story by Jennie Lawrence
Scott Carlson has been a member of the Rocky Mountain Professional Rodeo Association (RMPRA) since he was a junior in high school. He grew up in Evanston, Wyoming, and started rodeoing when he was four or five years old. Like many cowboys he started riding in the mutton busting event. When he was six-years-old his dad put him on some calves that they had at home. At eight-years-old Scott entered the calf riding at a rodeo in Winnemucca, Nevada. He got one ridden, and was bitten by the rodeo bug. “Ever since then I have loved rodeoing,” he said.
He got his first bull rope one year for Christmas. He just could not wait to use it. He and his dad went outside, and his dad got a little heifer cornered, and rigged Scott’s rope. I had been watching all the big boys in the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) take their wrap through their pinky, so I figured I’d ought to do that. My dad pulls my rope, and I go to take my wrap. He sees me go to take it through my pinky, and say’s ‘I don’t know if I’d do that.’” Scott did anyway, taking through the pinky slide up, and his dad let the heifer go. She started spinning away from his hand, and he wound up “getting welled and hung up.” Initially, his dad was of no help. “He just sits back and watches me get windmilled around, and just laughs and says, ‘Told you not to take it through your pinky!’” Scott will never forget that.
He has competed in all three of the rough stock events. He also competed in Ranch Bronc Riding for a few years, but was always better at bull riding. He started learning how to ride broncs the summer before his senior year in high school. He did not pursue it though, because he had a goal of winning a state high school title in bull riding. He ended up as the reserve champion at the Wyoming High School Rodeo finals.
He attended Central Wyoming College in Riverton, Wyoming. Toward the end of the first rodeo season he started riding broncs again. He has been working on getting better ever since.
Scott and his youngest brother Myles Carlson both made the RMPRA finals this year, with Myles riding in the bareback event. Rodeo is a family event. His father Brett competed in bull riding. His uncle Travis rode bareback horses, while Grandpa Mike was a team roper. His other grandfather Wendel raised quarter horses. Scott got started training horses at a young age because of his grandfather.
Scott is married to Laurel Carlson. They met at the Deseret Land and Livestock in 2017 and married the following year. Laurel is self-employed as a health and fitness coach. Since their marriage they have been gypsies, cowboying at different outfits.
Scott is also a member of the Jackson Hole Rodeo Association. He did not get to many rodeos this year due to Covid 19. Normally, he will go to two every weekend when he can get the time off. He likes to listen to old country music when he travels. Some of his favorites are Marty Robbins, Chris LeDoux and Rodger Miller.
When he is not rodeoing, Scott enjoys training horses, roping, going to ranch rodeos, brandings, and fall work. In the winter he enjoys snowmobiling.
His rodeo goal this year was to make the RMPRA finals in the saddle bronc riding. He accomplished that, and has already set a new goal of making it into the top three spots next year. He made the finals three times before in bull riding. Laurel is his biggest supporter. She goes to all of the rodeos and videos Scott. She encourages him to keep a positive mindset, and to always look at the bigger picture. The couple loves to pull pranks and fast ones on each other, because that keeps things fun.
