story by Michele Toberer
“I never travel to rodeos or ride bareback horses alone; I travel with the Lord and believe He rides with me through it all. I drop to one knee after every ride and thank the Lord for being with me,” explains Rocky Mountain Professional Rodeo Association member, Justin Heap. Justin has been riding bareback horses for 5 years and joined the RMPRA in 2017. While attending the 2015 RMPRA finals as a spectator, he noticed the beautiful finalist leather jackets and made the determination to join the association so he could earn one for himself. “I set the goal for myself to qualify for finals and busted my butt all year long, going to as many rodeos as I could. I was super excited to earn my own leather jacket at the 2017 finals; it was the biggest blessing to achieve that.”
At 23 years old, Justin lives in Vernal, Utah and works in construction as a loader operator. He’s been in the rodeo arena the majority of his life, although he started as a bull rider. In February 2015, his friend Drew Hayob convinced him to get on a bareback horse at a rodeo in Sedalia, Missouri, and although he didn’t make a full ride, everything changed for Justin that day. “I looked at my bull rope and thought I’d try doing both events, but later that summer I hung it up and just stuck with bareback riding. I was winning money, and buckles, and fulfilling my dream of rodeo.”
It took just 8 bareback horses before Justin made his first qualified ride. However, at 18 years old there was a major accident on his second attempt at riding bareback horses at a Missouri high school rodeo; that could have changed the course of his life completely if it weren’t for his incredible desire to live this rodeo life. “When I came out of the chute, the rigging went over the horse’s head and I landed in front of him. When he came down, his hoof smashed my head into the ground, and I was pronounced dead in the arena. They sent me to the hospital, and I remember waking up in a neck brace and they told me they were sending me to Saint Louis, Missouri because my brain was bleeding in three places. It was a life-changing experience that many thought would turn me away from rodeo. But, 2 months later I was back to riding and now 5 years later…. I’ve had broken bones and tough times along the way, but honestly the way I look at it, I can die in a car wreck if it’s my time, so I’m going to keep living my dream while I can.”
After accomplishing his goal of earning his own RMPRA finals jacket, Justin’s work schedule kept him from attending many rodeos in 2018. The 2019 season he was back on the rodeo trail as hard as ever, and although he had a couple rodeos with failing latigos on his rigging keep him from the pay window, he still qualified for his second RMPRA finals and finished 6th in the season. “I won about 16 checks at RMPRA rodeos last season, 3 beautiful buckles, and another finalist jacket. I’ve got even bigger goals for the 2020 season.”
“Bull riding is like dancing with a partner, and bareback riding is like a boxing match; from the moment the chute opens it’s a full-on fight the entire ride. When you start spurring in time with the horse it feels like you’re in a rocking chair and it’s beautiful; but if you get out of time it’ll jerk you right down. I feel like I’m not only entering the roughest event in rodeo, but when you become a champion in that sport as well, it’s an amazing feeling.”
Justin is appreciative of the support his girlfriend, Brandee Clark, gives him. She recently gifted him a PRCA permit for Christmas so he can have even more opportunities to chase his rodeo dreams. And, he’s grateful to the RMPRA, “The RMPRA treats you like family and everyone is there for you. I’m glad to be a part of this association.”
