I love rodeo. It’s what I’ve done my whole life. It’s more than just a hobby. It’s kind of a job, a business. You’ve got to treat it like a business, too. You’ve got to win to keep going. But it’s a job I love to do.”

Hadley Thompson

GOSHEN COUNTY  – Yoder’s Hadley Thompson posted a strong showing in the first rounds for breakaway roping and goat tying at the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) in Rock Springs hosted by the Sweetwater Events Complex from July 14-20.

“The first rounds (at NHSFR) were good in the goats and breakaway,” Thompson said. “I ended up third in the first-round of goats and seventh in the first-round of breakaway. I went into those rounds with pretty high hopes in both events.”

Competing against the best cowgirls from across the United States, Australia, Mexico and Canada, Thompson clocked the first round of breakaway roping in at 2.37 seconds. Thompson’s first-go in goat tying took 7.09 seconds to complete.

The second rounds in both events proved more challenging, though.

“I did not do well at all, but I made it work,” Thompson said.

Thompson finished 17th in a field of 161 contestants for the second-go for goat tying at 7.81 seconds. In breakaway roping, Thompson placed 36th out of 81  with a time of 3.60 seconds.

While the second-go results seemed disappointing to Thompson, she still managed to chase down a cow and goat and successfully rope or tie them in the time it takes the rest of us to tie our shoes. She was also still in the running for the final short-go on Saturday in each event.

The short-go provided one final opportunity for Thompson to reverse the setbacks from the second rounds.

Moments before the calf or goat burst from the chutes in the Saturday short-go, Thompson cleared her mind. She let go of the many thoughts accumulated in her head over the course of an intense, exhausting seven-day schedule of competition in four events (Thompson also participated in barrel racing and team roping).

“My biggest thing before an event is I try not to think at all,” Thompson said. “The more you think, in my opinion, the more likely negative stuff is to come through your mind. And if negative stuff comes through your mind, it just ain’t good.”

Trusting in her abilities, shaped by years of hard work, Thompson confidently raced across the arena after that goat or calf.

Thompson completed the breakaway roping short-go in the blink of any eye, clocking in at 2.28 seconds to snag first place in the round. She went on to garner second place in the goat tying short-go with a time of 7.15 seconds.

Thompson’s performances in the goat tying and breakaway roping short-go propelled her back to the top of the leaderboard in both events. When the dust settled on Saturday, Thompson was the new NHSFR reserve champion in goat tying, with an aggregate time of 22.05 seconds, and breakaway roping, at 8.25 seconds.

Thompson also captured the all-around cowgirl reserve championship for all the points she accumulated in four events over the weekend. In other words, Thompson, who only recently completed her sophomore year in high school, is now among the best cowgirls in the world.

“If anything, it made me want to work harder so that next year I win first in all of them,” Thompson said of her accomplishment. “But it felt good. I’m grateful to God that I could do that much.”

Training the right partner

Thompson also gave due credit to the horses she relied on at the NHSFR. First, there is Salty, a five-year-old mare Thompson rides in breakaway roping. 

“(Salty) worked great all week long,” Thompson said.

Her goat tying horse is a nine-year-old mare named Lena.

“That horse has won me a lot and she has done me some good,” Thompson said. “I honestly don’t think I’ve ever been to a rodeo without her.”

Then there is 10-year-old Vegas for barrel racing. 

“She’s a good horse,” Thompson added.

Thompson’s principal horse for team roping suffered an injury and she rode one lent by her partner, Asa Pixley of Sundance.

In rodeo, the bond between horse and rider is crucial. Talent goes out the window if a cowgirl lacks horsemanship or the relationship of trust between rider and animal breaks down.

“It doesn’t matter how well you can swing your rope,” Thompson said. “If you can’t ride a horse, nothing else matters.”

Thompson grew up around horses and learned to ride long before she knew how to read.

“I was probably on a horse when I was a baby, honestly,” Thompson said. “It runs in the family.”

When asked about her hobbies in addition to rodeo, Thompson responded, “riding colts and training horses.”

Thompson raised and trained Salty from the time the horse was old enough to ride through to the 2024 NHSFR in breakaway roping.

“I did everything with her from the first ride to now,” Thompson said. “She probably knows me better than I know myself and I know her pretty well. I’ve been roping on her since day one. That connection and bond, it’s pretty special.”

The relationship took time to build. In response to a question about how that very first ride went for horse and young cowgirl, Thompson laughed:

“It definitely was pretty bumpy. I do remember that ride pretty clearly – it was something else, that’s for sure.”

With Lena, Thompson’s older sister Jacey helped with most of the initial training. Thompson took over when it came time to prepare Lena for competitive goat tying.

“We’ve been together since we were pretty young, too,” Thompson said.

The long haul

The rodeo season is a year-round, full-time job for Thompson. In addition to the fall and spring high school seasons, Thompson competes in large youth rodeos across the country. The miles stack up for family truck and horse trailer.

“I don’t know the exact number of miles we put on each year,” Thompson said. “But I tell you what, it’s a lot.”

Thompson takes a brief break from rodeo for a few weeks in December and January. Otherwise, “we’re going” nearly every day for 11 months. When she is not competing in a rodeo or traveling, Thompson dedicates untold hours to practicing her techniques in each event, working to “fix the problems” that crop up from previous rodeos.

“Between riding and everything, rodeo is kind of an all-day deal,” Thompson said. “All day, every day, when the weather allows.”

Thompson lacks an indoor arena for training in colder months but she doesn’t let a little wind or snow get in the way of work.

“We just tough it out in the winter,” Thompson added.

The strong sense of community among rodeo cowgirls and cowboys is borne out of those shared hours on the road, practicing in the cold and riding at competitions. Thompson developed many friendships in far-flung towns and cities across the U.S.

“I don’t think I’ve ever been to a rodeo and not met and became friends with people,” Thompson added.

Thompson met new friends at this year’s NHSFR from Australia and Hawai’i who rode horses that Thompson trained on her family ranch. The logistics of getting a horse from Australia or Hawai’i to Wyoming are prohibitive and families like the Thompsons often lend their horses for the job at the NHSFR.

“In the rodeo world, just about everyone would do anything for anyone,” Thompson said. “If the girl in front of me has a horse get injured and she was about to rope, I would let her get on my horse and rope. That’s why the rodeo world is so cool. In reality, we’re all like family.”

All the blood, sweat and tears over the years ultimately comes down to a passion for the sport, though.

“I love rodeo,” Thompson said. “It’s what I’ve done my whole life. It’s more than just a hobby. It’s kind of a job, a business. You’ve got to treat it like a business, too. You’ve got to win to keep going. But it’s a job I love to do.”

Thompson plans to continue her rodeo career in the professional circuit or at college, although at this point she is undecided about which specific path to take.

During the brief break from rodeo in the dead of winter, Thompson enjoys skiing with her family in the Snowy Range.

Thompson expressed deep gratitude to her family for their support over the years.

“All week long (at NHSFR), my parents were helping me out in any way they could. My mom drives me up and down the road everywhere and my dad works so we can afford it. All my siblings support me in a really big way and would do anything for me.”