story by Lily Weinacht
Adrenaline has motivated Wyatt Noe since day one of his bull riding career. The 17-year-old from Larkspur, Colorado, started riding bulls two years ago, and the risks of the sport keep him close to the chutes wanting more. “I have some sort of talent for it, and knowing all those big bull riders out there can make good money at it (is motivating). As long as I still love it, it’s not like I’m even working; it’s not a job,” says Wyatt, who’s leading the bull riding in the CSHSRA. He qualified for the NHSFR last year — his rookie year of high school rodeo — and plans to represent Colorado again, this time as the state bull riding champion.
Wyatt’s dad, Joe Noe, rode bulls in high school, but Wyatt’s mom, Darby Noe, wasn’t on board with the idea of him competing at first. “I always watched the Lane Frost videos and movie, and it’s something I always wanted to do. I didn’t tell her I was getting on my first steer a while back, but I showed her the video and kind of convinced her, and she said to roll with it.” That same year, Wyatt went to the Jason McClain Bull Riding School in Monte Vista, Colorado, and he’s returned every year since. “They are so honest with you. If you can’t ride, they’ll tell you, and if you can, they tell you ‘Don’t stop.’ Jason’s taught me a lot of ways to protect myself. He’s a huge help, and so are guys like J.B. Mauney. Watching videos and hearing guys like him talk — hopefully I can be like them one day.”
Wyatt and his dad travel together to most of his high school rodeos, and his mom and 9-year-old sister, Taylee, go with them to the closer rodeos. Wyatt also has an older sister, Cassidy, who recently finished a college internship and is a professional barrel and cutting horse trainer. “Dad is always there. I’ve only been to probably a handful of rodeos without him, and I prefer to have him there pulling my rope, and he talks me up. I don’t have to worry about anything when he’s there,” says Wyatt. He practices on a Mighty Bucky, and he and his dad built a chute in their arena so they can buck their practice bulls. “We have a few buddies come out, and my friend Connor Robbins is in high school rodeo and we practice together.”
A senior at Castle View High School, Wyatt particularly likes U.S. history. “You learn so much from the past. We were learning about World War I.” He also used to wrestle and play basketball and football, but decided to focus on rodeo in high school. In the afternoon, Wyatt practices while there’s daylight and takes care of his bulls, several of which his family raised. “I hunt and fish, and I go shooting, and I work for my dad’s cattle company, Bent Horn Cattle Company. We fix fence and move cows, and we have some pastures spread out a little bit, but most of it is just at our ranch.
“Rodeo-wise, my goal this year is to go back to Nationals and try to be state champ for Colorado. I just want to satisfy myself — as long as I do what I can to go as far as I can in rodeo. As long as I stay healthy, going pro is a goal of mine,” Wyatt finishes. “I’d like to thank my sponsors, Bent Horn Cattle, T. Lowell Construction Company, and Douglas County Maintenance and Repair.”
