Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette
Easley carrying on family rodeo tradition
LOWELL — Levi Easley is just carrying on a family tradition.
The 17-year-old from Lowell grew up watching family members roping and riding in rodeos. He became the fourth generation in his family to compete in team roping at age 13 and will compete Wednesday in that event at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyo.
“I’ve always been around it and just got into it,” Easley said. “I was about 12 or 13 when I started to take it seriously.”
Easley and Seth Lee of Greenbrier won the team roping event in the first of 12 regional rodeos and stayed in the top spot the entire season through the high school finals to qualify for the National Finals. The week-long event included competitors from 43 states, Canada, Mexico and Australia last year.
The pair is slated for their first run Wednesday morning and a second one in the evening. The top 20 advance to the short-go on Saturday.
He roped with a different partner last season but has known Lee through competition for several years. They decided to compete together and it’s obviously worked out well.
“My dad and Seth’s uncle and dad have been friends forever,” Easley said. “I just got to know him through the sport.
“I practice hard and so does my partner. All our focus is on this one event.”
Easley, who will be a senior in the fall and is homeschooled, said he and his partner were confident in their ability heading into the spring. He also has developed trust in his partner.
“We had roped well last year,” said Easley, who is the header responsible for roping the horns. “We had the age and experience. If I did my job, I knew he was going to do his.”
He also gets tips from his father, Rod, and grandfather, Richard. That’s just one of the things that make the sport special, Easley said.
“Being around family and friends and winning,” Easley said.
Rod Easley still works with his son in the arena behind their house in Lowell. That fact that roping attracts a variety of ages also makes it special.
“It’s a sport you can enjoy whether you’re 5 or 85,” Rod Easley said. “A lot of the events like bull riding or bronc riding, there’s kind of an expiration date. In some of those sports, if you’re 30 or 35 they are hanging it up. A lot of those guys will start team roping.
“Experience does a lot in this sport, too. He’s been able to go to these arenas the last couple years and learn some things and he’s gotten stronger.”
Consistency is also key and that’s been Easley’s forte. He has caught 25 of 27 steers during the high school season. Easley has also learned patience, when to take a chance and when to play it safe.
“He ropes pretty smart,” Rod Easley said. “He knows when to win and when to try to just catch.”
“You just need to take a high percentage shot when you need to catch,” Easley added.
Having a good horse is also key, Rod Easley said. Thanks to his grandparents, Levi has three. He’s had success on a quarter horse named Tex this season.
Rod Easley used a basketball
analogy to illustrate what a good horse does for a roper.
“A good horse will allow you to make a layup instead of having to make a 3-pointer,” Rod Easley said. “The horse puts in position where you can just do your job.”