story by Lily Weinacht
Samuel Boldon’s summer competing in the CPRA in 2015 was one of the turning points in his rodeo career. The 21-year-old roper, originally from Oglala, South Dakota, heard about the association through his college roommate, Kyon Kreutzer. “We were roommates at Northeastern Junior College in Sterling (Colorado), and I went and lived with the Kreutzers in La Veta, Colorado, that summer,” Samuel explains. “Kyon’s parents helped me with my roping. Wade Kreutzer has won the Dodge Circuit Finals twice, and he did a lot of great things for my heeling and tie-down roping.”
Samuel won CPRA Tie-Down Roping Rookie of the Year in 2015, and he’s since gone on to compete in several PRCA rodeos, including Denver this winter. “I’d like to make the Badlands Circuit Finals this year, and I also compete in the SDRA and the NRCA,” says Samuel. “When you compare the old you to the way you are now in rodeo, that keeps you going. I’ve had a lot more success the last couple of summers, and when you’re winning, and you continue to win and get on better horses, it’s pretty addicting!
“I look up to my parents, Wayde and Sam, and my brother, Billy,” Samuel adds. “He bull dogs at pro rodeos and helps me out. My mom ran barrels and college rodeoed, and my dad was a pickup man, and they started hauling me to Little Britches rodeos when I was eight. They always had cattle for my brother and me to rope, and horses to ride. The Wakefield family and Jim Wakefield have had a lot of influence on my rodeoing as well.”
Presently, Samuel is a senior at Chadron State College, majoring in business administration with an option in marketing. “Real estate and insurance are two interests of mine, and last year I took an internship with State Farm Insurance through Susan Wakefield,” he says. “I’m interested in pursuing one of those two after school.” Samuel is also college rodeoing for CSC, and the men’s team is sitting second in the region. The spring rodeo season is just starting, while Samuel placed twice in the team roping and once in the tie-down roping at the fall rodeos. “I won Lamar’s rodeo my junior year, and I think this year there’s a pretty good chance I can make it to Nationals.”
Samuel’s heel horse, Razor, came from Dale Woodard the summer he CPRA rodeoed. “I roped calves and heeled on him that summer, and he helped me win the rookie of the year. He works really well, and I’ve had a lot of success heeling on him at college rodeos. Leo, my good calf horse, is kind of that next-level horse for me. I was trying him out at the rodeo in Valentine, Nebraska, last summer and we won the rodeo. It was a pretty good sign I needed that horse.”
During school breaks, Samuel goes home to help on his family’s ranch. “My dad retired from picking up, so he runs the ranch and my mom owns a clothing boutique. They’re very supportive, and they come to every college rodeo they can.” Samuel plans to amateur rodeo this summer after he graduates, and hopes to return to the CPRA in the future. “They have really good rodeos, and a lot of great guys in the roping. I’ve liked my college rodeos and getting to rope against a lot of new guys – they make you rope better and tougher. I’ll miss them, but it’s always good to look into what the future has.”
