story by Michele Toberer
Following in footsteps laid before him, there was no doubt that Corey Larsen would follow a rodeo path. The 21-year-old Whitman, Nebraska native grew up in a family where rodeo was an example before him, and a lifestyle his family is proud of. Corey’s father, Marty grew up roping calves and team roping, and still competes at a team roper. The youngest of three boys, Corey spent his early years watching his older brothers, Jesse and Cody, competing in the rodeo arena before stepping in himself. Jesse stuck to the rough stock end as a bareback and saddlebronc rider, and Cody was a calf and team roper. “My mom, Anna, never competed in rodeo, but has been really supportive of us all. Both my brothers and my dad still team rope and we go to a lot of USTRC and World Series ropings.”
Corey spent his high school years at Arthur County High School, competing on the basketball and football teams as well as competing as a member of the Nebraska High School Rodeo Association. After graduating, he went on to be a member of the Kansas State University rodeo team, where he is in his second year of competing in the Central Plains region as a team roper, calf roper, and steer wrestler. “I have mainly always heeled, but this year I’m heading for a good friend of mine, Blake Toliver, from Missouri.” He is spending his time there at KSU studying agriculture economics, with the hopes of possibly going into banking, or using the knowledge to help him work in his family’s cow/calf cattle operation at their family ranch after he gets his degree. “We generally keep about 800 head of Black Angus cattle on our ranch, which is made up of land from both sides of our family. One piece of the ranch once belonged to my mom’s great-grandpa, and the other piece once belonged to my dad’s great-grandpa.” The operation is a true family business, and both Cody and Jesse work with their parents in the cattle operation.
“I really enjoyed competing in the Kansas Professional Rodeo Association this past season. It’s a great association full of friendly people. I was grateful to haul to most of the rodeos with my traveling partners, Chip and Makenzie Wilson; they really helped me a lot this year.” Corey was excited to earn the 2018 Rookie of the Year title in the timed events after his first season with the KPRA. “I wasn’t able to qualify for finals in team roping or calf roping but was glad to have earned enough in those events to win the rookie title.” Corey rides a 12-year-old, bay calf horse he bought from his brother Jesse, “Jesse trained Dish to ride, and Cody and I trained him to be a calf horse. For team roping I’ve been riding a little bay horse named Hollywood, as well as a horse that belongs to my dad.”
As a college student and rodeo competitor his schedule is quite full, but when he has free time Corey likes to play basketball and other sports, or ride colts. His family often buys young horses to train and he enjoys the process of starting young horses. He’s grateful to have had family to teach him about rodeo and training horses; and to many friends that have helped him along the way. “Ray Brown has helped me quite a bit with calf roping, and I’ve watched Riley and Troy Pruitt a bunch. Cole Wilson lives by KSU and he helps me a lot too, I appreciate the support they’ve all given me.”
Corey looks forward to a second season of competing in the KPRA, “Many of the rodeos are co-sanctioned, which makes it nice for me. I’ll definitely be buying my KPRA card again next season.”
