Coy Shoemaker - JenningsRodeoPhotography.com

Meet the Member Coy Shoemaker

story by Ruth Nicolaus

Coy Shoemaker is nearly done with his high school classes.
The New Raymer, Colorado cowboy, a member of the Colorado High School Rodeo Association, informally “graduated” in December, but is taking more credits this spring semester to stay eligible for high school rodeo.
A contestant in the cutting, cow horse, tie-down and team roping, his strength is in the cutting and cow horse. He’s ranked in the top ten in all his events except for the team roping, where he’s ranked in the top fifteen.
For the roping events, he rides a horse that was given to him by a family friend. Coy started the horse, who is named Toothless after the movie “How to Train your Dragon.” Toothless is one of his favorites: “he has a lot of try and he doesn’t quit. He’s quick and really athletic, and he’s great to be around.”
For the cow horse, he rides a fifteen-year-old named Enos who is an all-around horse around the ranch. His sister showed him in cow horse, English and western at the county and state level, and Ennis also does some ranch work. The horse is a good fit for him, he believes. “Sometimes we don’t get along, but he can slow himself down and be well-minded,” he said. “He has a lot of cow in him, and he’s very broke. He knows his job well.”
This semester, Coy is taking an ag occupations class, which is a work release class. He rides outside horses for others, starting and training colts, and helps on the family ranch.
He also helps a friend lay rubber composite flooring. On the bigger jobs, the friend asks him to come in, and occasionally, he’s done jobs in Wyoming and Arizona. He loves seeing the layout of other people’s stalls or barns.
A soon-to-be graduate of Platte Valley High School in Kersey, he’s enjoyed the friendships he’s made and the ag classes he’s taken. He’s participated in his school’s FFA chapter and wrestled through part of his school career. He’s been a 4-H member, having shown hogs and cattle but horses only now.
In his spare time, he loves to do leatherwork and hang out with friends. They often grab a meal in Greeley at a Mexican restaurant, or at a taco truck in Galeton, which is “some of the best Mexican food you’ll have,” he said.
He loves to play the guitar and listen to Red Dirt Country and older country.
His favorite social media platform is Instagram, although he has accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Snapchat.
The best meal his mom makes is sweet pulled pork tacos; his favorite dessert is German chocolate cake, made by his mom or grandma.
This fall, Coy will attend college and hopes to compete in ranch horse competitions at the collegiate level.
He has an older sister, Kassandra, who competed in high school rodeo and is now a student at the University of Wyoming.
He is the son of Wade and Dawn Shoemaker.

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