story by Lindsay Humphrey
“One of my first memories of rodeo was riding my horse around with all of my friends at a junior rodeo,” said 14-year-old Tagg Bond. “I have an older brother (Colton, 18). And when he was competing, I went with them. I’ve rodeoed for as long as I can remember really.” Like most junior rodeo competitors, Tagg launched his career in the barrels, poles and goat tail untying. He’s since dropped a few of those events and picked up several more in their place: calf, ribbon and steer roping, along with goat tying and saddlebronc riding. “My family ropes, so that’s kind of why I do all those events. I like going out there and handling a steer for my heeler, Reed Krull.”
In the KJHSRA, Tagg and Reed are sitting in third place as the spring season kicks off. Tagg had a good fall run in his other events as he’s leading the calf roping, tied for first in the saddlebronc, and sitting second in goat tying. He’s shooting for an all-around title at state finals and another trip to nationals. “In sixth grade I made it to nationals in the saddlebronc riding. I didn’t do very well, but it was a lot of fun.” Thanks to encouragement from his mom, Kelly, Tagg was elected the National Bareback Steer Broncs Director. Even though it was Tagg’s first time competing at the national event, it wasn’t his first time attending as his older brother went multiple times before him. As a result, Tagg had a good idea of what he should expect competition- and atmosphere-wise. “I thought it would rain the whole week, but it didn’t. I met a lot of people up there.”
Even though Tagg’s friends from nationals were great, they don’t compare to everyone back home in the KJHSRA. “Everyone is always fun to be around here. I like competing against all my friends.” It was those friends who hunkered down together through the 2020 spring season that never came to fruition. “I was pretty disappointed that we didn’t have any spring rodeos, but I was excited about state finals. I won a round in the breakaway and placed pretty well in another round.” It was in his eight grade year that Tagg added more events to his roster, so state finals last year wasn’t nearly as busy as Tagg intends this year to be. “I won the average in the saddlebronc riding at state, but goats and ribbons didn’t go quite as planned.”
Tie-down roping and saddlebronc riding are tied for being Tagg’s favorite event. “I’ve always liked watching horses buck. I bought my first saddle when I was 7 or 8 at a high school rodeo. I was riding unbroke ponies and I used the money I had from selling them to buy that saddle.” After attending a bronc riding school, Tagg hasn’t looked back. He might be taking a break as a freshman though. “I might not ride my first year just because I’m pretty small. My dad wants me to do bulldogging like he used to do, so I might try that next year.” Tagg has given chute dogging a try, but he hasn’t stepped up to steer wrestling just yet. But it should be an easy transition since he’s already used to jumping off his horse at a fast pace.
“I started goat tying when I was 7, so I could improve my calf roping. They are two very different events though. In goat tying you’re just trying to get off quickly and they don’t usually kick the tie off so I just throw it on as fast as I can. In calf roping, you have to dismount more precisely and then have a good tie, so the calf doesn’t kick it loose.” Of course, Tagg wouldn’t have the unique opportunity to try his hand at so many different events if he didn’t have such a great support system. “My grandparents have always kept good horses under me, and my parents (Jim and Kelly) haul me around and help me with everything. I couldn’t do all this without them.” Tagg’s older brother is also a contributor to his rodeo success, especially in the calf roping. As a first generation saddlebronc rider, Tagg regularly gets help from Kyle Bachman. “My parents knew the tricks of the trade in roping, but we really didn’t know much when I first started riding broncs.”
