Fairview Youth Takes First at Junior World Finals
January 12, 2022
At left, 10-year-old Bronc Evans, of Fairview, competes in the Junior World Finals Breakaway Roping competition in Las Vegas on December 11. Submitted photo.
Sheila Harris
Bronc Evans, of Fairview, left Las Vegas in mid-December with the title of 2021 Junior World Champion in Breakaway Roping in the age 10 & under bracket at the Junior World Rodeo Finals. For the then-10-year-old Evans, the award represented the results of nearly a lifetime of practice, said his mother, Mandy Evans.
“He’s been roping since he could walk,” Mandy Evans said of her son, “and competing since he was seven years old.”
Mandy Evans and her husband, Jimmy, own a couple of hundred acres outside of Fairview, where they raise cattle, sell hay and train and sell the quarter horses that have been equine companions for their children throughout their formative years.
Bronc’s older sister, 17-year-old Jaylen, is a roper, too, and has taken home several saddles won in breakaway competitions throughout her lifetime.
In order to qualify for the Junior World Finals in Las Vegas, Bronc had to qualify in roping competitions across the United States during the 12 months preceding it.
“We’re on the road to participate in rodeos about 35 weekends every year,” Mandy Evans said. “It’s a lifestyle that suits our family because it’s something we can do together.”
Jimmy Evans competes in rodeos as a team roper - many times with one of his two children. Mandy Evans, herself, as the daughter of Gizmo, The Rodeo Clown (Dale McCracken), grew up on the rodeo circuit.
“I was homeschooled when I was young so we could go to rodeos,” Mandy said.
Evans says, in turn, she has homeschooled Bronc and Jaylen.
“When I was young,” Evans said, “people thought it was bizarre when I told them I was homeschooled. Now, homeschooling is common, especially among kids who compete in rodeos. It’s really the only way we can make everything work.”
Over 850 rodeo contestants from around the world gathered in the Las Vegas Convention Center during the Junior World Finals competition for ten days in December. The calf-roping competitors had been narrowed down to fields of 35 contestants in each category prior to arriving in Vegas.
Going into the competition, Bronc Evans was ranked Number One. After the first two rounds of competition, Bronc was sitting in second place in the averages and in the top six in the world.
“The time to beat going into the world championship round on December 11 was 2.65 seconds,” Mandy Evans said. “Bronc roped his calf in 2.44 seconds for the world championship title.”
As a first place winner, Evans took home the coveted Montana Silversmiths Championship Buckle, a cash prize and gear from several sponsors.
According to Mandy Evans, next year Bronc will move up into the 12 & Under age bracket, where he will compete in both the Breakaway and Tie-Down Roping competitions.
“It will be a big change for him,” she said. “In the breakaway competitions, he doesn’t have to get off his horse, but tie-down competitions involve dismounting and tying the calf down after roping it.”
Evans said she and her husband have encouraged Bronc to involve himself in other types of sports, but he’s not interested.
“All he wants to do is rope,” she said.
Bronc Evans, of Fairview, left Las Vegas in mid-December with the title of 2021 Junior World Champion in Breakaway Roping in the age 10 & under bracket at the Junior World Rodeo Finals. For the then-10-year-old Evans, the award represented the results of nearly a lifetime of practice, said his mother, Mandy Evans.
“He’s been roping since he could walk,” Mandy Evans said of her son, “and competing since he was seven years old.”
Mandy Evans and her husband, Jimmy, own a couple of hundred acres outside of Fairview, where they raise cattle, sell hay and train and sell the quarter horses that have been equine companions for their children throughout their formative years.
Bronc’s older sister, 17-year-old Jaylen, is a roper, too, and has taken home several saddles won in breakaway competitions throughout her lifetime.
In order to qualify for the Junior World Finals in Las Vegas, Bronc had to qualify in roping competitions across the United States during the 12 months preceding it.
“We’re on the road to participate in rodeos about 35 weekends every year,” Mandy Evans said. “It’s a lifestyle that suits our family because it’s something we can do together.”
Jimmy Evans competes in rodeos as a team roper - many times with one of his two children. Mandy Evans, herself, as the daughter of Gizmo, The Rodeo Clown (Dale McCracken), grew up on the rodeo circuit.
“I was homeschooled when I was young so we could go to rodeos,” Mandy said.
Evans says, in turn, she has homeschooled Bronc and Jaylen.
“When I was young,” Evans said, “people thought it was bizarre when I told them I was homeschooled. Now, homeschooling is common, especially among kids who compete in rodeos. It’s really the only way we can make everything work.”
Over 850 rodeo contestants from around the world gathered in the Las Vegas Convention Center during the Junior World Finals competition for ten days in December. The calf-roping competitors had been narrowed down to fields of 35 contestants in each category prior to arriving in Vegas.
Going into the competition, Bronc Evans was ranked Number One. After the first two rounds of competition, Bronc was sitting in second place in the averages and in the top six in the world.
“The time to beat going into the world championship round on December 11 was 2.65 seconds,” Mandy Evans said. “Bronc roped his calf in 2.44 seconds for the world championship title.”
As a first place winner, Evans took home the coveted Montana Silversmiths Championship Buckle, a cash prize and gear from several sponsors.
According to Mandy Evans, next year Bronc will move up into the 12 & Under age bracket, where he will compete in both the Breakaway and Tie-Down Roping competitions.
“It will be a big change for him,” she said. “In the breakaway competitions, he doesn’t have to get off his horse, but tie-down competitions involve dismounting and tying the calf down after roping it.”
Evans said she and her husband have encouraged Bronc to involve himself in other types of sports, but he’s not interested.
“All he wants to do is rope,” she said.