story by Ruth Nicolaus
Kyle Belew is the reigning Kansas Pro Rodeo Association tie-down roping champion.
The La Junta, Colo. man has competed in the KPRA for the past seven years, beginning his rodeo career in the National Little Britches Rodeo Association, then moving on to high school rodeo, and the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association.
He graduated from Colorado State University-Pueblo in 2009 with an engineering degree. He works for DeBourgh Manufacturing Company as a project engineer and director of business development. The company makes school, military, government and first responder lockers.
On the side, he and his wife Dara train their own horses. They always have several roping horses on the place, including Kyle’s primary horse Optimus, and his backup horse, Buzz. Optimus was trained by Mitch Fetchner and Cade Leeper. He and Dara take great pride in the horses they have trained and started.
Dara, also a KPRA member and a breakaway and team roper, travels with her husband. In addition to the KPRA, they belong to the Nebraska State Rodeo Association, the Colorado Pro Rodeo Association, the New Mexico Rodeo Association, and the PRCA. Of all their associations, they compete at KPRA rodeos the most.
In his spare time, he likes to work on little projects and fish. He often fishes in the mountains. “I’m happy sitting on the lakeshore,” he said.
Kyle has been a KPRA member for the past seven years and has made the finals each of those years.
