Tate & Boston | Mikenna Atkinson Photography | Grace, Idaho
When you see these teenage cowboys in the rodeo arena, you might think they’re just two talented boys from small town Grace, Idaho, riding beautiful horses and competing with ease. But what you don’t see is the years of work, the endless dedication, and the countless hours spent on and off horseback to make those moments possible. For Boston and Tate, rodeo is a way of life—and so is the hard work that goes along with it.
These twins have been giving their mom gray hairs from a young age, but now they’re taking it to a whole new level! (I had to laugh watching Heidi keep up with these two! They don’t let her sit for a minute! She’s their go to secretary, equipment manager, emotional support, and everything in between!) Growing up in Grace, they’re no strangers to hard work and the value of community. When they’re not in the arena, they spend their summers working on the family’s potato farm. Between moving pipe, cleaning out the canals, and getting plenty of sun and dirt on their hands and faces, they’ve built the kind of grit and toughness it takes to succeed in rodeo.
For these boys, being rodeo cowboys is a full-time commitment. They’ve spent years learning the ins and outs of horse care—mucking stalls, brushing down their 1,000-pound friends, and practicing endlessly to perfect their riding techniques. But it’s not just about the thrill of the ride; they’ve also learned to appreciate the hard work and responsibility that comes with taking care of these powerful animals. The arena lights might make it look easy, but behind every ride are hours of preparation, a lot of sweat, and a good dose of dirt.
Rodeo isn’t cheap, either. Between ropes, tack, and other equipment that constantly needs replacing, it’s an investment in both time and money. And yet, these boys wouldn’t trade it for the world. Every spare moment is spent in the arena, practicing and pushing themselves to be the best they can be. It’s a commitment that goes beyond the spotlight—an everyday passion they’ve embraced with open arms. As much as they love the thrill of the ride, they know that rodeo is about so much more—it’s about honoring tradition, learning resilience, and living a life with grit and purpose.
These boys wanted to make sure to recognize the people who have helped them get to this point. ‘We owe Shane & Heidi everything for getting us started and Justin for teaching Tate how to ride bareback. Without them, we wouldn’t be doing this at all.”
With the help of people like Shane and Heidi Zaharias to help teach the boys about roping and providing a place for them to practice, their dreams of team roping and rodeoing have come true. It was also because of Justin Hatch and him letting Tate use his gear to get started and teaching him how to ride that Tate was able to get into bareback riding in the first place. Hardwork, family, friends, and community are making big dreams possible.
Big Dreams in Las Vegas: Tate’s Headed to the Junior World Finals
All this hard work has opened an incredible opportunity for Tate. This December, he’ll head to Las Vegas to compete in the 2024 Junior World Finals, one of the most exciting stages in junior rodeo. Under the bright lights and in front of a packed crowd, Tate will put his skills to the test in Bareback Riding. Competing in Las Vegas is a dream come true and the chance to represent Grace, Idaho, and the rodeo life he loves so much and compete at a higher level.
Sponsorship Opportunities: Help Tate Chase His Rodeo Dream
Making it to Las Vegas for the Junior World Finals requires skill, courage, and community support. Rodeo is an expensive sport, and sponsorships can make all the difference in helping young athletes like Tate reach their goals. If you want to support Tate’s journey, there are sponsorship opportunities available. Sponsoring Tate isn’t just about funding a competition; it’s about investing in a hardworking young cowboy with big dreams and a commitment to making them come true.
A sponsorship will help cover Tate’s travel, lodging, and competition fees and ensure he can give his full focus to performing his best. Rodeo may be an individual sport, but it’s built on community, and knowing that people believe in him makes all the difference. Let’s rally behind him and show our support. These boys may have been masters at keeping their mom on her toes, but they’ve also shown what it means to chase big dreams with heart and hard work. With the support of their community, there’s no limit to how far these small-town cowboys can go.
If you’d like to join Tate’s journey and help him represent Grace, Idaho, in Las Vegas, reach out to Jeremy Stoddard at 208-221-9388 (Tate will follow up with you) to learn more about sponsorship opportunities.
