story by Siri Stevens
Chance Little won the All Around for the Louisiana Junior High Finals and earned his first trip to the National Junior High Finals in the tie down roping, ribbon roping, and goat tying. The family made the 12 hour trip to Lebanon, Tenn., where Chance came back second high call in the short round of the tie down roping and ended up fourth. “I’m pretty proud of myself for that,” he said. “I’m going to work harder and keep pushing and try to win it next year.” Chance practices once or twice a day, early in the morning and late at night.
The family lives in Texas, 15 minutes from the Louisiana border, and decided to rodeo in Louisiana this year. “We loved it – we can enter the slack Friday night or the perf on Saturday, and then we can go rope somewhere Saturday and Sunday,” explained mom, Cara, who rodeoed through high school until she was diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma. “I had chemo and radiation and was told I would never have kids, so when we found out we were going to have Chance, we knew that God had a bigger plan.” Cara and Lance have another daughter, Chloe, who competes in the National Little Britches. Lance was a team roper and works as an equine therapist – he works on colic, behavioral, stifles, ulcers, and a number of things.
Chance is home schooled and will be an eighth grader. His favorite subject is Math, and his least favorite is English. He and his sister do their schoolwork in their rooms with a TV and DVD, using an online Christian-based program called Abeka. His family lives in Orange, Texas, and Chance likes rodeoing in Louisiana. “The people are great – they feed everybody and say hi. I just fit in like a big old family in Louisiana.”
Chance learned how to rope when he was six and attributes his success to God given ability. “A lot of hard work and effort,” he adds. “I also have very good parents that have stuck with me through it.” He was determined from an early age to go pro. “I told my mom one day when we were roping in the back yard that I was going to win the world in the tie down roping and I’m not going to quit until I get it.”
Chance picked up the guitar three years ago and now plays in the church youth band. “My favorite song is God’s Not Dead by the Newsboys. I’ve got an amp and all that fun stuff at the house and I sing – I’m not that good but I try.” When he grows up, he wants to take his guitar to rodeos and have a little church service.
He is sponsored by American Hat, Iconoclast, National Roper Supply, Speed Valve and Specialty, Lone Star Equine Therapy, Outlaw Equine, E4 Ropes, Intelligent BioEntergetics, Roo Ropes, and his biggest sponsor is Jesus. His favorite verse right now is Isaiah 40:31 (NIV) But those who hope in the LORD will renew their strength. They will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary, they will walk and not be faint.
