By Lily Weinacht
Kash and Klay Yaussi, ten-year-old identical twins from Udall, Kan., share not only the ties of brotherhood, but also a deep love for the sport of rodeo. Both fiercely competitive, they started rodeoing five years ago, joining the KJRA this year. They currently compete in the goat tying, steer roping, breakaway roping, pole bending, and barrel racing. And though similar in many areas, their favorite events differ. “I like breakaway roping because I get to rope fast,” says Klay, while Kash adds, “My favorite is the goat tying because I like riding my horse to the end of the arena and jumping off while he’s going full blast!”
The brothers practice often with their dad, and now that they have both learned how to head, they are practicing their heeling on the Hot Heels. They plan to team rope together in junior high. While they are both Tuf Cooper fans, Kash’s favorite team roper is Cesar de la Cruz, and Klay’s favorite is Clay Tryan. The Yaussi’s own Broken Y Arena, where they hold weekly roping and barrel racing practices in the fall and winter, along with roping jackpots. Kash and Klay frequently join their visitors in the arena, and some of their best buddies are George Cash, Steve Kraft, Tim Cash, and Allen Simon.
The Yaussi family makes their home on Broken Y Ranch outside of Udall. Kash and Klay have an older sister, Bailey (19), and an older brother, Ricky (16). Their parents are Rick and Paula Yaussi. Bailey has started filling her WPRA permit, barrel racing on a horse named Mr. Moonie Man, and she takes turns bringing either Kash or Klay along with her to her pro rodeos. Ricky competes in the KHSRA and is the 2015 KHSRA All-Around Champion. The twins’ favorite trip of the summer was going to Rock Springs, Wyo., to watch Ricky tie-down and team rope in the NHSFR. “Ricky finished sixth in the nation for team roping, and we’re really proud of him!” says Kash.
Kash and Klay share a black horse named Big for breakaway roping, while their other two horses, Mighty, and Molly, owned by Dakota Dunbar, share the events of pole bending, barrel racing, and goat tying. The brothers often switch horses at the rodeos, and take turns exercising them at home. Their other animals include roping steers, a goat, and four dogs, Caesar, Ranger, Cowgirl, and Rowdy.
Now fifth graders at Trinity Lutheran School, Klay’s favorite subject is math of any kind, and Kash prefers science, especially when it involves research about animals. After school, they spend the afternoon practicing, or visiting their grandma, who lives just next door. “She does a lot for us, like picking us up from school or staying with us when our mom and dad are gone,” says Kash. He and Klay also enjoy fishing with Ricky or playing games. And though they’re not allowed to confuse their family as to who’s who, the twins did perform their first switch this summer at Bible school. “The boys are split up and in separate classes there, but on the last day, they switched and pretended to be the other brother,” Paula says with a laugh. “Nobody figured it out until the boys told them.”
Both Kash and Klay have several buckles apiece to their names through the OKYRA, HYRA, and USTRC Jr. Looper ropings. Each time they earn a new buckle, they also get a new belt to go with it. They both plan to win the team roping, chute dogging, and tie-down roping titles in junior high rodeo, and intend to make history as the first twins to win the team roping at the WNFR.
