story by Lily Weinacht
Team Charlie – Charlie Gibson and his parents, Casey and Jerilyn Tyree – set out nearly every weekend with horses in tow and ropes at the ready. Charlie Gibson, a 17-year-old tie-down and team roper from Midland, Texas, won the AJRA Tie-Down Roping Champion title in 2015. He has also been chosen to attend several invitational rodeos and clinics, and he seeks to succeed not only in the standings, but also in his positive influence on others. “So many of the parents at the AJRA rodeos tell me that watching Charlie help people is their favorite part of the rodeo,” says Jerilyn, his mom and the videographer of Team Charlie. “He helps anybody who needs a partner in the double mugging, and he’s always there to help out anyone who needs it.”
Charlie competed in his first rodeo when he was five, coached in his events by his dad, Casey, who is a retired tie-down and team roper, and the driver of Team Charlie. The father and son meet in the arena every day to practice, no matter the weather, and Charlie occasionally practices with his AJRA and high school team roping partner, Walker Harris. “Watching all the pros on TV doing their best inspires me,” says Charlie. “I look up to Trevor Brazile – I got to meet him at Roy Cooper’s roping school in 2013 – and I want to be just like him. I hate losing, with a passion,” he adds. “If I do lose, I come back a million times harder and work at it day and night to fix things.”
With more flexibility to practice since he started homeschooling in January, Charlie rides and works with his parents during the day, doing his schoolwork with Christian Academy of America in the evenings. A sophomore, he particularly enjoys biology, though rodeo is never far from his thoughts. In addition to the AJRA, he competes in the THSRA, UPRA, WTRA, and Ultimate Calf Roping. During the 2015 THSRA state finals, Charlie was the only freshman to qualify for the short-go. His accomplishments for 2016 started with winning the ribbon roping during the first AJRA rodeo of the season in Llano, Texas. He and ribbon runner Saige Sealy completed two runs in nine seconds flat.
The other half of Charlie’s team are his horses, Tuf, Lightning, and Frankie. “Tuf is my backup calf horse, and Lightning is my best horse. He was raised by my grandparents,” Charlie explains. “I also head off my dad’s team roping horse, Frankie.” Charlie’s family has more horses, which they rotate out from their home in Midland to Charlie’s grandparents’ ranch in New Mexico. Charlie also has two dogs – Jo and Sissy – several cats, and roping calves and steers.
If he’s not on horseback, Charlie is most likely behind a jackhammer, a post hole digger, or a welding machine. He and his parents build fences and barns on properties around Texas, hauling their welder with them on a trailer. Charlie is learning to weld from his dad, and plans to enter the welding program at a college in several years. During the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo in January, Charlie was invited to compete in Super Tuesday, where he tied the fastest calf of the night with an 8.6, placing third and earning scholarship money for college.
“My goal is to finish high school and go on to college rodeo, and someday, rope at the NFR,” says Charlie. “I am most thankful for my parents – especially my dad. I wouldn’t be the person I am today if not for them. I’m also thankful for my sister Brittany, my little nephew, and my grandparents, as well as the people who help with chores when we’re out of town. And finally, I want to thank my sponsors – H-Four Compression Specialties, DLH Oil and Fuel, Perfect Calf, and Ranchfolks.com.”
