story by Lily Weinacht
The baseball diamond paid Barrett Littell’s way through college, but his passion lies in the rodeo arena, where he’s been roping since childhood. The 36 year old from the team roping capital of the world in Wickenburg, Arizona, divided his time between The Grand Canyon State and Nebraska as a kid. “No one wants to live here in the summer,” Barrett jokes, “so I went to school here in Arizona and spent the summers in Nebraska. My dad is a vet, and he steer wrestled in the PRCA for close to twenty years and was a PRCA judge. He also team roped a lot and it’s something we always did as a family.”
Barrett learned to work and train roping horses and showed in multiple classes in 4-H. But he pursued baseball as a college athlete rather than rodeo, playing for both Yavapai College in Prescott, Arizona, and Texas A&M University Corpus Christi. “Baseball paid for school. I would much rather have rodeoed since it was a lifelong goal to pursue this side of it, but I was able to secure a good job and now I can pursue it!” He returned to the arena ten years ago and joined the GCPRA around 2011. “Some friends of mine competed in the association, and at the time I was primarily a jackpot team roper, but I felt like my roping had progressed and I wanted to compete at a different level.” He’s currently second in the incentive team roping heeler standings, and hasn’t missed a GCPRA finals yet. “The Grand Canyon finals are my favorite. We work to get there, and they put on such a great finals. I’ve been there in the heading, heeling, open, and incentive.”
Also serving as the GCPRA’s incentive team roping director, Barrett primarily heels for Nate Singletary, while also competing in the WSTR and USTRC. “The biggest drive for me is being able to compete and always trying to improve. I’m a competitive person, so rodeo fills that need. My best friends are in this sport and lifestyle, and those are the people I enjoy hanging around and want to raise my kids around.”
Barrett and his wife, Tara, have two children, Brook (five) and Eli (one). The husband and wife went to high school together, and Tara is a physical therapist. “Brook rides her pony, Nutmeg, and is very interested in rodeo, so she goes with me as much as she can. A lot of our spare time is spent with the kids and exposing them to different sports and activities. We enjoy swimming and spending time with family, but most of our time is spent practicing or going to rodeos. I rope at Nate Singletary’s three or four times a week.” Barrett, also a header, rides an 11-year-old gelding, Slider. “He’s pretty green and this is my first year competing on him, but he’s come a long way. I also have a six-year-old heel horse, Humpy, and I don’t care for the name, but I’m superstitious and won’t change it,” Barrett explains with a laugh. “One thing I’m very proud of is that I’ve made the horses I compete on, and I enjoy the training side of it and bringing them along.”
Working as the captain paramedic for the fire department in north Phoenix gives Barrett flexibility for rodeoing, on duty for 48 hours and off for four days. “In Arizona, our fire department provides fire protection and service, but also medical services, so everyone is EMT certified. As the captain, I’m in charge of the truck and crew.”
The GCPRA finals approaching, Barrett’s goal is to hold his place in the standings. “I’d also like to improve and compete at the PRCA level and enter some of the larger ropings,” he finishes. He’s achieving his goals with the help of his sponsors, including RopesForLess.com, Tres Rios Silver, and Creations in Thread and Double D Western World in Wickenburg, Arizona.
