story by Siri Stevens
Craving and expecting” is how Kincade Henry made it into the 15th tie-down roping spot for the National Finals Rodeo. “I was in a bad slump this summer,” he said. “I’ve always expected myself to make it and when I didn’t, it was a confidence thing.” Kincade had a phenomenal winter and when his good horse, Mario, got hurt, he went a month and only won $500. “I was driving to a rodeo in New Mexico and Cody DeMoss called me – it was late at night. He said, ‘You’ve got to crave it and expect it’ – focus on you – go when it feels right and know it’s going to work out.” The advice paid off and Kincade placed in both rounds and the average. And then it went back to a rolling game for the 15th spot. “I learned not to look at the standings,” he said. “I finished off just enough to squeeze in there.”
He remembers wanting to point his truck south many times, but kept going, learning how to handle the pressure. “I learned again – focus on myself and my run instead of worrying about anything else.” He remembers RE Josey telling him that if you couldn’t handle the pressure situation, you probably wouldn’t be there.
“I learned everything about roping from my dad, Chad, who learned how to rope from RE. “Dad’s the one in the practice pen, but RE was the one back when I was 10 or 11 helping us flank and tie. The roping part he taught my dad and my dad taught me.”
What I learned from RE has nothing to do with roping. It has to do with being a human being. He was the most positive inspiring guy I’ve ever met; he was never negative. He showed me how to live. You can’t put it into words. To teach that many kids for that many years; his patience and timing were beyond words. He taught me more about how to live than how to rope.”
Kincade has been a part of the roping clinic at the Josey Ranch “since I was in diapers. I go there the first week of June every year, and I’ll go every year until they quit having it. That’s what I learned from RE – your roping career only lasts for a little bit, your integrity lasts forever. We get caught up in the career and sometimes we don’t see it correctly.”
Kincade is finishing up college at A&M Commerce, transferring from Panola. He won the National Championship at the college finals last year. He has enjoyed going down the road this year. “I get a little homesick,” he admits. “I’m a good old country boy. I like seeing all the sites and I love roping, but there are times I wish I could come home and do some hunting and fishing.
Last week I was in the deer camp all week; I need some down time to mentally clear my head and get to practicing.”
Home is Mt. Pleasant TX., but his dad’s side of the family is from Louisiana, and they have a bunch of land down there they hunt and fish on. “I’ve grown up down there as well,” he said. “My sophomore year of high school we decided to rodeo in Louisiana for one year. It was good; my grandparents and a bunch of my family got to come down there. I ended up winning the state championship my sophomore year (2018).”
Kincade had an older brother, Jace, who works as an engineer at a LNG plant in Cameron, Louisiana. “He roped in high school, but he went on and got an engineering degree.” He also has an older sister, Keely, a senior at A&M Commerce. Keely competes in college rodeo and made the college finals last year.
Everyone, including mom, Melody, are heading to the Finals to cheer Kincade on. He will have another cheering section in the extended family of Louisiana High School rodeo and the folks from Josey Ranch.
