story by Darlene Craven
The family that rodeos together stays together and 15-year old Coy Evans of Yuma, Colorado, has no intention of doing anything but rodeo for the foreseeable future. Being with family, ranching and rodeoing keeps Coy centered and focused on getting it done. He comes by his talent legitimately – his dad, Chris, is a roper as well and coaches Coy in the arena. Mom, Megan, makes sure the Evans family has what it needs to be successful in rodeo.
Success means a growing collection of buckles, saddles, and as Coy puts it, “some good money” that goes into the family pot for entry fees and road expenses. Coy, who competes in tie down and team roping in the Colorado Junior High Rodeo Association, is the oldest of four. His sister Cassidy, a fraternal twin to Cash and the only girl, recently won the 2019 Junior World Finals Pole Bending in Las Vegas, Nevada. (see article in February issue of Rodeo News, page 24)Though timed events are the 4C team’s focus, 13-year old Cash competes in rough stock. Six-year old Cross is not content to sit on the bench either, recently posting an all-around win at the Dodge City Young Guns rodeo in November 2019.
Though the 2019 CJHRA school finals in Craig, Colorado didn’t go so well for Coy, he still qualified for the finals in Huron, South Dakota where he and Cash team roped, and Coy earned an eighth-place buckle in tie down. Going into 2020, Coy holds the first-place ranking in tie down and team roping with partner, Trey Huwa, and rifle shoot in the state. Those less-than-stellar performances motivate Coy to keep driving and keep practicing. “I love to win and hate to lose.” Megan and Chris encourage their kids to shake it off and move on to the next event. Megan explains, “When you are a multiple-event cowboy, you can’t dwell on a bad run because you have to be ready for the next event. We encourage the kids to be prepared for their event, focus and do their best.”
When it comes to focus, Coy would much rather be outside, roping and ranching on the Price Ranch twenty miles south of Yuma where the family lives and works. The Evans have plenty of horses to keep Coy and his siblings occupied, including Coy’s calf-roping horse, Pepsi, a 9-year roan. When Coy got Pepsi three years ago, he needed finishing. Now, as Coy’s go-to mount, “he works good and does what he needs to do in the roping arena.”
To supplement his rodeo winnings and buy ropes, Coy earns money checking and doctoring yearlings. When he isn’t throwing endless loops off a horse or at a dummy, Coy, who is home-schooled along with the twins and Cross, enjoys history and reading. A big operation means there is always something to do and Coy will do anything, including cleaning his room, to keep busy – except for mucking out stalls, a task that will never be his favorite. Ever.
Ranching and schoolwork usually serve to keep Coy out of trouble – except for that one time. His horse spooked out in the pasture and kicked him, rupturing his spleen and ultimately sending him to Children’s Hospital in Aurora, Colorado, where he spent four days. Not being able to ride while he recovered made Coy one grumpy cowboy and he learned a valuable lesson that day, “Try not to get kicked by a horse.” Megan remembers the incident as being scary but not life and death. “It was a long four months. Every day, Coy would try to convince us to let him ride.”
Coy is starting to think about college rodeo and studying animal science. Roping with first-time NFR-qualifier Tate Kirchenschlager, who grew up in Yuma, Coy got valuable advice on how to get along at rodeos. Getting to see his neighbor and friend rope at the NFR in 2019 “was really fun.” If the opportunity arises, Coy also would like to meet Tyson Durfey and talk to him about what it takes to be as good as he is. Coy thanks his Lord and Savior first and foremost, his family, grandparents, Richard and Maralene Longfellow, Donna Evans and Roger and Diane Hickert for their support. In the meantime, Coy will keep working to be as good as can get at ranching, rodeoing and roping.
