story by Ruth Nicolaus
Monte Bailey is not only a rodeo cowboy, he’s a ranch cowboy.The Lakeside, Neb. youth, a member of the Nebraska Junior High School Rodeo Association, ranches with his family in the Nebraska Sandhills, in the western part of the state.
He’s a big help around the ranch, checking cows and heifers on horseback on the weekends, fixing fence, feeding and doctoring yearlings, putting out mineral and checking water tanks.
He competes in bareback riding, saddle bronc riding, breakaway roping, goat tying and team roping, heeling for BJ Jamison. Of his events, saddle bronc riding is his favorite, in part because his dad was a saddle bronc rider. For breakaway and goat tying, he rides an eighteen-year-old bay named Hank. For heeling, he rides a twenty-year-old palomino mare named Blondie.
Monte just finished his eighth grade year at Hyannis Public School. The trip to school is 53 miles one way; sometimes he rides with his older sister, but sometimes he has to ride the bus, which is not his favorite, because the bus can get a little loud at times. If he has to ride the bus, he gets on at 6:30 am and doesn’t get home till 5 pm. In school, he is involved in every sport he can participate in, because then he gets to miss school for ball games and track meets. Next year, he plans on playing high school football and basketball. Monte is also a member of FFA.
His favorite part of the school day is the last period of the day, when it’s time to practice sports. Junior high students involved in sports at Hyannis School do not have practice after school; their practice is held during the last period of the day, so kids are able to ride the bus home.
His favorite food his mom makes is nearly everything she cooks. But steak, fried potatoes with cheese on top, homemade chicken noodle soup and ham and beans are on the top of his list. He likes Coca-Cola and loves frosted angel food cake.
If he were given $1 million, he’d buy a ranch in Montana, stock it with Red Angus cattle, and buy ranch horses.
The best trip Monte has ever taken was to Tennessee for the National Junior High School Finals Rodeo. He qualified in 2016 and 2017, and the family took in a lot of the sights of Nashville: the Grand Ole Opry, where they heard John Conlee, Jeannie Seely, Roy Clark and Shenandoah sing (Monte liked the classic country). They visited the Country Music Hall of Fame, where he enjoyed the seeing the outfits country music singers wore.
In sixth grade, Monte finished the year in third place in the saddle bronc riding. In seventh grade, he finished second in the bareback and fifth in the saddle bronc riding.
His dad appreciates Monte’s giving spirit. “He has a desire to do the right thing, to help us and help others, too. He’s really good hearted, he’s giving, and he’s good help around the ranch.”
Monte has two older sisters: Brandi, who is 21, and Shanna, who is sixteen. He is the son of Ben and Shelly Bailey.
