story by Riata Cummings
Bluffdale, Utah, is the home of 14-year-old rodeo athlete Darwin Buhler. Darwin is the son of Gretchen and Russ Buhler, and his siblings include half-brother Ashten (older and out of the home), Clayton, Adaline, Lily, Oliver, and Franklin. As a family they enjoy lots of outdoor activities like ice skating, trail rides, hunting, and camping. Darwin is an eighth grader at South Hills Middle School, where he takes classes like Spanish and ceramics with some of his friends and fellow rodeo contestants. He works hard to get good grades and is striving to become an eagle scout. Eventually, Darwin would like to become and electrical engineer for the United States Airforce.
Not to long ago, Darwin was at a neighbors wedding when a different neighbor commented that he might enjoy roping. After finding a rope in the basement, Darwin began roping everything in sight. Shortly thereafter he started roping from horseback and fell in love with the sport. He is now a member of the Utah Junior High School Rodeo Association and competes in the team roping and boys breakaway roping. He loves the adrenaline rush of breakaway and has loads of fun heading for Hadley Odenbach. The team has already qualified to rope at the state finals in Heber City this spring. Darwin hopes to win a belt buckle this spring by continuing to place in his events.
Darwin competes on a horse named Grey, who he has been riding since he started about a year ago. The two have become a powerful team and Darwin plans to purchase Grey this spring. He also has Billy, a cutting horse he plans to use in high school, and Tigger who he uses at horse 4-H and for sorting cattle with his friend Will. Every Monday and Thursday, Darwin goes to the home of Shane and Dawson Zarharias where he cleans stalls and ropes. On the other days of the week, Darwin ropes the dummy at his house.
Rodeo has taught Darwin that there is “more to life than slides and swings”. The demanding sport has a way of teaching athletes’ responsibility and hard work, and Darwin is no exception. Rodeo has shown him a community of people who scratch each other’s backs in the best way, always helping one another. Rodeo has helped Darwin develop perseverance, and he sticks to a task until it’s done. Being the oldest child at home, Darwin has become an example of dedication, honesty, and kindness for his younger siblings. He has faced lots of challenges, from a scout camp swim test to packing a deer on an eight-mile hike. The tough things in life have taught him that the only way to stop the pain or suffering is to push through it.
Darwin would like to thank Will and Rebecca Jewkes for taking him to cattle sortings. He would like to thank the Zaharias’s for teaching him everything he knows about roping and rodeo, and for their continued willingness to help. Finally, he would like to thank his parents and family for their constant support and their example of how to live. Darwin is grateful for the opportunity to rodeo and for all the people that make it possible.
