Blayze on the Little Big Shots show with Steve Harvey – courtesy of NBC
What is a real cowboy? According to Blayze Fallis, a real cowboy takes care of his ranch, takes care of his horses, and takes care of each other. “It’s not what you’re wearing, it’s what’s in your heart,” says the 6-year-old cowboy from Cashion, Oklahoma. Blayze captured the hearts of America with his appearance on Little Big Shots the end of March. The show was called “There’s a new sheriff in town” and Blayze tried to teach Steve Harvey how to rope. “As soon as I saw him, I wanted to rope with him,” said Blayze of his trip to Los Angeles to film the show. Filming the show took two trips for Blayze – one for dress rehearsal and the second one to actually film the show.
He ended up on the show through a Facebook friend. “She was looking for different kinds of talent, I sent her a message and said I might have a cowboy. They asked for some videos of Blayze and a couple days later I got a call saying they would fly us out,” said Heather. “We flew out at the end of June and back again at the beginning of July” The only coaching that Blayze had for the show was where to stand for his roping.
Blayze has come by his roping by hard work and practice. “I started roping when I was two. My dad ropes, but not a lot. I picked it up and started swinging it.” Neither Heather nor Ryan rodeo competitively; they both ride horses, and Ryan ropes for fun, but Blayze practices every day to improve. He can now rope three stacked 55-gallon barrels and his goal in life is to be a cowboy. He rides rank sheep and mini broncs. He’s an only child which he likes. “I get to play with my mom and dad all day long.”
“We have never forced anything on him,” explains Heather, who grew up in Shawnee, Oklahoma. “It comes natural to him – Ryan and I try to set our best example for Blayze, and behave the way we want him to.” Ryan works long hours at his job with BP, but manages to take Blayze to sorting and team penning practice.
Aside from wearing his cowboy hat and boots day in and day out, Blayze is a typical six year old. He likes to play TBall, which is the only time he trades his boots for tennis shoes with cleats. He is a Kindergartener at Cashion school, where his favorite part of the day is recess. “I get to play cowboy with my friends,” he said.
After school, he heads to the barn to ride, rope, and play cowboy some more. The family travels to rodeos on the weekends and they plan to join National Little Britches. “Whenever he was little, he’d pick up a rope and try,” said Ryan. “That’s all he wants to do is rope. Since he’s been able to talk everyone has commented on his personality.”
For Blayze, God comes first, then roping. If he could go anywhere, he’d like to go to George Strait’s house. “Then we’d go to a lot of rodeos and rope.” His main horse is Tank. “I bought him with my money that I got from raking a lot of horse poop.” When the weather was bad, he started making signs, screwing the screws, sandpapered the wood and stenciled on the letters to make quotes and sold them. He also did a lot of work over at his Grammies and Grandpas house. “I saved up a lot of money to buy Tank. I rope on him, chase cows, barrel race, poles, and everything.” He has two other horses, Tuff and Kerosene.
“Blayze is the most determined little boy I have ever met,” said Skylar Wright who has known him since he was a baby. “For a six year old to be that determined to go rope every day is amazing. He is adorable and so much fun to be around.”
Blayze takes his new-found-fame in stride. “I just want to thank y’all. I feel blessed.”
