story by Lily Weinacht
“There isn’t any other kind of family like your rodeo family,” says 17-year-old Kole Roberts. The tie-down and team roper from Delta, Colo., is the first generation of his family to rodeo, readily grafted in to the lifestyle he intends to make a career out of. “I’ve been rodeoing since I could walk. My parents have ridden horses their whole lives and roped, but never rodeoed, so they decided my sister and I should do it,” he explains. “In rodeo, everybody is just like you and enjoys doing the same things, and it’s a key to college. I like being with my buddies and doing what I love every day!”
Kole enjoys his events equally – team roping for its countless opportunities of jackpots and USTRC ropings in the area, and tie-down for the athleticism it requires. “You have to be an athlete to succeed in that, and it’s a good event for an all-around kind of guy,” says Kole. He won a couple of USTRC ropings last year and qualified for the NLBFR in team roping and breakaway in 2008, finishing seventh in the World in the team roping. He’s heeling this year for Jace Logan of Yampa, Colo., but since the partners live four hours apart, Kole does most of his practicing with his sister, Harlee (15). She’s also a member of the CSHSRA, competing in breakaway and team roping. “We rope every day, whether it’s the dummy, or steers or calves,” Kole says. “It’s my favorite thing to do! My sister heads, so when we get home from school or work, we load up the horses and go rope at an arena about ten miles from our house.” Kole has also roped with his parents, Todd and Shelly Roberts, looking up to them and his friend Cody McCluskey. “He’s out of college and lives in Texas now, training horses at Circle T Ranch,” Kole explains. “He’s really helped me out, and wants me to move down there so I can rope with him every day.”
The equine half of Kole’s team include his calf horse, Tilly, and heel horse, Rusty. “Calf horses have been a little wild for me, but we just got Tilly going, and I’m starting to get along with her,” says Kole. “My dad bought Rusty as a yearling out of Kansas and trained him. I started roping on him, and we have a really good connection. As far as heel horses go, he’s one of the best I’ve ever roped on.” The family’s miniature Schnauzer, Daisy, also travels with them. They live about six miles outside of town, where the wind blows all the time, according to Kole. But he does enjoy the space, and having acres of pastures to ride in.
Recently finishing his junior year at Delta High School after counting down the days, Kole is spending the summer rodeoing, training horses with his dad, and working for Lifetime Roofing, helping the roofing crew and cleaning up their job sites. He’ll also be attending several camps for wrestling in California. Kole has been wrestling for most of his life and made it to state his sophomore year, and finished fourth this year. He’s the quarterback for The Panthers, and was given an honorable mention at all state and first team at all conference. “Through all the sports I play, I’m real dedicated to what I do. If I start something, I’ll finish it,” says Kole.
“By the time I’m out of high school, I’d like to win a state and national title in rodeo. Hopefully that will earn me scholarships for college, and then I’d like to start pro rodeoing and make it to the NFR one day!”
