Cowboy Faces Luck Of The Draw PERKINS THROWS HAT IN THE RING

LINCOLN — As the solitary cowboy among a female-dominated 2019 Lincoln Riding Club Rodeo pageant, three-year-old Porter “Gauge” Perkins might have been intimidated.

After all, staring down a chorus line of beautiful cowgirls each dolled up in their finest western attire could be more unnerving than roping a bum steer or trying to hang on to a newborn calf bawling for its mother.

There were 12 cowgirls in all ranging in age from three to 21 including his 12-yearold sister, Savannah. Gauge finds himself smack dab in the middle of five candidates for queen, three for junior queen, one princess and three for Little Miss.

This was the scenario emerging for the 66th annual Lincoln Rodeo, and maybe, Gauge, a candidate for 2019 Lincoln Riding Club Little Mister, was starting to feel like the Lone Ranger outnumbered by the cowgirl contestants 12-to-1.

Throughout the history of the west, the tenacity, resourcefulness and flat-out courage of the American cowboy define the profession and defy the odds. Well now, Gauge is no exception.

Underneath his cowboy hat, Gauge sports a big ol’ Arkansas grin.

There’s no way he’s going to let the cowgirls have all the fun.

Gauge is the 3-year-old son of Charlie and Christy Perkins, of Farmington. Gauge attends Mrs. Nikki’s playhouse. Gauge’s favorite color is red and he absolutely loves cake. Gauge is a part of Hogeye 4-H and Northwest Arkansas Riding Club (NWARC). Gauge loves kayaking, fishing, swimming, and riding anything with four legs or four wheels. Gauge’s ambition for the future is to turn five and be a bull rider.

But first, he’s got to work his way through the 2019 Lincoln Riding Club royalty pageant and get past the gauntlet of all the affection these cowgirls can’t help but display towards a darling junior cowboy who dares mingle among them. Gauge is indeed surrounded by the luck of the draw. If he could only tiptoe by cause dragging the heel of his boots is sure to get him noticed.

SUBMITTED PHOTO Gauge Perkins is a candidate for 2019 Lincoln Riding Club Little Mister. The contest will be held at 7 p.m. on Wednesday, Aug. 7, prior to the Lincoln Rodeo street dance at the Lincoln Square.