In Michigan, You Can Join the Rodeo at Age 10

Charlotte — You don’t have to be a tough-guy-cowboy to rodeo in Michigan. Ten-year-olds can rope their first goat, and teenagers can debut riding into the dirt arena on a 1,000-pound animal.

At least that’s what the members of the Michigan High School Rodeo Association have grown up knowing.

Dressed in traditional Western rodeo attire, per the association rules requirement, high school students participated in the Frontier Days High School Rodeo competition last weekend in Charlotte.

Saddled up under the beating late-summer sun, these high schoolers came from all across Michigan, Ohio, and even Canada to rope and ride.

Originating from the Spanish vaqueros who brought cattle ranching and horses to the Americas in the 1500s, American rodeo includes fast-paced technical events showcasing horsemanship and skill.

While American rodeo began in the Southwest, it spread across America and the world in the early 1800s with scripted, traveling rodeo shows.

Modern rodeos, though, are organic demonstrations of the skills necessary to ride a bucking bronco or bull, rope a steer, or navigate a horse around stationed barrels as quickly as possible.

But how do high school students even get involved in rodeo? For lots of kids, it runs in the family.

“I started high school rodeo my sixth grade year and I've been doing it ever since I was a kid,” high school rodeo participant Lilah Judah said. “I've always had horses. My dad did [rodeo] bowls, and my mom barrel raced. But I've been doing it my whole life.”

Lilah Judah competed with her sister, Eliza, during Saturday’s high school team roping event. She also competed independently in barrel racing and, her favorite event, goat roping.

Goat roping is not an event listed in professional rodeo events so one might think: “Should what these kids participate in really be considered rodeo?”

But after watching the intensity of these events, how hard the kids work to achieve the lowest time they possibly can, their horsemanship, poise, and confidence, there is no doubt that this is real rodeo.

As one of 43 states in the National High School Rodeo Association founded in 1949, Michigan high school students have the opportunity to compete in up to 11 rodeos from August to July for the 2026-27 season.

The Charlotte Frontier Days was the second weekend of competition for the high school rodeo season. Becoming a member of the National High School Rodeo Association does not require any past experience in rodeo.

High school freshman Morgan Bush participated Saturday afternoon in the high school rodeo events, performing his favorite event—team roping—but also making an appearance Saturday night during the professional rodeo.

A 14-year-old with the confidence of a much older man, Bush took a ride on one of the professional-level bulls. Although he did not make the full 8 seconds for a scored ride, Bush displayed “true grit” even John Wayne could envy.

Emree Huver, another freshman participant, said starting rodeo at a young age sets kids up for the best college and future opportunities possible.

“If you can start in fifth grade, awesome,” Huver said. “If you can’t, definitely get in during your freshman year of high school to get the ball rolling and more opportunities.”

Lilah Judah echoed Huver, emphasizing the longevity of the sport.

“Unlike volleyball or basketball, you can do this forever,” Judah said. “There are 90-year-olds doing rodeo, there are fifth graders in rodeo. You can do this however long you like.”

So if you’ve ever needed some reassurance that Gen Z will be OK handling the struggles of life, attend a high school rodeo and see the courage that these Michigan students have to saddle up and take on any challenge.