If you start roping the sawhorse at nineteen months old, and enter your first junior rodeo at five years old… that’s considered an early start by any standard.
Mississippi Junior High School Association allows contestants in Kindergarten through 8th grade to compete. However, National contestants must be in 6th, 7th, or 8th grade. Now a freshman, and 14 years old, Tanner has a long and impressive resume.
“Dad let me enter my first rodeo in breakaway when I was five,” explains Tanner. “But I didn’t start team roping off a horse until I was six or seven.”
Tanner and his father, Robbie, give much of the credit for his success to their friend and horse trainer, T. D. Ramsey.
“I wanted to give Tanner the very best opportunity to succeed,” says Robbie. “All of our calf horses have come from T.D. I’ve helped Tanner with his heeling, but overall T. D. has been most instrumental in Tanner’s rodeo career.”
The early start resulted in early wins for Tanner. By the time he was six, he was placing in the top ten in the Breakaway of the MJHSA. Tanner won the state title in the 4th grade, and again in the 6th, 7th, and 8th grade.
In addition to winning the Little Britches National Breakaway title in 2014, Tanner also won his division at Rising Stars calf roping.
In 2016, Tanner won the All Around title for MJHSA. He also qualified for the National Junior High School finals all three years of middle school.
Tanner is homeschooled. He does school work in the morning, then rides colts at Ramseys’ to improve his horsemanship.
East Mississippi Community College has already talked to Tanner about joining their rodeo team after high school.
“I might go there for the first two years of college,” says Tanner. “But ultimately I would like to attend a big college in Texas where the competition would be more challenging.”
When asked to describe Tanner, his dad says, “He’s a typical teenager. He’s very passionate about what he does and cannot stand to lose. He has a good work ethic and literally lives with a rope in his hand. We spend time in church and Tanner’s very good hearted. In his own way he wants everyone to win.”
COWBOY Q&A
How much do you practice?
Every day. I tie every day and rope steers at least four times a week.
Do you make your own horses?
No.
Who are your roping heroes?
My dad and Jake Long.
Who do you respect most in the world?
The good Lord. I couldn’t accomplish what I have without him.
Who has been the biggest influence in your life?
My parents.
If you had a day off what would you like to do?
Probably hunt.
Favorite movie?
The Gambler.
What’s the last thing you read?
An article in the Rodeo News.
How would you describe yourself in three words?
Competitive, hardworking, outgoing.
What makes you happy?
Winning.
What makes you angry?
Missing steers or calves.
If you were given 1 million dollars, how would you spend it?
Pay off my parents’ bills. Then buy some land and cattle.
What is your best quality – your worst?
My best is my work ethic. My worst is procrastination.
