story by Lily Weinacht
Cheylin Corman from Bethune, Colorado, is starting her freshman year at Texas Tech University in Lubbock with several scholarships under her belt, including a rodeo scholarship from the school, and the Ron Fritzlan Memorial Scholarship from the CPRA. The 18 year old was one of two recipients of the scholarship, given in honor of CPRA steer wrestling competitor and director, Ron Fritzlan. “I’m going to college rodeo, and study Ag. Business,” says Cheylin. “My dad and grandpa own two feedlots in Burlington and one in Hereford, Texas, and an Ag. Business degree will allow me to help with the family business.”
She was introduced to the rodeo lifestyle by her parents, Greg and Juhree Corman, booking every weekend with rodeos, from the CJRA and CSHSRA, to the CPRA, which Cheylin has held her card with the last four years. She qualified for the NJHFR in eighth grade, team roping with Cade Van Soelen and ribbon roping with Jhett Trenary, while entering the IFYR in Shawnee, Oklahoma, and Best of the Best in Gallup, New Mexico, during high school. She’s also been a member of the Bloomer Trailers rodeo team the last two years, and won the breakaway roping average in the CSHSRA this year.
Cheylin competes in barrel racing, breakaway roping, team roping, and ribbon roping, but breakaway is her favorite. She headed for her brother and dad in the CJRA, and heeled for Alex Odle in the CSHSRA and CJRA. “I have more of a background in roping, and my parents and the entire Yates family have helped me with my roping,” Cheylin explains. “The Yates family inspires me, and they are willing to help me in an instant.”
Cheylin trained her barrel horse, Gucci, a mare she started on barrels two years ago. “We’re starting to pull more checks at the rodeos,” she says. “I share calf horses with my brothers, Stetson (23) and Braxton (15). I mainly ride Rolex. It’s very rare that we’re not out there practicing every day when we get home from work. It’s pretty much the entire family. My dad runs the chutes for us, and my mom comes out sometimes, but she mainly hauls us to rodeos.” Stetson, who graduated from Texas Tech this spring, also competes in the CPRA, and he and Cheylin haul together on occasion. “If he’s doin`g his own thing, then my parents haul me – I don’t usually go alone,” says Cheylin. “We have dogs and all kinds of roping stock, and our little Yorkie, Dally, is the princess around here. She never gets left home.”
Cheylin graduated with approximately 50 other seniors from Burlington High School, where she played basketball and was selected to play as an all-state team member for Colorado Coaches of Girls Sports, and the Colorado High School Coaches Association. “I like it out here because it’s small and you know everyone,” she describes. When she wasn’t rodeoing this summer, Cheylin worked on her family’s feedlot and ranch before heading to Texas Tech at the end of August. “My oldest brother and both my parents went there, and my grandma works there as a secretary in the Ag. Communication department, so it’s definitely in the blood! One of my main goals is to come back and compete in the CPRA, and make it to the CNFR in breakaway and barrels. Achieving these goals would be rewarding because I trained my barrel horse. ”
