By Frank J. Buchman
When it’s in the genes, blood-running-rodeo, so to speak, and most every night rain, mud, sun, sleet or snow, is spent in the practice pen, there’s a pot of gold with the rainbow.
That might seem a roundabout way of describing Reed Boos, but it’s certainly most accurate for the 14-year-old White Cloud cowboy recently honored as all-around champion in the Kansas Junior High School Rodeo Association following yearend finals competition at Whitewater.
But, before too much applause is given the recent Doniphan West Middle School (Denton) graduate, who’s already collected 11 rodeo trophy saddles in his young arena career, know one of his toughest competitors every time out is little brother Jesse, 12, who’ll be a seventh grader at Denton.
Children of Jeff and Peggy Boos, and both little brothers of perhaps more renown rodeo winners at this point, Kaleb, 24, and Kolby, 23, Reed and Jesse have been riding since before they could walk, competing in every competition they could find, and often in the bright lights.
“Jeff has been a roper all of his life, and has won a lot of rodeo and jackpot awards. He has a handful of trophy saddles, and the boys have certainly followed in their dad’s boot steps. More of our effort now is helping the boys, hauling to rodeos, making sure they’re mounted, and the like,” insisted mom Peggy.
Jeff, an agriculture equipment merchandizer by paying profession, is leading rodeo coach, and Mom is assistant coach with always a helpful perspective as well, apparent by their sons’ successes.
“We’re always ready to help. Some boys don’t think their parents know as much as an outsider might. But, with both Jeff and I’s perspective, it’s the best and worst for our boys, which seems to work out well,” explained Peggy, a cosmetologist by trade, who hasn’t been an arena competitor, but a most helpful rodeo mom by heart.
“Reed has always had a rope in his hand, started competing and winning in breakaway roping when he was five-years-old, following his dad, and older brothers into the arena, and Jesse has been right after them all,” Peggy informed.
Climaxing with his all-around title at the Junior High Finals, after going to nine rodeos throughout the spring and fall seasons, Reed ended the year fourth in goat tying, and first in tie down calf roping, ribbon roping and team roping.
“Kya Johnson of Bennington was his ribbon roping partner this year, and Jesse was his team roping partner, making that title even more special to them both, and definitely, Jeff and I,” Mom verified.
Junior High Rodeo is only for sixth to eighth graders, so this was the first year for Jesse. In addition to the family team roping championship, Jesse in the yearend standings was seventh in breakaway roping, ninth with partner Prairie Rose Robbins in ribbon roping, and 10th in breakaway roping
Top four yearend placings after the junior High Finals qualify for the National Junior High Finals Rodeo in Des Moines, Iowa, June 21-27.
“This will be Jesse’s first trip there, so he’s pretty excited, but Reed has qualified the past two years, was reserve all-around in the sixth grade, and placed in high in several events both times he’s been to the national junior high finals,” Peggy said.
For clarification, junior high cowboys cannot compete in both breakaway roping and tie down roping. “Reed has competed in tie down the past two years, and Jesse was in breakaway this year, but he’ll be in tie down the next two years,” Mom explained.
However, essential to credit, Reed was recognized with rookie cowboy award in the United Rodeo Association (URA) last year. All of the Boos cowboy compete in URA competitions, as well as United States Team Roping Circuit (USTRC) events, and jackpot rodeos throughout the Midwest.
Suffice to say; while trophy saddles get the most conversation wins, Jesse has collected literally hundreds of buckles, plaques and rodeo awards, with his personal trophy a guaranteed forthcoming addition to the crowded family collection.
Which end which in the brother team event? “Reed can head and heel. He’s headed at the junior high rodeos the past two years, but Jesse headed and Reed heeled this year. That’s the way they’ll compete at the finals, and at a lot of the other events this year,” Peggy said.
Practice makes perfect, and the Boos ropers are coming close, much credit due to time spent mastering their lariat throwing skills.
“We have cattle, roping steers and calves, here at the ranch and practice nearly every night year around weather permitting. If conditions prohibit workouts here, we’ll drive to indoor facilities with at Savannah, or Oregon, both across the state line in Missouri. It’s about 100 miles one way to either of those arenas,” Mom related.
With the accumulation of awards collected in goat tying, at the junior competitions, practice stock is essential, too. “But, we only have one goat. That’s enough. It seems like I have a hard time keeping a goat around,” Peggy admitted smugly.
Inner desires, ability, practice, all important, and good and well, but there’s another ingredient, to the winning equation, most important of all: horsepower.
“Of course, it takes several horse to keep the cowboys all going all of the time, and we have had some different mounts for them, yet they’re fortunate to have a great team of horses now,” Peggy credited.
“But, I think everybody would have to agree our best horse, the one responsible for more rewards than any is Change, our 23-year-old sorrel gelding ridden by Kolby and then by Reed in calf roping, breakaway, heading and heeling,” Mom emphasized.
“It’d be hard to figure all of the money and honors that have been won on Change, including the jackpots, URA, USTRC, and he’s still going strong, by Reed only uses him in calf roping in the main competitions. That is unless another horse isn’t working well, or gets injured, then we call out most dependable Change,” Peggy continued.
Holly a nine-year-old red roan mare considered dad Jeff’s heel horse, Holly, is ridden in several events by Reed.
“Minnie, Reed’s calf roping horse, only cost $700 at the sale barn, but we had her trained, and Reed worked with the trainer riding Minnie. They grew up together, actually, and are a real team. There’ve been lots of people want to buy Minnie, for lots of money, but she’s not for sale, we wouldn’t take any amount of money for her,” Mom said.
Jesse’s main mount is nine-year-old bay mare, Vegas, used in heading and goat tying. “We call her that because Jesse says she can take him all the way to the National Finals Rodeo,” Peggy noted.
Jennie, a gray mare, is generally ridden by Jesse in calf roping and breakaway roping.
Both young cowboys are honor students, and Reed will be a freshman at Doniphan West in Highland this fall planning to be in FFA, while Jesse’s a seventh grader. “They aren’t involved in other sports, because roping practice and going to rodeos keeps them both busy,” Mom said.
Actually impossible to know what the future holds, but goals for Reed and Jesse Boos? “They plan to compete in the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, in team roping, as partners, and hopefully calf roping, too,” Peggy said.
First things first, the brothers team will be at the National Junior High School Finals, then this fall, Reed will move up to high school rodeos, while Jesse won’t have to worry about beating his toughest competitor big brother at the junior high events.
Looking toward high school titles, for both, then college, as well as URA, USTRC, and ultimately the Professional Cowboy’s Association, Reed and Jesse Boos are going to spend a of time practicing, and on the rodeo trail in years ahead.
Others can keep up with their practice sessions, travels, accomplishments on Facebook. “The boys have a site called The Regulators, after watching a movie about Jessie James,” Mom said.
The Boos brothers’ cousins, Grayden, Fletcher, Parker and Hudsen Penny from Troy, also compete successfully in rodeos, and share their escapades on the Facebook page, too.
Never a slack moment for the rodeo champions Reed and Jesse Boos and all of their family.
“It looks like our life will get even busier, if that’s even possible,” Peggy concluded.
