Youth Roughstock Riders Prove their Mettle at Battle Born Broncs

Battle Born Broncs wrapped up its fourth successful year, bringing top-ranking bronc riders from across the nation to Fallon in hopes of making a few eight-second rides. The wildly popular Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) Xtreme Broncs event continues to make kids a part of the show.

Since year one, Darcie Spero, founder and organizer of Battle Born Broncs, has been committed to helping young, aspiring roughstock riders stay safe, learn the sport, and experience the unmatched thrill of bronc riding.

For the last two years, Spero has coordinated the event to coincide with Fallon’s High School Rodeo, which draws high school and junior high competitors from across the state. The goal is to offer a rodeo training clinic designed to help the next generation of world-class roughstock riders. That effort took shape with the Battle Born Broncs Next Level PRCA Youth Camp.

Held on Friday, April 17, the annual clinic gave youth riders a rare opportunity to learn from some of the best professional saddle bronc riders, bareback riders, and bull riders in the world.  Photo below: Rostin Snow, in addition to winning the bull riding at the Fallon High School Rodeo, earns a top place slot in the Roughstock Challenge. Photo by 52 Photography, courtesy of Justin Snow.

Youth roughstock riders learned safety fundamentals, technical skills, and the importance of health and fitness. Among the professionals sharing their knowledge was saddle bronc rider Rusty Wright, currently ranked No. 2 in the world, who also set a new Rafter 3C Arena record last Saturday with a 90.5-point ride on Cypress Toddy to win the event. Returning to offer his time and experience was Mitch Pollack, a 10-year veteran and National Finals Rodeo qualifier from Winnemucca, who scored 86 points on Gone Girl Saturday night.

Teaching bareback riding were Wyatt Denny, a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier and 2015 Resistol Rookie of the Year, and Cody Custer, one of the sport’s most respected instructors. A 14-year professional bull rider, Custer was the 1992 PRCA World Champion and was inducted into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame in 2017.

Youth riders spent time in the chutes learning the best methods for getting on their animals, practiced on mechanical bucking machines, and put their knowledge to the test on live practice horses while working alongside their coaches.

For the first time, Spero added a new event, the Battle Born Broncs Junior Roughstock Challenge. She previously organized a similar event during the Cantaloupe Festival in 2024, but said combining it with Battle Born Broncs, the Fallon High School Rodeo, and the youth camp would give riders greater opportunity.

She was right. With roughly 50 saddle bronc, bareback, and bull riders ages 6-10 competing in two performances, the crowd was treated to a free event that delivered as much high-adrenaline action as the PRCA event Saturday night.

The event is the only one in the state that qualifies youth roughstock riders for the YETI Junior World Finals in Las Vegas, held during the National Finals Rodeo. “This is a direct qualifier,” Spero said. “If they place in the top two in each age group, they will qualify for Las Vegas.”

Event results:

High Point Winners: Bull Riding: Rodee DeMers (79 pts), Saddle Bronc Riding: Bill Gardner (74 pts), Bareback Riding: Shayde Volk (69 pts).

Bareback Riding 14–15 Age Division: 1st – Blaine Cornelison (122 pts), 2nd – Hank Gillespie (57 pts), Bareback Riding.

Bareback Riding 16–18 Age Division: 1st – Shayde Volk (132 pts), 2nd – Rodee DeMers (131 pts).

Saddle Bronc Riding12–13 Division: 1st – Bronc DeMers (61 pts).

Saddle Bronc Riding14–15 Division: 1st – Coy Wilson (126 pts), 2nd – Lincoln Arellano (59 pts).

Saddle Bronc Riding 16–18 Division: 1st – Bill Gardner (146 pts), 2nd – Cole Whittaker (123 pts), 3rd – Giovanni Berg (121 pts), 4th – Rio Segura (67 pts).

Saddle Bronc Riding T-5th/6th – Ben Marvel & Chris Mittelstadt (60 pts).

Bull Riding 10–11 Division: 1st – Taos Yarlott (70 pts).

Bull Riding 12–13 Division: 1st – Rostin Snow (67 pts).

Bull Riding 14–15 Division: 1st – Aiden Brown (146 pts, 2nd – Zo Vantassell (143 pts), 3rd – Billy Lewis (77 pts), 4th – Rowdy Bali (72 pts).

Bull Riding T-5th/6th: Kyler Cash Yarlott & Cooper Crane (71 pts), 7th – Josh O’Connor (61 pts).

Bull Riding 16–18 Division: 1st – Rodee DeMers (79 pts).

By the time the dust settled and the chutes went quiet, it was clear the future of Roughstock isn’t waiting its turn. It’s already here, hanging on for eight seconds, learning from the best, and chasing the same cowboy glory that built the sport.