story by Holly Wilson
Taylour Latham is a graduate of Union High School, and competed in the team roping, breakaway, barrels, goats, and poles for her district.
Rodeo has been a tradition in her family, with both of her parents having a rodeo background.
“I entered my first rodeo when I was two years old,” Taylour said. “My dad college rodeoed for central Wyoming college in Riverton, Wyoming. Then after he got his associates, he transferred to Panhandle State University in Goodwell, Oklahoma. He competed in the bull riding and saddle bronc riding through college. Then, he went on to ride bulls in the PRCA and won Mountain States Circuit Resistol Rookie of the Year in ‘94.”
“My mom did little britches rodeos when she was little and also competed in the Utah High School Rodeo Association in the pole bending barrel racing and goat tying. She still rides and competes in barrel racing a little bit when she gets time.”
Taylour’s mom also travels with her to all of her rodeo events, and helps her practice on a daily basis.
“I practice every day, I try to tie my goat and rope the dummy every day,” Taylour said. “My mom or my brother holds the goat for me. I try to prepare myself mentally for bigger rodeos like Nationals.”
This year, Taylour qualified for Nationals in three events; poles, goats, and breakaway.
“Last year’s Nationals was a smooth first round run, and wasn’t as good as I wanted it to be,” she said. “In the second round, I drew a bad goat and wasn’t able to make it back to the short round.”
“I won a couple of jackpots throughout that time and walked away with more money than in the rodeo.”
Despite her bad luck, Taylour maintains a positive attitude. “Always keep your chin up and know that there’s going to be another rodeo,” Taylour said. “If you enjoy it enough, you’ll keep striving. The bad days won’t get you down.”
Taylour has a string of horses that help her remain competitive in all of her events.
“My pole horse is named Sass, she’s a Dash Ta Fame mare as solid as they come. We got her when she was 6, and my mom trained her on the poles,” Taylour said. “We got my goat horse last year right before Nationals, and I’m borrowing a breakaway horse right now.”
These horses will travel with her from Utah to Wyoming, where Taylour will attend Gillette College on a rodeo scholarship. She will compete in the goat tying, breakaway, and barrel racing.
“The thing that I am most looking forward to about college rodeo is there aren’t really any parents involved in it. It’s just the contestants and their coaches,” she said. “Parents help out a lot but they also cause a lot more cluster and mishap down there.
Taylour is looking forward to her independence, but will always be thankful for her parents support.
“Rodeo is my life,” she said. “I’d like to thank my mom and dad for all of their support.”
Taylour finished the rodeo season as the reserve women’s all-around, with 606 total points. The next contestant was more than 100 points behind her.
