Elliot French is ready
”
to kick some Texas butt.
”
Elliot French is ready “to kick some Texas butt.”
But before the 18-year-old Tres Pinos bronc rider attempts to buck other riders and horses at the world’s largest rodeo, French is taking his tremendous talent to the 70th annual Saddle Horse Show and Rodeo that runs Friday through Sunday at Bolado Park.
French, who graduated from San Benito High School earlier this month, won the state championship in saddle bronc riding for the second straight year and qualified for the 55th annual National High School Rodeo Finals in Farmington, N.M., from July 21 to 27.
French won the state title as the California High School Rodeo Association’s Saddle Bronc Champion Saturday. To earn the state title, contestants must finish in the top 20 after two go-arounds of competition.
“I got it in the second round on the second horse,” French said.
French managed to take the 8-second ride to get his score.
“After that they stop judging,” he said.
Of all the competitors, French scored 74 points earning the highest mark all week, which gave him his edge compared to the bad luck he had last year.
“It’s a pretty quick 8 seconds,” he said.
French will also be participating in the bronc riding event this weekend at Bolado Park. Half the score depends on the horse while the other half depends on the rider.
“When the horse bucks, it goes up and down. The motion is when the horse is coming down with his front feet touching the ground with his back feet up in air – your feet should be in front by his neck and when horse comes up your feet go back,” he said.
Even though some horses are born to buck and ready to go as soon as the shoot is open, French said they won’t move when they are being saddled up.
“They sit and wait until you nod your head to go out. They are not really wild horses most are very nice horses that love to buck,” he said.
Ever since French was able to walk, he has been riding horses on his family cattle ranch in Tres Pinos. By the time he was 16, he was a genuine cowboy – ready for another challenge. It was the thrill of riding young colts during the summer that enticed French to go for saddle bronc riding.
“It evolved from that,” he said.
Running cattle on a ranch is great experience in itself, but learning to be a bronco rider takes more talent and experience. French decided to learn from the best and signed up for weekend classes outside Sacramento with old timer Lyle Sankey from Oklahoma.
“He travels around the nation,” French said. “A lot of old bronc riders start up a bronco school for young competitors.”
Since being a cowboy fits his lifestyle, French is planning to go to college and study agricultural business.
The national rodeo will feature over 1,500 contestants from five Canadian Provinces, Australia and 39 states including Texas, the leading competitors. Rodeo contestants will be competing for over $125,000 in prizes and more than $150,000 in college scholarships.
Because horses are athletes too, it is always a challenge to stay on their backs.
“You don’t know what they are going to do, which is also part of the fun – never knowing what is going to happen,” French said. “You just roll with the punches.”
