Brendan Coleman and Tank, hard at work practicing with a roping dummy. (Photos courtesy Marci Ameluxen)
Coleman sits tall in the saddle at the Skagit County Fair.
There is a road on this Island, a road that is “kind of a bad-ass road.”
At least that’s how Marci Ameluxen, who lives there, views it, because the road has produced two of Whidbey’s top award-winning horse riders, Madison Tisa McPhee and Ameluxen’s son, Brendan Coleman.
Both have spent part of the summer competing in shows, with Coleman being in the spotlight most recently.
Teaming with fellow Coupeville High School grad Cody West, he claimed third in team roping last weekend at the Skagit County Fair.
The duo pulled off their final three runs in a combined time of 24.14 seconds, taking home a sweet $267 a man.
During the competition, which drew 30 riders, Coleman was paired with different partners before reuniting with his training partner for the finale.
The duo train in Oak Harbor at an arena on the West family property and Coleman, a heeler, is currently riding Tank, a horse owned by Cody’s mom, Linda West.
She’s a former math teacher at Coupeville Middle School.
While he’s fighting an impacted wisdom tooth right now, Coleman plans on being back up on his horse and riding soon.
The West Star Arena in Ellensburg will be his first stop, and he hopes to compete in Wenatchee on Labor Day weekend.
Coupeville Sports 