A cowboy and his horse.
Brendan Coleman (left) and Cody West practice the art of team roping.
“What I enjoy most is seeing all the hours of hard work come together in a single, successful seven-second run.”
It’s those brief bursts of intense athletic accomplishment, and a love of the cowboy lifestyle, that has carried Brendan Coleman from the world of baseball to the arena of competitive horse riding.
A key member of the 2010 state champion Central Whidbey Junior Little League squad, Coleman now does most of his best work from the back of a horse.
After starting out in western gaming (barrel racing, pole bending, etc.) three years ago, often competing along side fellow Coupeville High School star Madison Tisa McPhee, he’s found his niche in team roping. In the event, two riders rope a steer, with the Header striking first, followed by the Heeler.
“While I can head and heel fairly well, I definitely favor heeling,” Coleman said.
After learning most of his skills from watching videos, he showed enough promise to attract the attention of CHS grad Cody West, an accomplished team roper.
After initially riding a horse, J’Lo, that he was leasing, Coleman was offered a chance by West’s parents to ride one of their finished (fully trained) Heel horses, Tank.
“He’s definitely improved my roping even in this short time,” Coleman said. “I’m eager to see how we do at the Skagit County Fair and Rodeo next Saturday the 10th.”
While he enjoyed his time on the baseball diamond, Coleman has found a whole new level of enjoyment in his new sport.
“I could spend a month of Sundays talking about what I like about it,” Coleman said. “In a lot of respects, it’s like any other sport. You get out what you put in; it requires a good deal of commitment and dedication and you can only succeed if you’re a team player.
“However, where it differs is the fact that there’s another brain and body involved, and that the sport of rodeo represents a whole (cowboy) lifestyle that is becoming harder to find,” he added. “You can learn more by just talking to some old timers at rodeos than you could in any classroom.”
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