story by Riata Cummings
Howdy Jackson attends Roosevelt Jr. High as an eighth grader, where he enjoys his physical education, science and language arts classes. Howdy plays football and baseball, and he enjoys working with the Chad Richard family on their farm where they run 700 head of cattle and a herd of horses, including his own family’s livestock. He is the son of Kris and Billy Jackson of Roosevelt, Utah, and has an older sister named Baylee. They enjoy ranching, camping and rodeoing as a family.
His father competed in rodeo and Howdy started when he was only 4-years-old. He now competes in the team roping, tiedown roping and ribbon roping through the Utah Junior High School Rodeo Association. His 6th grade year he qualified for the national finals in the team roping and boys’ breakaway roping, and last year he returned in the team roping with his partner Keegan Cumbie, and they finished 10th in the world. This year he is heeling for Swade Olsen and roping for Hadlee Anderson in the ribbon roping. He has set a goal to qualify for nationals in all three of his events.
Howdy’s horses are Short Go, a bald-faced sorrel heel horse, and Duce, a black calf horse who is “good in any event.” Howdy regularly practices with 2-time Wrangler NFR competitor Rhen Richard and helps saddle horses and run chutes. He also practices almost daily with his sister, Baylee, who is one of the best headers he teams up with. He sometimes uses one of Rhen’s back up horses, Smoke, in the heeling. Howdy is working toward his own career as a professional rodeo cowboy and rubbing shoulders with the pros is preparing him for that lifestyle.
Competing in rodeo has taught Howdy to, “live better, learn about the things you love and be a good competitor.” It has also taught him to work hard for his goals and to practice for perfection. Rodeoing in Utah’s competitive atmosphere has demanded “lots of practice, hard work and patience” of Howdy. His father also pushes him to “be a better person and competitor, in and out of the arena.”
Howdy lives by the saying, “They may see me fail but they will never see me quit.” This mantra reminds him to push through the difficulties that come with competing. “It keeps me strong and helps me be a better person, even when I feel like quitting.” His work ethic is one of his greatest strengths, and rodeo has helped him learn to “work hard for the right things in the right way. You have to put time and thought into it every day or you’ll never get better.”
Howdy’s parents are his heroes and role models. “They stand up for me, push me to be better and have always been willing to help me in my rodeo career.” He would like to thank his parents for the opportunity to rodeo and for their constant support of his gold buckle dreams. He would also like to thank Chad and Rhen Richard for coaching him and helping him become the athlete he is. Howdy is grateful for the chance he has been given to compete in the greatest sport on dirt and for the people who have made it possible.
