story by Ruth Nicolaus
Logan Durham is leading the bull riding pack in Colorado.
The Hamilton, Colo. cowboy, a member of the Colorado Junior High School Rodeo Association, started the sport four years ago, at the age of ten, and this year, his final year of junior high com-petition, sits 22 points ahead of the number two rider.
Logan got involved in the sport when his mother looked into something her small-statured sons, including older brother Clay, could excel at. She knew her boys might take well to bull riding. “They’d be good at it,” she thought. “They have the strength, the ambition, and the dedication.” Both boys played hockey, but she knew there was little chance of college scholarships for small-sized hockey players.
So she got them involved in bull riding, and both her and husband Levi’s sons have loved it.
In fact, Logan finished his sixth grade year as state champ, and last spring, was in first place when the season was canceled due to COVID-19.
He is an eighth grade student at Craig Middle School, where he loves history class but dislikes math class. “I just don’t like numbers,” he said. He was chosen as Bulldog of the Week for his school in October. He can’t take ag classes yet, but next year, he’s looking forward to that. He plays club hockey.
His favorite meal his mom makes is grilled cheese. He loves sweet tea (favorite beverage), oranges (favorite fruit), carrots (favorite vegetable) and vanilla ice cream, with caramel on it (favorite dessert.)
The best trip he’s taken was to Huron, S.D. in 2018 for the National Junior High School Finals Rodeo. He made a qualified ride in the first round, but bucked off in the second round, finishing 35th in the world standings. One of his favorite things about Huron was the lemonade vendor, who had the refreshing beverage, which was “really good,” he said, in combatting 100-plus degree days and “98 percent humidity.”
The family has two pet dogs: Lucy, a red heeler/Aussie cross, and Ruger, a pit bull/heeler/boxer cross. Lucy claims Logan as her “person” and sleeps on his bed, keeping his feet warm. They also have two cats: Jax, who is white, and Jemma, who is black.
Last spring, after the rodeo season was canceled, Logan had the chance get on practice bulls several weekends at Tyler and Kassidy Ferris’ place. He got on as many as he possibly could, till he was too sore to ride.
He counts two-time PBR world champion Jess Lockwood as his hero, and when he grows up, he’d like to be a brand inspector or an ag teacher.
His mom loves his toughness and good attitude. “I just love watching him succeed and overcome his fears,” she said. Both of his sports: bull riding and hockey, provide plenty of opportunity to get hurt, but Logan pushes through it.
He’s always positive, too, she said. “Even if he gets bucked off, he doesn’t get mad. He just looks at what he has to work on for the next ride.”
His older brother, Clay, often pulls his rope for him.
