CASPER, Wyo. — The College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR) Family Day featured a mutton busting competition that stole the show. Children from across Wyoming and beyond participated in the event, which was held during an intermission in the day’s rodeo action.

Young Riders Compete

Riders, aged 5-7, competed for a championship belt buckle. Many of the young competitors showed confidence as they entered the arena. Seven-year-old Wrenley from Saratoga was preparing for his first mutton busting competition and said he expected to win. Another confident rider was Nolan, 7, from Casper, who had competed before and predicted a win.

For 5-year-old Maeleigh from Glenrock, the event was a new experience. She said her favorite part of the rodeo is “riding the sheep.” When asked what she hopes to do in the rodeo one day, her answer was simple: “I want to ride a horse.”

Brothers Cooper, 7, and Lincoln, 5, arrived dressed for the occasion in matching chaps and vests. Before the competition, Cooper estimated he would stay on somewhere between one and 10 seconds, while his brother Lincoln set a goal of one second. Both boys said they hope to become bull riders.

The top score of the day belonged to Beau, a 7-year-old from Arkansas. A seasoned mutton buster, Beau won the competition with 92 points and took home the championship belt buckle. Despite the victory, Beau was confident going into his ride: “I was expecting to at least be in third. That’s what I was expecting,” he said.

The event offered a glimpse at the future of rodeo, with many of the young riders saying they hope to compete in events like saddle bronc and bull riding. While the competition was over almost as quickly as it began, the event gave young rodeo fans a chance to experience the arena for themselves.

Original reporting: Oil City News (Casper WY) — read the source article.