Landon Darling ’25, a sophomore at Jesuit High School Sacramento, has recently decided to pursue his interest in Rodeo, a unique and competitive sport that involves intensive  training and rigorous work with horses.

“I’ve always wanted to [compete in the sport Rodeo] since I was little, and [my] grandpa always made me watch cowboy movies when I was little,” Landon said.

Landon decided to follow his dream when an injury to his vertebrae precluded him from playing soccer, but the doctor said that he could still “swing a rope.” Since then, Landon has been training and building his rodeo skills.

“I train [on my horse] three times a week,” Landon said. “[But,] I rope the dummy everyday and [have] been practicing like crazy. I’ve gotten really good.”

In the competition of team roping, two riders ride on horseback, the front rider is known as the “header” and the back rider is known as the “heeler.” The header ropes the steers horns and turns the steer, then the heeler catches the feet and bring it to the ground. 

“So for team roping, I’m a header,” Landon said. “For the high school rodeos I’ll be competing in, most of the times are like seven or twelve seconds. But when you get into the professionals, like the national final rodeo, it’s like 3.3 seconds and it’s absurd.”

Landon believes that rodeo is quite difficult, but he has also been improving quite steadily.

“[Rodeo is] really hard,” Landon said. “You’re having to do a bunch of things at once. You have to direct a horse with your, not reigns, but legs and having to stay balanced and rope the steer and roping is hard in itself. But, I’ve gotten really good at where I could probably catch, if my horse is doing what it’s supposed to, 10 out of 12 steers and turn them.”

Landon will be competing in the National High School Rodeo Association as he continues to pursue his passion for team roping.