Area rodeo youth participated in the National Little Britches Finals Rodeo (NLBRA), which was held July 5, to July 11, in Guthrie, Oklahoma. Kinder’s own Jace Popillion was named Jr. Boys Bull Riding Champion. Ross Hebert placed in the Top 25 out of 200 calf roping participants, and Hunter Martin placed fourth in goat tying.
Popillion, son of Rebecca Popillion and the late Raylin, walked away with a saddle and four buckles along with a $1,000 in scholarship money and approximately $400 to $500 in jackpot monies. He was named the Jr. Boys Bull Riding Champion. He placed first in the first round of competition and fourth in the second round. He receive a world champion saddle and buckle and a second buckle for his average.
Popillion, 14, will be a freshman at Kinder High School this year. His mom, Rebecca, said she was very proud of him. He covered all three of his bulls and won the average and world titles in his competition.
The rodeo season runs from October to June. A participant must place first at least five times to make the nationals. Popillion had nine first place wins.
This is his third year of competition, and he has done well. He was in the Top Seven in his first year. However he did not do well in his second year. This year, his third, was the lucky charm for him, and he did very well.
The Popillions live in the country, but there is no rough stock in Kinder for him to train. Besides bull riding, he does rope calves and rides horses. To train, he travels to Egan to practice for an hour-and-a-half at Joey Hebert’s home where he usually rides Joey Cooley’s stock. On Thursdays, they drive to Jasper, Texas, to practice at Vernon Kaylor’s home.
He wants to thank all of these people who help him train each week. He also thanked his mentor, Wallace “Webe” Burns. Popillion started participating because of Burns.
He said his event of bull riding requires lots of mental work, training and riding and learning techniques to stay on the bull.
“You got to be sticky,” his mom said. She said he did not see this particular stock during the season. So for him to do well at the championship competition was great since he had never crossed paths with any of the stock used. Popillion’s mom said she had never seen him go into an event so mentally prepared. “It was amazing to watch. He rode so gracefully.”
At the event, awards ended at 7 p.m. It took the family nine hours to get home – reaching Kinder at 4 a.m. A week full of work and practices, and Rebecca said they were preparing to head to Mesquite, Texas, to participate in a PCRA rodeo final. She said Popillion had recently rode his first PCRA event in an exhibition ride and placed first. She said he rode four bulls and placed every time.
After his win, Popillion said, “It felt good to know that I’m a champion.”
He said it was important to train everyday and have a good mind-set when choosing to ride for competition. When competing he said, “I know I’m going to ride my bull every round.”
Rebecca thanked everyone who has supported her son and has shown their trust in him through training and mentoring behind the chutes and in the competitions. She said the prayers, cheers, etc. are appreciated.
This year’s rodeo finals consisted of 13 events in divisions for junior boys and girls and senior boys and girls. Events from goats, poles, steer wrestling, bulls, bareback, barrels, roping, breakaway and ribbon roping were held.
Other rodeo participants included Popillion, Hebert, Martin, Tatum Wright, Cole Sullivan, MacKenzy Broussard, Kaylee Fruge, Kynslee Fruge, Brayson Manuel and Tucker Wright.
