Local athlete wins rodeo circuit finals

by Philip A. Janquart

 Local rancher Rylee Hansen recently won the breakaway roping title at the ICA finals held in Emmett and also placed at the PRCA Columbia River Circuit finals held in Redmond, Ore.

 In Redmond, Hansen was able to win the first round and placed second in the third round.

 For those unfamiliar with rodeo events, breakaway roping involves cowgirls who vie for the fastest time in an effort to rope a calf. Judges stop time when they see a red flag breakaway from the rider’s horn. It is the fastest event in any rodeo.

 “I won the year-end ICA breakaway roping and then I won a couple rounds of the circuit finals, which is the pro rodeo for the Columbia River Circuit,” said Hansen who attended Weiser High School. “It was a lot of fun.”

 Hansen, 28, was born and raised in Weiser, attending Treasure Valley Community College where she studied human science in her pursuit to become a dental hygienist. Overtime, however, she decided to move back home and work on her parents’ ranch while serving as a women’s rodeo coach at TVCC.

 “Most kids competing at a college level should have an idea of what they are doing, so I would say that I’m only really there to fine tune things,” said Hansen who played basketball and participated in Future Farmers of America in high school. “If something is going wrong, I help out; not changing anything, just kind of critiquing it a little bit.”

 When she isn’t teaching, Hansen is busy tending to cattle, which involves two branding periods per year. “My husband [Clayton] is an insurance adjustor and he travels a lot, so someone has to stay home and take care of the animals; we have too many horses and dogs,” she said chuckling.

 Hansen said her interest in breakaway roping is, in part, a result of her experience with animals.

 “My dad rodeo’d and I’ve just been around horses my whole life,” she said. “I didn’t start rodeoing until I was a freshman in high school and I just fell in love with it.”

 Unknown to some outside the rodeo world, quarter horses are the preferred breed among competitors.

 “Almost all rodeo horses are going to be quarter horses,” Hansen explained. “There are so many blood lines you can pick from. They are what is called ‘cow bred,’ which means they kind of hunt the cow down, so calf ropers like them and so do barrel racers because they will, kind of, hunt the barrel. They are super-athletic and good minded horses.”

 Hansen said she won around $5,000 at the ICA finals and that she will continue to compete professionally through the winter in Texas and other locations. Since the pro season is over, remaining rodeos for this year will count toward the 2022 season.

 “The money is different for each rodeo, depending on the number of contestants, but you do win money,” Hansen said. “Sometimes you get a buckle; for year-end winner, you get a saddle and a buckle.”

 She added that although there is money to win, she loves the excitement of the sport and the connections she makes.

 “I just love it,” she said. “It’s fun competing and being around all of your friends.”