James and Nate find kinship in their similarities.
James and Nate have three major points of disagreement, and they discuss these topics on every possible occasion:
- Which of them is the better rider?
- Which of them is the better roper?
- Which of them is funnier and more handsome?
Other than these constant squabbles, James and Nate get along pretty well.
They have a lot in common. Both of them knew how to ride before they came to Boys Ranch. Both of them enjoy roping. Both of them love fried chicken.
And both of them had problems getting along with their families before they arrived at Boys Ranch.
Shared Experiences Include Riding and Roping.
“I got here in the middle of my eighth-grade year,” James said. “I’d been riding regular horses before I got here, and I had a rope that I spun in circles and threw at a pole, but I never really caught it. I actually learned how to rope here at Boys Ranch.”
Since coming to Boys Ranch, James has been riding frequently through his time in the equine Experiential Learning Program. He improved steadily, and at the 2021 Boys Ranch Rodeo, he was reserve champion all-around senior boy, including winning the senior roping class.
Nate’s journey was similar. He arrived at Boys Ranch two months before the 2021 rodeo with a lot of horse experience.
“I had ridden since fourth grade and then I started roping,” Nate said. “I started roping the summer before I came here.”
When Nate arrived, he noticed a roping dummy in a yard.
“The first time I saw James, he was roping, and he said, ‘Hey Nate, you should come rope with us,’” Nate said.
They Share a Love of Rodeo Events
They made an almost immediate connection. It wasn’t long until James convinced Nate to join him at rodeo practices. James helped Nate put on his protective equipment so Nate could try riding a steer. By rodeo time, Nate had enough experience to place third in senior roping and third in bronc riding.
Bronc riding, he said, is the best rodeo event.
“I get a little nervous before I get on,” Nate said. “But as soon as I get in the chutes with the broncs, I’m not nervous at all with them. I just love it.”
James strongly prefers roping. Both of them spent their entire 2021 summer preparing for the Labor Day weekend showdown at the Marshall Cator Arena.
“I know he wants to be better,” James said. “So I’ve got to be better than him. He has been pushing me to be better in my roping, and we practice a lot at home.”
James and Nate Push Each Other to Improve
The practice paid off for James, who was 2022 champion all-around senior boy, winning bronc riding and senior roping.
Nate was injured and was unable to participate, but he’s planning a big comeback in 2023.
So when did Nate and James become friends?
Nate: I don’t classify it like that.
James: Me neither. It’s like acquaintances.
Nate: Casual passers-by.
This sort of joking goes on all day every day at the horse barn and at school.
The instant friendship has made both of them feel more at home. Their shared interest in everything agriculture binds them even closer and pushes them to be better.
The Agriculture Lifestyle Calls to Both Teens
They have helped at several brandings, including the one for Boys Ranch. During the summer, a kind donor paid for the two of them to go to an agriculture camp, where they spent a week learning about range management, animal husbandry and leadership.
Both of them think their experiences at Boys Ranch could lead to careers in agriculture. They’re both looking toward rodeoing in college and earning agriculture science degrees. They both did well during the 2021-22 school year. Nate, a junior who catches for the Boys Ranch Roughriders baseball team, earned a spirit award at the school.
James earned a writing award. James showed a lamb in FFA last year, and both of them have FFA animal projects this year.
Both agree that Boys Ranch donors have helped them and that the environment at Boys Ranch has helped them grow into better people.
“I think I’ve become a better and more positive person,” Nate said. “I appreciate all the facilities that we have and the fun things we do.”
James arrived at Boys Ranch with mixed feelings about his future.
“I definitely feel like I’ve matured a lot,” James said. “I’ve been able to figure out what I want to do with my life a lot more. I want to thank the donors for the continued ability to grow and do the things I like doing around here.”