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YOUNG PRO FEATURE

CATCHING UP WITH SMARTY YOUNG PRO TEAM MEMBERS



We recently had the opportunity to catch up with four members of the Smarty Young Pro Team. This week, we are joined by Brice Beene of Anderson, Texas, Ella Lawton of Eleva, Wisconsin, Trinity Gonzales of Canyon, Texas, and Trisyn Kalawaia of Hilo, Hawaii.


Tell us a little about yourself and what all events do you compete in?

  • Brice: Team Roping (Header and Heeler)

  • Ella: Team Roping, Breakaway Roping, Pole Bending, Barrel Racing. (Heeler)

  • Trinity: Barrels, poles, breakaway, and goats

  • Trisyn: Team Roping, tie-down, steer wrestling. (Header)


At what age did you start riding?

  • Brice: 3 years old

  • Ella: I started riding when I was five years old.

  • Trinity: I started riding when I was three.

  • Trisyn: I started riding competitively in first grade.


Who is your favorite pro rodeo athlete?

  • Brice: Favorite Header Clay Smith and Favorite Heeler Jade Corkill

  • Ella: My favorite professional rodeo athlete is Jackie Crawford.

  • Trinity: My favorite professional rodeo athlete is Kelsie Chase or Joseph Harrison.

  • Trisyn: Tyler Waguespack

How do you prepare yourself for an intense rodeo and school schedule?

  • Brice: Staying organized, following a schedule, and don't procrastinate.

  • Ella: When preparing for an intense rodeo and school schedule I always make sure that I am eating healthy and working out to keep my mind focused. I also make sure I’m either practicing or studying the task that I am preparing for. Lastly, I always prepare my horses by making sure they are clean and feeling well.

  • Trinity: I prepare myself before an intense rodeo and school schedule by getting all my homeschool done in the evenings and getting all my riding and roping practice in during the day. If we are on the road I’ll do my school in the trailer.

  • Trisyn: I sit down, think, and plan out my schedule a week in advance and make sure I’m able to go to school, work and practice.


Tell us a little about your horse?

  • Brice: Heel Horse Rooster: 15yr old sorrel that is easy going and takes care of me and is low maintenance. Head Horse Jackie: 17yr old grey that will rope as many as you want and same trip every time

  • Ella: I have six horses. Their names are Roxy, Vader, Peppy, Paco, Annie, and Sammi. Roxy and Paco are both in the training stage to eventually become roping horses. Vader and Peppy are my main roping horses. Annie and Sammi are my barrel and pole horses.

  • Trinity: Thor is my breakaway horse. He’s a 96 calf horse that came off a ranch in Happy, TX. My dad and I started and finished him out in the breakaway, but he also knows and hates the poles.

  • Trisyn: My head horse (cruiser) is a very strong, big and high speed horse. I recently started him and he just completed his first season of rodeo. He’s 6 years old.

What songs gets you pumped up before a rodeo/roping?

  • Brice: I listen to all types of songs/music so not really any specific ones.

  • Ella: The songs that get me pumped up before a rodeo/roping are Thunderstruck by AC/DC, Rodeo by Garth Brooks, and The River by Garth Brooks.

  • Trinity: Before a rodeo/roping I listen to Cows Around, Believer, or Legend.

  • Trisyn: Only the fast -Roosevelt Road

What’s your favorite meal on the road?

  • Brice: Chicken Express

  • Ella: My favorite meal on the road is a cheeseburger and fries with a Diet Pepsi.

  • Trinity: My favorite/usual meal on the road is peanut butter and jelly sandwiches.

  • Trisyn: Pizza


What do you want to major in college?

  • Brice: I plan to major in an agriculture-related field

  • Ella: I plan on going to college at Central Arizona College and Texas A&M University to major in becoming an Equine Veterinarian.

  • Trinity: I plan on going to college at Texas A&M and majoring in business.

  • Trisyn: Equine Management and Training

What’s your favorite subject in school?

  • Trisyn: Math

You’re on the road a lot, when do you practice?

  • Brice: During the week in between rodeos/ropings

  • Ella: When I am on the road a lot I practice when I arrive at a rodeo early, have spare time, and before my run.

  • Trinity: When I’m on the road a lot I try to practice on the day’s that were home and if we are gone for weeks at a time I rope the dummy a lot to keep my loops sharp.

  • Trisyn: In Hawaii, we only live on an island so we aren’t on the road a lot here. But I’m sure that will all change later this fall when I go to college.

Who is your traveling partner(s):

  • Brice: Parents

  • Ella: My traveling partners are my dad and my dog Bex.

  • Trinity: I travel with my dad to all my rodeos and I travel with him to his PRCA rodeos as well.

  • Trisyn: It will probably be my team roping partner.

What do you do when you are not rodeoing?

  • Brice: Play Baseball or fish

  • Ella: When I am not rodeoing I am training horses, practicing both heeling and breakaway roping, working for our family business, donating my time to our local historic church, and playing my guitar and singing.

  • Trisyn: Weld and practice/train horses.

What’s your favorite thing about rodeoing?

  • Brice: The atmosphere and adrenaline rush

  • Ella: My favorite thing about rodeoing is the adrenaline rush you get when all your hard work has paid off.

  • Trisyn: Winning

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