Ann Bleiker, Produc��on Coordinator for the Na��onal Finals Rodeo,
has seen ��rst-hand how rodeo supports the armed forces and military
cowboys. She likes what she sees.
“Lots of rodeos have some type of military day,” she said, using
the Pikes Peak Rodeo in Colorado Springs, home of the Air Force
Academy, as an example. In that case, cadets from the Academy
have been brought in by the busload, some of whom experience a
rodeo for the ��rst ��me.
Bleiker also notes that members of the military are recognized and
appreciated during the ��rangler Na��onal Finals Rodeo, PRCA’s
season-ending championship in Las Vegas.
For example, in 2017 the event spotlighted Navy Lt. Jim Downing,
who’d been one of the oldest Pearl Harbor survivors. Downing died
the following year at age 104. On another occasion, it featured
Army Sta�� Sgt. Tom Hansen and his K-�� buddy, Taylor, a 10-year-
old bomb-sni��ng ��olden Labrador Retriever. The pair served in
Afghanistan where Tay-Tay was so successful that the Taliban
put a bounty on its head.
��hile welcoming and recognizing soldiers, sailors, and aircrew is a
signi��cant outreach e��ort, ge��ng them more involved is an ambi��ous
step that takes commitment by many dedicated people on mul��ple
levels. Kyle Vinyard, an Army ��arrant O��cer, is vice president of
��arriors and Rodeo ����AR�� a western lifestyle organiza��on of military
personnel and ��rst responders who share a love of rodeo. He’s also a
volunteer coach for the Air Force Academy Rodeo Team.
“As an ac��ve duty military member, I am fond of compe����on,”
Vinyard said. “Rodeo presents me with that compe����on at a high
level. It’s not ��ust a sport you can casually pick up and become good
at. It takes years of prac��ce to become compe����ve. Therefore, each
achievement no ma��er the size is signi��cant.”
Vinyard said he felt that those in the military have an advantage over
some other compe��tors because they’ve served and gone to war.
“There’s nothing in the arena that compares to the anxie��es of
being in a combat zone,” he explained. “They’re also trained to be
hyper-focused when it pertains to their mission.”
Though he’s been around horses his en��re life, Vinyard said he didn’t
start compe��ng in Team Roping un��l a��er he ��oined the military.
“It’s about 50/50 on whether veterans have previous experience in
rodeo,” he said, adding that, “Rodeo and other horse compe����ons
are very therapeu��c for me. It gives me a posi��ve output to put my
energy into.”
Janne McIntyre is ac��ve duty Air Force as is her husband. She’s the
military liaison to Cheyenne Fron��er Days ��CFD�� as well as PAFRA
Breakaway Roping Event Director. Both her mother and father are
re��red Air Force. She says mee��ng goals has always been a driving
force of mo��va��on for her life.
“I grew up with horses but never seriously competed,” she said. “My
husband asked what I wanted for my birthday, and I said a horse. Long
story short, I got the city boy hooked, and he hung up his golf hat for
a cowboy hat.”
Once that happened, it was full speed ahead.
“Ul��mately, whatever I’m working on, I want it to be bigger, be��er,
faster, more produc��ve than the previous year,” McIntyre said.
Rodeo was no excep��on.
“Outside of work, I’m the CFD’s Military Community Events lead
overseeing ��ve annual events, Mounted Marshall for the CFD
parades and concerts, PAFRA’s Breakaway Event Director, Vice
Present of the base stables, and a ��irl Scout’s momma.”
McIntyre contrasts rodeo and the military this way:
“Rodeo and military are di��erent in the mandatory commitment,” she
62 Rodeo LIFE
Photo by Eva Sco��eld