacht
Rick and Trudy Petersen – affectionately dubbed Team Petersen among friends – have been partners in the rodeo arena and arena of life for nine years. They met through Trudy’s brother, a fellow bull rider who travelled with Rick, but after meeting Trudy, Rick started throwing his gear bag into the barrel racer’s truck. The husband and wife from Palisade, Colo., are both longtime members of the CPRA, and Rick, formerly a bull rider, now competes in the steer wrestling. Trudy hazes for him and competes in the barrel racing. “We pretty much do everything together. We go to the gym together, ride together, or go out for movies and dinner in the winter,” says Rick. “But once the season starts,” Trudy adds, “we live rodeo!”
Rick, 40, grew up doing 4-H and riding bulls in the NLBRA, joining the CPRA when he was 18. He rode bulls until 2007. “After I met Trudy, she convinced me I was an idiot for riding bulls,” he recalls with a laugh, “so I started steer wrestling.” He’s qualified for the CPRA finals at least four times in the steer wrestling, Trudy at his side every time. “I really appreciate all the steer wrestlers in the CPRA – they’re a great bunch of guys that try to help you every time,” says Rick. “I’m one of the few steer wrestlers on the Western Slope, so Trudy started hazing for me during practice. I think you’re mentally more confident when you have the same hazer. Trudy’s the best rider I’ve ever met when it comes to chasing a steer down. She pushes me to the limit!”
Trudy, 46, spent her childhood riding backyard horses, but didn’t start riding seriously until her late 20s when she bought a two-year-old colt. “I started going to gymkhanas and I was invited to a barrel race, then it took off from there,” says Trudy. “Cheryl Harper has helped me since my first barrel race, and even today I can call her and she knows how to help.” Trudy’s held her card with the CPRA since 2004, and went on to fill her PRCA card in 2005. “I worked at Century Link for 24 years in small business collections, which was a really stressful job, so riding was my escape,” she says of her motivation. “Two years ago, my office was closed and I lost my job, so with my severance pay, I bought two stud horses that I’m breeding, and a performance gelding.”
With a wide open schedule before her, Trudy started training horses full time, giving riding lessons, and even started offering thermal imaging for horses. She plans to futurity her stud next year when he turns five, and has two prospects – one of them a Shining Spark bred mare – along with barrel racing her clients’ horses. She sold her best horse last summer, and Rick in turn found a new steer wrestling horse after retiring the 24-year-old gelding that carried him to The American qualifier in Bozeman, Mont. “It was pretty special for him to be that age and still running hard,” says Rick. “Dan Cathcart helped me find my new horse, Willis, and I’ve won the last few rodeos I entered on him. We got off to a good start competing in The American, and we didn’t get past the first round, but it was the experience of a lifetime! Trudy has always been savvy about using the money we’ve made on other horses and investing it back,” he adds. “She sold three horses last year and has 11 more, plus we’ll have babies next year from our mares. She’s the heart of our operation.”
When he’s not chasing down the next steer, Rick runs his carpentry business of 20 years, building houses and remodeling. The weekends are set apart for rodeo, however, and any kids that show interest in steer wrestling and barrel racing are always welcomed in the Petersen’s arena. Trudy’s goal is to qualify for the WNFR, ultimately on a horse she’s trained. “I sold my good horse last year and she went to Jane Melby, who qualified for the NFR and was able to sell her for more,” says Trudy. “If you can make a name for yourself, you can really get somewhere!” Rick’s goals are closer to home. “It’s everything to me to be able to rodeo with my wife hazing for me,” he says. “That’s a special time whether you win or lose. Trudy’s going to barrel race until she’s 90, and I’ll steer wrestle as long as I can and soak it all up!”