story by Siri Stevens
Britt Buller just turned 16 and competes in team roping as a 5+ heeler. He has been roping since he was four. “My family has always been into it and I was brought into it.” Britt has three sisters – Bracy, Brantli, and Bria. All the Bs at the beginning of their names came from his dad … “When they got married, both their names started with “b” so they carried it on (Brad & Brooke).” Britt is the only one that competes, the rest ride and help with the roping, but they don’t rope.
Britt isn’t driving quite yet – he had to wait a month to get his permit due to breaking his leg in a car accident. He also had to work hard to get his spot back at the Louisiana High School Finals. It was homecoming week and a bunch of friends piled in a car and lost control, went over a barbwire fence and hit a tree. Everyone made it out, and as soon as they got out, the car blew up. Britt broke his tibia bone clear in half and it took seven months to heal. “It was right when high school rodeo started, I made three and then missed half the year.” He still made it back to the finals. “Our last rodeos we did real good at. We went to state sitting fourth, and ended up second.”
He will make the trip to Gillette with his dad and older sister. “I’m pretty excited. I feel like me and my partner have been clicking really good and I feel like we can bring Louisiana over there and leave with something.”
Growing up he played football and baseball, but now he ropes, pens cows, and ride colts. “We have our own lease to deer and duck hunt and we also run hogs with dogs that we train. That’s my second hobby.” The family used to run around 200 head of cattle, and used the dogs to pen the cattle. Now the dogs are bred and raised to run hogs and the six they have are put to work whenever anyone needs help.
Britt will be a sophomore this year and although he never really liked school, he’s good at it. “It’s something I don’t have to work real hard at – I don’t study and I make A’s and Bs.” He’s the oldest in the family, “I’m pretty much the one that gets blamed when anyone gets in trouble.” He hopes to make a name for himself at the NFR, get more cows, and break colts.
Britt lives Kinder, Louis. “It’s like 95 degrees right now. It’s hot and humid, and has lots of mosquitos. I rope every day and go to three or four ropings a weekend. That pays the bills.” He’s riding a little bay, 14 hands, that he raised and trained. “I’ve had a bunch of people hand me blank checks for him, but I won’t sell him. I’ve raised him from a baby.” Trouble got his name honestly. “When he was a colt he was mean, he would run up to you and bite you. When we started breaking him he got some manners.”
Britt has done well in rodeo – he’s won a trailer, 17 saddles, 60 buckles, tied to win a truck, and recently bought a horse “that took a big chunk of it. I bought him to give Trouble a break.”
