story by Lily Weinacht
A wall in the Hebert family’s house in Welsh, Louisiana, is dedicated to their rodeo accomplishments, and following the 2017 season, Coy Hebert had three NLBRA world champion saddles and multiple buckles to add to the collection. Coy, then 14, finished his first season in the NLBRA with the Junior Boy Resistol Rookie of the Year and finals all-around titles to his name, along with world champion titles in the junior boy saddle steer, bareback steer, and all-around. “I just put a lot of effort into practicing and making sure I was riding right,” says Coy. “I didn’t get bucked off, and it was really fun. I wasn’t expecting to win the all-around, and the bareback steer and saddle steer I knew I was higher in the standings, but I still didn’t think I was going to win. All my friends and family do Little Britches, so I can go and hang out and have fun, and it’s another rodeo I get to go to.” His advice to the newest members of Little Britches? “Just keep your head up and be confident in yourself.”
With the 2018 NLBFR just around the corner, Coy, now 15, is tied for first place with eight other saddle bronc riders in the senior boy division. He’s also riding high after winning state finals in the LHSRA in the saddle bronc riding as a freshman this spring. Following the NLBFR, he and his dad, Randy Hebert, will head to Rock Springs, Wyoming, for the NHSFR. Although this is Coy’s first year on broncs after riding steers for several years, he’s ridden nearly all of his broncs to the buzzer. “They weren’t the prettiest rides, but another one to add to the list of covered rides. Getting on broncs was a little challenging at first. It was way different, but also the same on riding. Steers buck square, and usually horses buck straight and stretch out.”
Coy’s dad, who also serves on the NLBRA Board of Directors, rode bareback horses, as did Coy’s grandpa, Kyreon Rood. “My dad helps me with broncs,” says Coy, who also roped for several years and still enjoys roping at home occasionally. “I rode saddle steers and bareback steers, but I had a bigger passion for the bronc riding.” Coy also looks up to Joey Sonnier, a professional saddle bronc rider and good friend of their family, as well as Bradley Harter, another professional saddle bronc rider. “I went to a saddle bronc riding school of theirs in California this year, and they both taught me a lot. I figured out I was riding in too small of a saddle, and they taught me to really get back and set my feet.”
Other than roping with friends or family once in a while, Coy prefers his horses rank. His mom, Kelly Hebert, is a barrel racer and has raised race horses for many years, though not as many this year since the family plans to move northwest to either DeRidder or Dequincy, Louisiana. They have 50 head of horses Kelly trains and exercises, and Coy is in charge of cleaning stalls and feeding. He also gets on his spur board daily to practice, and rides some of Dickie McBride and Justin Browning’s broncs in DeRidder, or the broncs at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, where his dad used to coach the rodeo team. “I just like being around friends and family and being able to spend time with everybody and make new friends.” Coy’s older sister, Ranna, used to run barrels and poles and rope, and their younger brother, Kase, goes with Coy to watch him compete.
“I want to finish up high school and go to college, and maybe college rodeo,” Coy finishes. “And I want to win the High School (National) Finals and the Little Britches Finals.”
