story by Siri Stevens
Fourteen-year-old Brady Hernandez has been roping and riding horses for two years. “I was introduced to roping from one of my friends named Zeb Corkern and I finally got into it a lot and enjoyed it and I ended up joining the Louisiana Junior High Rodeo Association.” He made it to the state finals both years, and is hoping to make it to the National Finals this year. Brady practices every day when it’s not raining.
“I was really deep into sports; playing football and baseball, before I started roping,” said the cowboy from Zachary, Louis. He has given both up for roping. “It was hard to give it up, but I really knew I wanted to rodeo. I kind of miss baseball and I could do both, but I’d rather be good at one than average at both of them. I decided to pick one and really grow in it.” The hardest thing for him was learning how to rope and ride at the same time. He started off taking riding lessons, and added roping. “I gradually began getting better at riding, and then I picked up a rope. It was tricky at first, but I stuck to it and tried every day and got it. I roped the dummy a lot. When I caught my first one it was an accomplishment.”
His dad, Todd, started roping when he got out of college, but when Brady was born he stopped roping. He ropes a few in the practice pen with Brady, but mainly he hauls Brady around. Brady keeps his horses at his grandparents’ house, ten minutes away, and then hauls another five minutes to his friend’s house to practice. He is the only one in the family that rodeos. His mom, Shannon, is a stay-at-home mom and his dad is a judge. Brady has two brothers, Ben (23), and Brant (22), and one sister, Grace (15). “I’m the caboose. I kind of like it because I’m the favorite one in the family and the spoiled one.”
When he’s not heading or tie down roping, he likes to play golf with his brothers or hang out with friends and family. He rides four wheelers and golf carts and spends time hunting deer, coons, and squirrels. This is his last year in junior high, he will be a freshman at Zachary High School next year and is looking forward to it. “I will get a good education and meet new people. I want to go to McNeese and rodeo.” His favorite subject in school is social studies. “It’s interesting, I really enjoy all the facts and news about the people.”
Brady ribbon roped and breakaway roped in junior high and he will go to tie down in high school, but likes team roping the best. “I feel like team roping gets real tough and is fast and it’s fun to compete as a team instead of one.” The Junior High Finals are in two weeks, and Brady is in the practice pen every day and roping the dummy. “We put up panels so it would be the same size as the arena that the finals are in.” He rides Lotto, a horse that he found from a friend’s dad. He has had Lotto for a year and a half. He is 20 years old. He has another horse, Cash, that he uses as a practice horse and uses him at local jackpots.
Brady will spend his summer going to the beach, spending time with his family, and just enjoy. The beach is 7 hours away, but he will get there three or four times this summer. He can’t wait to drive so he doesn’t have to ask his dad for rides. He is going to get a truck.
