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MAKING RODEO A FAMILY TRADITION: National Little Britches Rodeo Association
Each year, youth and their families gather in Guthrie, Oklahoma, for the National Little Britches Rodeo Association (NLBRA) Finals at the Lazy E Arena. Throughout a weeklong course of events and celebrations, more than 1,400 young men and women come together to celebrate their love of roping and riding.
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
It’s for the love of the sport that adults bring their children from far and wide to offer them a chance to compete alongside their peers and earn money for college. Rodeo is as much a family tradition as a Hank Williams, Jr. song. So, it’s no surprise the NLBRA attracts families who want to introduce their children to fun activities that often grow into a lifelong passion for the arena and the country western lifestyle. Founded in 1952 in Colorado Springs, which was also where NLBRA’s finals event took place for many years, the event moved to Pueblo, Colorado, and eventually to the Lazy E in 2016. While the finals events always had a healthy turnout, the latest change of venue would prove fruitful as the organization’s membership doubled after the move. The new home in Oklahoma opened the floodgates for Midwest and Southern families to join NLBRA festivities.
Over the past 60 years, Little Britches has grown to include franchises in 33 states and more than 400 events annually. The franchises hold rodeos throughout the year, where kids compete for a chance to qualify for the national event in July. Those local events offer scholarships and other opportunities, contributing to growth in the local rodeo community.
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
“They’re the ones that introduce the kids to it and get them ready for competing and advance them along until they’re ready to compete at the nationals,” Annie Walter, the NLBRA’s Executive Director, says of the franchises.
And, with so many qualifying events, families can limit their travel to ones that fit their availability and lifestyle as the kids work toward qualifying for the main event.
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
With the amount of money at stake, it’s no wonder the NLBRA is growing in popularity. Overall prize money, scholarships, and awards this year totaled $500,000, including a jackpot payout of $274,800. As a result, more than 1,400 contestants between the ages of 5 and 18 made their way to the Lazy E to bond over roping and riding and build lifelong friendships.
There are three divisions within those age ranges. The Little Wrangler division is for children ages 5 to 8, the Junior Division is for those ages 9 to 13, and the Senior Division for cowboys and cowgirls ages 14 to 18. While the Little Wrangler division is co-ed, the Junior and Senior divisions offer separate events for boys and girls.
Contestants can compete in any of 33 events, including rough stock divisions for Juniors and Seniors and other popular rodeo activities such
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
-ANNIE WALTER
as barrels and roping events. Some events are unique to the NLBRA, such as the trail course for Junior and Senior girls, which is an obstacle course with bridges, jumps, and gates.
Some young rodeo athletes have individually earned more than $20,000 toward their college education. After each finals, the NLBRA rewards contestants that place in the top three and grants additional scholarships based on school accomplishments. That money goes directly into a scholarship fund, which the organization pays to the school once the student enrolls in college. This is in addition to the jackpot money they earn for placing in the NLBRA finals.
But ultimately, families return year after year because of that deep-seated sense of community. As youth from all over the country gather to celebrate their love of rodeo, they naturally become friends, much like children who bond at summer camp. After the event, they stay connected through
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
social media and look forward to the following year’s event, when they can see their friends again.
“It’s pretty amazing how people just jump in the truck and go, especially with these times, and the fuel prices and everything that’s going on in the country right now,” Walter says. “They still seem to go, and I think a big part of it is the family aspect. It gives the family someplace to go where they feel safe, and the kids can still be kids.”
While the focus is the rodeo events, the NLBRA’s weeklong celebration also features other activities. For example, the team will host dances and cookouts. The family-oriented environment ensures everyone behaves appropriately and takes care of one another.
“It’s always amazing to me how the big ones just kind of take care of the little ones,” Walter says.
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
The finals also feature a rodeo royalty contest, which crowns a Little Wrangler Princess, a Junior Princess, and a Queen. The winning young ladies then have the opportunity to travel to several events representing the NLBRA throughout the year.
“The girls go through the royalty program and then come back and either help Little Britches through internships or work for us during the finals. Some may also work with other rodeo associations or even go on to run for pageants within their states and even Miss Rodeo America. So, they stay very involved with the kids, even after they grow up and move out of the program,” Walter says.
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
Franchises even offer opportunities for children who are too young or not advanced enough to compete, designating their roles as “trail hands.” The program introduces kids to the rodeo, which can help them with early-age leadership skills and help them combat issues like shyness. In turn, it ends up being about kids helping kids.
“The Little Britches has a rule that a parent cannot cross the plane of the gate, but another contestant can help them,” she says. “It’s really designed to have the contestants help the contestants. For the kids who are nervous, it’s sometimes easier to have another one helping them and be involved, but push them along a little bit.”
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
Those stories of grit and determination show why the NLBRA does what it does.
Walter shares the story of a child with a disability impacting one of her hands, who was part of a family where her sibling competed in team roping and breakaway. She wanted to participate in roping events as well. Although some might suggest that doing so would be impossible due to her disability, it didn’t deter her. Instead, she worked with the NLBRA, which allowed her to use a special mechanism to compete in events.
The young cowgirl learned how to rope and moved into the Junior Division this year.
“Just to be able to overcome such an obstacle of that nature and compete says a lot about her grit, determination, and work ethic,” Walter says.
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
The organization relies on 18 volunteer board members and three youth board members, all of whom work together to keep the organization thriving. The adult volunteers often help with their own local franchises and, on behalf of the NLBRA, travel around the country for quarterly board meetings on their own dime. Their dedication proves they’re invested in the organization’s overall success.
“The goal is to get the kids involved in something from a young age and give them something that they can compete at and work toward all through their school years and up to college,” Walter says. “It’s a good, safe environment for the kids, and it keeps them out of trouble.”
Visit www.nlbra.com to learn more about getting involved with the National Little Britches Rodeo Association.
Photo: James Phifer / RodeoBum.com
