One of the Nisqually Valley’s finest youth rodeo competitors is set to represent the area in Las Vegas on a mighty stage in December.
Brooklynn Bell, 14, of Rainier, qualified to compete in the Mike and Sherrylynn Johnson Vegas Tuffest Jr. World Championship from Dec. 4 through Dec. 10 at The Expo at World Market Center, held the first weekend of the National Finals Rodeo. She earned her spot in the 15-and-under girls breakaway roping event after placing first in the qualifying event in April in Las Vegas.
Bell, the reigning Northwest Junior Rodeo Association queen, is a homeschooled student who trains in Tenino at Stickhorse Arena and in Yelm at Stewart’s Arena. She has been competing on the rodeo stage since she was 10 years old, but Sin City for the Tuffest Jr. World Championship will be the biggest stage she has faced yet as she will rope against about 100 other girls in her age category.
“It means a lot. I’m really excited. It means a lot to me that I can represent this town and show that even small towns can have some great competitors,” Bell said.
Each Vegas Tuffest junior world champion will take home $10,000 to $40,000 in cash, and while Bell is motivated to win the cash prize, she is just as driven to learn from the experience.
“I’m mainly just looking forward to roping and to really experience it and be able to compete against a bunch of other ropers that are just as good or better than me,” she said. “I’ve had to step up my game, trying to get my mind ready and physically ready.”
To prepare for the competition, Bell is roping every day using either calves or dummies. Although she’s been honing her skills with the animals she has at her disposal, the Tuffest Jr. World Championship will test her abilities as she will be given a calf to rope rather than bringing a familiar one.
“You definitely want to watch your stock and know how fast or slow they’re moving,” Bell said of roping with an unfamiliar calf. “You’ve got to pick your start. It just depends. Sometimes you might get a good one. Sometimes you might get one that goes left or just goes all of a sudden.”
Bell will have a familiar companion on the big stage in her horse, Shirley, who she calls “Pork Chop” because “she’s nice and porky.” The two have been together since last winter and have been inseparable ever since.
“She’s probably my favorite horse that I’ve got. I just love her to death,” Bell said. “We just picked each other up so fast, and she’s really helped me learn.”
Bell anticipates nerves will kick in prior to the event, but she is confident in her years of training and preparation to be able to represent Rainier in December.
“It’s definitely taught me not to get too far ahead of myself and stay ready. You want to always have a positive mindset,” she said of what breakaway roping has taught her. “I’ve been trying to keep a good mindset. It is hard at a rodeo because you never know if you’re gonna catch it or if you’re gonna do something you never thought you could pull at a rodeo. I’ve been better about my mindset before I run, and I hope I can keep that through Vegas.”
Bell will compete on Dec. 6 or Dec. 8, and, if she qualifies for the top 10, she will compete in the finals on Dec. 10.
