Getting a feel for rodeo

POLSON - The Polson High School lobby was filled with students

last Wednesday afternoon. It wasn't between periods. It wasn't a

sports team getting ready to travel. It wasn't an assembly or

special event at the school. It was Rodeo Club, and boy, has it

sparked a lot of interest in the sport.

POLSON - The Polson High School lobby was filled with students last Wednesday afternoon. It wasn't between periods. It wasn't a sports team getting ready to travel. It wasn't an assembly or special event at the school.

It was Rodeo Club, and boy, has it sparked a lot of interest in the sport.

The Rodeo Club was established last year after Polson High School students with rodeo experience showed interest in restarting the club. They approached guidance counselor Jesse Yarbrough about it and used the 1983 Polson High School club constitution to get it going a third of the way through the school year.

"Each meeting we pick one event," Yarbrough said. "We get instruction and participation in it as much as we can."

Now obviously the one obstacle facing Rodeo Club is squeezing certain rodeo events into the lobby of Polson High School and into the confines of a class period.

As much fun as it sounds to ride a bull through the hallways, there are probably some sort of safety guidelines that would have been broken.

Luckily, the sport of rodeo is no stranger to needed alternatives for live animals. There are several training apparatuses and devices that high school students can use instead of a live animal.

"There's a lot of excitement," Yarbrough said. "Sometimes I feel like the staff have more excitement with it."

And if you would have gone to the rodeo club meeting last Wednesday, you would have seen Polson staff members practicing their calf and goat-tying skills along with the students.

"So far the tie-down roping was quite a hit, but actually the roping itself was the biggest hit," Yarbrough said.

While it may not be easy, it was sure fun trying. Calves can weigh over one hundred pounds and they aren't exactly keen on somebody tying them up. After watching an instructional video, Yarbrough had the aid of Lee and Pam Lytton, who provided the training "calf" and "goat," or rather cleverly designed dummies for the students to practice on.

"Rodeo club was just a shell of what it is now with their support," Yarbrough said.

With many kids not having any rodeo experience, it's a nice foray into a sport that offers college scholarships and professional opportunities.

"Everytime we've come it's gotten bigger and bigger," said Pam Lytton. "It's just a joy."

A simple count of newcomers resulted in a sea of raised hands last Wednesday.

"We'll have it. A group will start and all of a sudden more will come in with their backpacks," Lee Lytton said.

There are several kids like Wyatt Lytton and Lexi and Jessica Bagnell helping give instruction during the club meetings as well.

"Kids are starting to realize its not as easy as it looks," Pat said. "It takes an athlete."

As everyone got a go at trying to tie up a calf or goat dummy, Yarbrough timed the attempts with some being pretty quick and some being not-so-quick.

"He has done a lot to get this club together," Lee said.

With rodeo athletes getting college scholarships and winning professional money, it's certainly an attractive option to those that get really smitten by the sport. While this is just the first step, just a toe-dip into the sport, it's a step in the right direction for many kids.

"Our future goals are just to really expose kids to the nuances of rodeo," Yarbrough said.