JUNIOR RODEO FAMILY: Riding tradition

Youngest Sanford following in his siblings' hoof prints

Jim Konst/special to vIEWJacob Sanford bumps the barrel in practice on Kisses as he works to beat his best time. He may become the third Sanford to win a saddle for being the point leader of the Wrangler Junior Rodeo Association.

The Sanford family from Boulder City is on a quest to set their mark in the rodeo arena. If Jacob Sanford can finish the season with the most points in the Pee Wee division of the Wrangler Junior Rodeo Association this summer, he will become the third member of the Sanford family to win a championship saddle.

His sister Breann won a saddle last year, and his older brother Jarad won one two years ago.

"Breann's saddle is just hanging in the house," said the rodeo broods father, Matt Sanford, "because she's still too small to use it."

Sometimes it seems to Gayle and Matt Sanford that they spend more time at the Boulder City Corrals than they do at home, because they are raising three young rodeo stars who love to ride and rope with their horses as much as they can.

Jacob is 5 now, and he will be starting kindergarten at Mitchell Elementary at the end of the month.

"I love riding horses and being a cowboy," Jacob said. "I'm hoping to win a saddle, but it might be too heavy for me."

He currently is in first place in the WJRA for the saddle and competes in barrel racing, dummy roping, flag racing and the goat tail ribbon pull. He recently received a new horse to ride named Hammer. His favorite events are dummy roping and barrels.

"My favorite part of being a cowgirl is riding my horse Kisses," Breann said. "I love competing in barrels and poles, and I'm gonna try and win my second saddle this year."

Breann is 7 and competes in the WJRA and Lil' Britches rodeos. She also is in first place in her division and is on track to win her second consecutive saddle. Her events are dummy roping, barrel racing, pole bending and goat ribbon pulls.

"Breann is very competitive," said her mom, Gayle Sanford. "She is my wild child and has no fear."

"I want to be a veterinarian when I grow up," Breann said, "because I love animals."

She has been riding for five years and will be in second grade this fall.

Jarad, 9, will be in fourth grade at King Elementary School this fall.

"Jarad is my true cowboy," Gayle Sanford said. "He competes in team roping, breakaway calf roping, flag racing, steer dubbing and goat tying. His favorite events are team and calf roping."

He practices his roping four days a week for three to four hours with the adults. He has a new horse this year named Joe, who keeps up with him better than the one he had before.

"I love competing in rodeos," Jarad said. "When I grow up, I want to team rope for a living and compete in the National Finals Rodeo. I might want to be a skateboarder, too."

Jarad currently is in third place in the Junior Division of the WJRA and also competed in several Lil' Britches rodeos this year. In his short rodeo career, Jarad already has won a number of belt buckles, over 100 ribbons and a WJRA saddle.

He has a lot of help with his roping, and some of the adults that volunteer their time to work with him at the BC Corrals are Scott and Sean Trodahl and Mark Fields.

Jarad received a gift this year that he practices with all the time -- Hot Heels, a mechanical steer for roping.

When Jared gets off his horse, he enjoys playing first base and shortstop for the Cardinals Little League team.

"Between rodeos, gymnastics and baseball games we're very busy," Gayle Sanford said. "We love spending the time with the kids and wouldn't have it any other way. We went to 15 rodeos this year already."

Competing in rodeos is very expensive, and the Sanford family is thrilled to have Star Nursery continue to sponsor them.

Gayle Sanford puts in a lot of hours at the corrals with the kids and the horses. However, she's very happy to have all that family time together.