Wyatt Barratt
By Ruth Nicolaus
The 17-year-old cowboy, a member of the Utah High School Rodeo Association, takes three hours of MATC diesel mechanic classes every morning, attends West Lake High School, then spends three hours after school working as an auto mechanic.
In addition, he’s competing in the trap shooting, tie-down roping, and team roping in high school rodeo.
He lives in Cedar Fort, Utah, and his favorite classes as a senior in high school are ag business communications and ag mechanics. The class just finished building a flatbed trailer for a customer, with the profits going towards the ag program.
In his spare time, he’s rebuilt the motor in his truck, a 1997 Dodge 3500 Cummins Turbo diesel.
For the team roping, he heads for MClane Taylor, and rides a 13-year-old bay roan mare named Joe. He has two horses for the tie-down, a twenty year old gruella named Shotgun, and a 12-year-old buckskin named Pig. He’s owned Shotgun the longest, and she’s good. “She’s a good old calf roping horse,” he said. “She’s the main horse I use.”
After high school, Wyatt will either go on a mission trip or work on a diesel mechanics degree. Eventually, he’d like to own his own shop. He loves diesel mechanics. “I like to see how much power and torque we can get out of the machines.” Dodges are his favorite vehicles to work on.
Wyatt has qualified for state finals every year in the trap shooting from seventh grade through last summer, and in seventh and eighth grade, also went in the breakaway and tie-down. Last summer, he went in both roping events. He’s also competed at Silver State.
He has three younger sisters: Kodee, age fourteen, Ashley, age ten, and Lexi, who is four. He is the son of Mark and Melissa Barratt.
Quinn Gillett
By Suzanne Gillett
When it comes to rifles and hunting, Quinn Gillett hits most anything he aims at.
This 18-year-old cowboy is a member of the Utah High School Rodeo Association. He began shooting and riding at very young age, and has participated in rifle and trap shooting and competes in team roping and tie down roping.
He lives in Oakley, Utah where he is a senior at South Summit High School. He admits that school isn’t too bad, but he would much rather be in the mountains riding his horse or hunting or fishing. Anything outside is better than being stuck inside.
If he had to choose a favorite class, it would be his agricultural classes. This semester, he is taking two ag classes, animal science and agricultural science. He is a member of FFA and South Summit’s rodeo team. He strives to always be on the honor roll.
In his spare time, Quinn loves to hunt, especially elk, because it involves being in the mountains, tracking and being sneaky. He has shot three elk, and his favorite part of the meat is the steaks. He also enjoys fishing, usually for trout. He likes to catch and release, but every now and then he will have a good fish fry.
Quinn has qualified for state every year that he has competed in high school rodeo in every event that he has competed in. He has also participated in rifle shooting at National High School Finals and in Silver State in shooting and team roping.
He would like to serve a mission, continue with his college education and compete in college rodeo after he graduates.
He has a younger sister, Maddie who is a freshman and is rodeoing and shooting as well. He said sometimes she listens to advice from me, but “sometimes it goes in one ear and out the other,” he joked.
Quinn is the son of Charles and Suzanne Gillett.
Brayden Rinderknecht
By Ruth Nicolaus
Brayden Rinderknecht is a roper in the Utah High School Rodeo Association.
The 17-year-old cowboy lives in Howell, Utah, just northwest of Tremonton, and between his two events of tie-down and team roping, considers tie-down his strength.
For the tie-down, he rides a twelve year old sorrel named Lucas. The horse was purchased as a yearling, and Brayden has headed off of him as well. He’s a “pretty sweet dude,” Brayden says. It took about two weeks to get the horse trained to head. “He’s really smart, and he has a really good personality.”
For the heading, he rides a 14-year-old gray named Snowflake, purchased from Brayden’s grandpa ten years ago.
Brayden is a senior at Bear River High School, where the best part of school is the friends he’s made. He spends the last two hours of each school day doing his internship with National Finals Rodeo steer wrestler and leather worker Baylor Roche. Brayden enjoys it a lot, and helps with making belts, headstalls, and chaps.
Brayden is a member of FFA and loves to hunt and fish.
After high school, he will take a two year mission trip then hopes to attend helicopter flight school.
He has competed at state finals in 2014 and 2015 in both events, and competed at Silver State in 2015.
He has a younger brother, Coleden, who is his heeler, and an older sister, Sarie. He is the son of Thad and Mati Rinderknecht.
