Name: Colton Laughlin
Age: 14
Hometown: Jerome, Mo.
School: Newburg High School
Family: Father, David Laughlin and sister, Savanah, age 17
What’s your involvement in your family farm operation?
“I help my dad with the cows and horses and the haying but mostly, I like to rodeo,” Colton answered.
What’s your favorite rodeo event?
“Tie down roping. You come out of the box, get the calf on the ground and tie his legs. I stopped playing basketball and especially baseball since it’s a summer sport so I’ll have more time for the roping because I really like that better. It’s hard sometimes but you have to prioritize.”
What’s the biggest competition you’ve participated in so far?
“This summer, end of June, beginning of July, I competed at Red Rock Arena in Gallup, N.M., in the Junior High National Finals Tie down Roping championships. There were four kids from each state in the United States plus kids from Australia and Canada. There were 120 of us competing in two different performances,” he explained and then he added, “and yes, it was hot. I was second in the state of Missouri and won 10th in the world competition.”
Future Plans: He thought for a moment and then he said, “I want to go to college and get a degree in agriculture or agriculture and business so I can come home and run the farm.”
Story and Photo by Laura L. Valenti
