story by Ruth Nicolaus
If Charity Hoar isn’t riding, she’s sitting in front of a computer screen or embroidery machine.
The Pine Bluffs, Wyo. cowgirl is part of four different ventures with her husband, Stuart. Together, they own Wyoming Blanton Enterprises, Stuart’s horse breeding and training business, Bonanza Production, their event production business, an embroidery, lasering and custom awards business, and a custom furniture company.
And in her spare time, Charity competes in the breakaway roping, barrel racing, and team roping, roping with her husband at Colorado Pro Rodeo Association events.
For the past several years, she’s ridden a mare, Sweet Vickie Blanton, “Vickie”, who was bred, raised and trained by her husband. The fourteen year old is a “unique unicorn,” Charity said. “I can head, heel, and breakaway on her, and my husband can rope on her.”
The horse gives her all, every time, Charity said. “She loves her job. It doesn’t matter if I’m roping calves on her, if Stuart is roping on her, she doesn’t give 100 percent, she gives 110 percent.”
Because of an injury, the mare doesn’t run barrels anymore, but she is good at everything. “She scores really good. She fires, and she has a whale of a stop. It doesn’t matter if the ground is rocky or hard or deep, her stop is always the same, and it’s strong,” Charity said. “If you’re not ahead of her, or in time, she’ll send you to the chiropractor the next day. She’s a lot of fun.”
Charity won the CPRA year-end breakaway title this year, automatically qualifying for the Rope for the Crown event, to be held in Glen Rose, Texas in December. She has qualified for the CPRA finals four or five times, and this year, also won the Wyoming Rodeo Association year-end title in the breakaway as well.
She and Stuart produce a couple dozen events a year, including breakaway roping, calf roping, and barrel racing jackpots. This year, they’ve had three events cancel due to COVID-19, but produced five at their home arena, and have another 23 events to take place this fall and winter. Throughout the colder season, they are hosted in Sterling and Loveland, Colo., and Rawlins and Torrington, Wyo. They often include youth events, like breakaway and tie-down, along with the regular events.
This summer, they purchased an embroidery machine, which Charity taught herself to use. “It was a learning curve,” she said, “but it’s coming together.” They did jackets and awards for several finals and associations, and business has been so good, they’re looking to add two more machines.
She and Stuart are hoping to build an indoor arena at their place in Pine Bluffs. They will be able to host their events at it, and will offer it, free of charge, to non-profits, like benefit jackpots, church and youth events.
One of the best parts of rodeo, in Charity’s opinion, is the family time. When she and Stuart married eight years ago, they promised to rodeo together. “We told each other, if we couldn’t rodeo together, we wouldn’t. And in almost eight years, there’s been only one weekend where we had to split up and go different ways.” The people involved in rodeo become family, she believes. “Just being able to be together,” is important. “You hear the saying that rodeo is a family, and it’s true.”
And for the rare occasions when she and Stuart need a little “alone” time, there’s plenty of room. “Our workshop is large, and we have 160 acres, so we have some space,” she said. But that’s not frequent. “We communicate very well.”
She and Stuart realize from whom their blessings originate. “I don’t believe our business would be flourishing and the rodeos would be where they are, without God’s favor and the simple fact that everything we have is from Him. We wouldn’t be where we are without Him.”
