Star Valley’s Case & Ryder Kerr stepped into the SVI Radio studio during First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday to discuss winning the Junior National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas in the Team Roping event.

(0:00) Duke Dance, Dale Erickson here with you in studio (0:02) and a couple of world champs with us as well. (0:05) Kayson Ryder-Kerr winning the buckle in team roping (0:08) at the National Junior, at the Junior National Finals (0:12) Rodeo in Las Vegas earlier this month. (0:13) Kayson Ryder, welcome back home.

(0:16) Congratulations, have you guys slide right up next (0:18) to those microphones real nice and close. (0:20) So, world champs guys, how’s that sound? (0:23) Sounds good to me. (0:26) So as far as this event goes, I mean, (0:28) you guys are no strangers to these types of things, (0:31) but how does this one stack up in your experience so far (0:35) in terms of the scope of it, the size of it? (0:39) Was this something that you were, (0:41) was it everything you expected? (0:43) Was it bigger, was it more calm? (0:46) What were some of your feelings on this? (0:48) Yeah, it was about what we expected.

(0:50) It was good, because there’s competition from all over, (0:53) so you kind of get to see where you’re at. (0:56) So, because you guys have competed in the high school (0:59) finals before, we’ve had you in to talk about that, (1:02) so were there a lot of the same athletes, (1:03) or was it a little bit different this time? (1:06) Oh, there was a lot of the same competition there. (1:08) It wasn’t quite as big as the high school national finals, (1:13) but yeah, there’s definitely some (1:15) of the same competition there.

(1:17) In terms of team roping, what are some things (1:21) that maybe, I mean, even we are in a rodeo part (1:24) of the country, but what are some things (1:25) that maybe people don’t recognize (1:27) that you guys go out and do when you go out on the run? (1:30) Maybe some, a hidden, not even hidden, (1:33) but what are some things that’s common to you guys, (1:35) but maybe not so common to what somebody else (1:38) might just be watching and going, (1:39) wow, I didn’t know anything about that? (1:42) Just, I don’t know, it’s hard to practice here (1:44) in the winter, so we went down a couple weeks early (1:46) just to practice in Mesquite, and yeah. (1:51) Gotcha. (1:52) Now, walk us through the competition.

(1:54) Of course, there’s multiple rounds and everything, (1:57) and if I’m not mistaken, you guys didn’t actually (2:00) win a round, but you never missed, right? (2:01) And so the overall point, so how does the competition work, (2:05) and how do you end up winning the buckle in this thing? (2:08) Yeah, so there’s five rounds, four long rounds (2:12) and a short go, and pretty much the fastest team on five, (2:19) or in our case, we were the only team to catch five, (2:22) won it, or if everyone goes out on one, (2:24) then it just goes down to the fastest team on four. (2:29) Have you ever been part of a competition (2:30) where it worked out that way before, (2:32) or is it almost always someone wins the whole thing (2:36) that actually wins one of the rounds? (2:39) I don’t know, high school nationals was definitely the same. (2:43) Fastest time on three, though.

(2:45) So yeah, we’ve seen it before. (2:47) Case and Ryder Kerr in studio this morning. (2:49) So, and Case, if I’m not mistaken, (2:51) you won the Open with a different roping partner, right? (2:54) So you’ve actually got two buckles? (2:55) Yes, sir, yeah.

(2:56) So who was your other partner, how does the Open work, (2:59) and what made it different from the one you won with Ryder? (3:01) So I was roping with Cash Cook, he’s from Idaho Falls, (3:06) and we went out in the first round, (3:09) but then we came back and won two of the other rounds, (3:12) and nobody caught five in the Open, (3:14) so we ended up winning that, too. (3:17) One of the things that stood out to me (3:19) was the pile of stuff you guys won for this case. (3:24) Let’s ask each of you, what was the favorite thing (3:28) from all of the items? (3:30) Maybe tell us some of the things that you won, (3:32) but maybe, and then one of your favorites.

(3:34) Yeah, we won like coolers and pads, (3:37) and certificates for like hats and boots, (3:41) and saddles, obviously, which is probably my favorite. (3:45) Yeah, we got these Turtle Box speakers, (3:48) and they’re pretty nice. (3:50) Awesome, now of course you guys are at the NFR in Vegas, (3:54) and all is kind of going simultaneous (3:56) with the national finals, right? (3:58) So did you get a chance to, through this, (4:01) meet maybe some of your roping idols, if you will, (4:05) maybe some of your favorites (4:06) that are competing at the finals? (4:08) Did you have a chance to do that? (4:09) Maybe you’ve already met them, I don’t know.

(4:11) Yeah, you know, they’re always around, (4:13) like Cowboy Christmas and stuff, and yeah, I don’t know. (4:19) Is that the next goal for you guys, (4:22) is to be in the main show, in the arena? (4:25) Yeah, that, and compete at the college level, (4:27) and then go up to that, yeah. (4:29) Okay, so how do you, what’s the process to do that? (4:32) You talk about going to college, so what’s next? (4:36) Just figuring out what school we want to go to, (4:38) and then, yeah.

(4:41) Do you have any preferences, guys, (4:43) on where you want to end up? (4:45) Not really, we’ve talked to a couple different schools, (4:47) but haven’t really decided where yet. (4:50) All right, Kayson Radiker in studio this morning, (4:52) and winners of the National Junior Finals Rodeo, (4:55) what does it take to be a champion in this type of event? (5:00) Takes a lot of practice. (5:03) Just nonstop with you guys, right? (5:05) I mean, I laugh because I have a nephew, (5:08) and we make fun of him, because he’s in roping, (5:10) he lives in Idaho, and he’s into roping, (5:13) and he used to sleep with his rope.

(5:15) He’s not a little kid anymore, (5:17) so he doesn’t really do that anymore, (5:18) but it really has to be not just a hobby, right? (5:21) It has to be more than that, correct? (5:22) Yeah, for sure. (5:25) In terms of the horses that you guys ride, (5:28) how does it differ from, first off, (5:32) I’m sure the Curve House has a few horses, (5:34) but how does your roping horse (5:37) differ from maybe some of the others? (5:39) Yeah, we got a few, for sure, (5:41) but you got different horses (5:43) that are better for different places. (5:46) Then in Vegas, they’re really small arenas, (5:48) so you gotta have a little quicker horse.

(5:51) And they differ from just your ranch horses, (5:53) just by seasoning them and roping on them more. (5:58) So, do you have a favorite horse, then, that you guys use? (6:02) Or does it depend on the event? (6:06) We definitely have our favorites, (6:07) but it also depends on the event, (6:09) on which ones we ride and stuff. (6:12) Kayson Ryder-Kerr, and again, (6:14) champs from the National Junior Finals Rodeo.

(6:17) Well, guys, congrats again. (6:19) Appreciate your time, and wish you the very best of luck. (6:22) Maybe we’ll see you on TV one day at the NFR.

(6:25) Sounds good, thank you. (6:26) Very cool, that’s Kayson Ryder-Kerr this morning. (6:28) First Bank of Wyoming Sports Friday (6:29) on the SBI Radio Network.