story by Naomi Loomis,
WSRRA Association Representative
You can’t miss this cowboy from Heppner, Oregon. He is a very aggressive ranch bronc rider and his smile is contagious. In fact, he is in the top 5 WSRRA Ranch Bronc Riders in the association. Growing up on a working ranch in Wyoming is all that Miles Binger needed to have the cowboy fever to ride bucking horses.
Miles Binger started riding colts in high school. Growing up on Wyoming ranches not only gave Miles confidence, work ethic, life values, determination, he also gained respect for western traditions like ranch bronc riding.
Mile, his girlfriend, Eva, and three boys currently live in Heppner where Miles works as a cowboy HM Ranch and Eva is going to school to be an X-ray tech. Miles and Eva western heritage is continuing on thru 3 boys, Keegen (11), Joe (7) and Maddex (5). “I am really happy to show the boys the rodeo world. The rodeo world is so different from other sports and I want to show them the respect and sportsmanship on both sides. The boys are very active in school sports and I want them know the sport as well.”
When Miles isn’t riding broncs he is building things out of wood. “I really love making free form furniture. I have built all the furniture in our house. ” he states.
Miles became a WSRRA member in 2014 while participating in a sanctioned ranch rodeo in Washington. “After competing in a few WSRRA Ranch Bronc Ridings, I decided to get my card and compete for WSRRA Rookie of the Year.” In 2014, he was the WSRRA National Finals Rookie of the Year and was award a custom made hat made by Chaz Mitchell Custom Hatz. He appreciates that the WSRRA is open to any cowboy or cowgirl, and you don’t have to work on a big ranch to participate in sanctioned events. “I might add that WSRRA sanctioned events are the best around, the ranch bronc stock contractors are the best around, the people are great and I want to encourage those that have an interest in ranch bronc riding, to come to a WSRRA sanctioned event.
Miles also serves as one of the WSRRA Ranch Bronc Riding directors. “I really like helping our association grow. We are always adding new members and I want to make sure that continues.” Success in ranch bronc riding is quite simple for Miles. “I am older, I keep trying and I keep improving. I take one bronc ride at a time. I learn from my mistakes and correct them the next time I climb on a bronc.” Miles explains that riding a ranch bronc is like going to an amusement park, standing in line for a ride, then climbing up on a chair that only has a handle to hang on and trying to stay seated as the ride goes up, down, around, sideways, spinning . “It is a crazy ride, but I love the feeling of the power and the ability of the bronc.”
Miles has won many buckles in his time of riding ranch broncs but his favorite win so far is winning a 100X Custom Made hat by Chaz Mitchell for the Washington State 8 Seconds Whiskey Tour Stop High Money Winner. “Winning my Chaz hat was something really cool; because I wanted to win one that I could ride broncs and show off his handy work.” Along with his “Never Give Up” attitude Miles has a list if things that he takes with him on the rodeo trail. The first thing he takes with him is his saddle and gear bag. Second he takes his family. Miles has his own cheering section. “Our family loves to travel with me to rodeos. They are my biggest fans.” Third he takes his dogs, Rico and Cappy. “Cappy and Ricco are my boys and we are a big family. They are a huge part of our family” Fourth, are snacks and fifth is my lucky Chaz Mitchell Hat. “The rodeo trail is much easier with my family, my dogs and my gear. Life is too short to leave home without them all.”
Miles goes on to tell me that his ranch bronc riding goals is to win the 2017 WSRRA National Finals Ranch Bronc title and the 2017 WSRRA NFR Average winner. Miles just might do that with the WSRRA National Finals coming up, November 1 – November 5, 2017 in Winnemucca, Nevada.
On behalf of the WSRRA, good luck on your 2017 WSRRA rodeo trail.
