story by Ruth Nicolaus
When your last name is Johnston, there’s a pretty good chance you’ll be a bulldogger.
And Parker Johnston, a Nebraska High School Rodeo Association member, is following in the footsteps of his dad and uncles.
The eighteen-year-old, a recent graduate of Maywood Public School, rides Fury, a horse with Hancock breeding on the top side. Fury was his older brother’s heel horse and is the “shortest, stockiest horse we’ve ever seen,” Parker said. “His neck is two and a half or three feet long and about as wide as it is long.” It didn’t take much to add steer wrestling to Fury’s skillset. “He’s real charge-y and has a lot of go. We ran him by three steers and crawled off him on the fourth. For him, that was enough. We showed him what we wanted him to do, and he figured it out.”
Parker spent the last eight weeks of his high school career doing his work at home, thanks to the coronavirus quarantine. His school did not require students to turn in work, and it wasn’t graded, but his mom made sure her boy did it. Online Zoom meetings were required for graduation, however.
He doesn’t mind hard work at all. Parker has spent the last several summers working at his uncle Jason’s well drilling business in Stapleton. He and his cousin get up at 5:30 am, lift weights, then start work at 7:30 am. After work, they’ll run some steers, then hit the hay to be ready for the next day.
When he’s in Stapleton, he stays with his aunt and uncle and their three boys, who he loves. “I get a kick out of them,” he said. He steer wrestles with the oldest, Coy, and loves to roughhouse with Cayson and Cotter.
For him, he’d nearly rather work than goof off. He’s helped his uncle Jeff calve out cows, and tools leather on the side for a little gas money.
Parker lettered in football for four years and last fall was first team all-state defensive line for six man football. He was team captain for the Maywood Tigers. He was in track and basketball for two years each; One-Acts for four years; speech for one year; quiz bowl for two, and FFA for five years (counting his eighth grade year). He was class president from sixth grade through his junior year. He was also a member of the National Honor Society and this year, was on the honor roll with distinction.
He competed at state finals his sophomore year and is headed to them again, this time tied for first place in the steer wrestling with Rhett Witt.
Parker’s favorite food his mom makes is beer bread, straight out of the oven. “It’s hot and crusty and melts in your mouth,” he said. “Slap some butter on it and there’s not a whole lot better.” His favorite fruit is watermelon, which is part of his birthday tradition. On his fifth birthday, when he and his family were at the Mandan (N.D.) pro rodeo, his mom couldn’t find a birthday cake. So they bought a watermelon, sliced it, and put candles in it. They’ve carried that tradition on.
His favorite dessert is apple pie, and his favorite beverage is iced tea. “Iced tea is the official drink for the Johnstons,” he said. “We have it in the refrigerator of every Johnston household.”
This fall, he will attend Chadron (Neb.) State College on academic and rodeo scholarships and will study exercise science. A degree in that field is broad, allowing him to pursue several different avenues: as a personal trainer, a P.E. teacher, or as preliminary studies for physical therapy or chiropractic.
His mom, Robyn, loves her boy. “He has tons of energy and lots of drive and determination. He’s a super polite kid, always happy and smiling.” The guidance counselor at his school often called on him to mentor younger kids. “He’s super patient and really good with them,” she said.
His older brother is Pake and his younger sister is Pryce.
He is the son of Robyn and Joe Carey and Chad and Audra Johnston.
