Wykert and Blaze recognized by NHSRA
Jackson Wykert of Grant and his family’s horse Blaze were recognized by the National High School Rodeo Association as January’s Jr. High Professional’s Choice Equine Athlete of the Month.
Each month, the NHSRA selects one boy and one girl to be the Equine Athletes of the Month, selected from members across the nation.
To be considered, members must submit an essay describing the rider and the horse. Together, Wykert and Blaze received recognition for January.
The Wykert family has a history of rodeo and horse riding.
Jessica Wykert, Jackson’s mother, grew up on her parents’ ranch where they raised horses. This allowed her to compete in rodeos, which she has continued to do throughout her life.
Kraig Wykert Jackson’s father, also grew up on a ranch and did rodeo throughout his youth and during college.
Even Jackson’s younger sister Marissa competes.
Jackson, 13, has been around horses his whole life, and he got started riding horses young.
“I always had a rope in my hand in the house, even just a little toy dummy rope,” he said.
Wykert entered his first rodeo at age four and has been active in the sport ever since. He competes in goat tying, breakaway and ribbon roping.
Ribbon roping is Wykert’s favorite event. The participant will start horseback and rope a calf. They must then step off their horse and hold on to the calf.
The rider’s partner, which for Wykert is Peyton Paxton, will grab a ribbon from the calf’s tail and run it to the other end of the arena. When she reaches the finish, their time is stopped.
Last year, Wykert qualified for the National Junior High Finals, however the competition was cancelled due to Covid.
For the most part, though, he has been able to continue to compete throughout the pandemic.
In fact, this summer, Wykert won his first saddle in a team roping jackpot. He has also won 10 buckles, which are awarded to the winners of events. Wykert wore his Best Junior High Rookie Cowboy of the Year buckle to show off for his interview.
Wykert wrote in his essay to the NHSRA that his horse Blaze has helped him win many of his buckles, along with prize money.
“He helped me win the 2020 Boys Goat Tying Year End Championship and was a big part of my Rookie of the Year buckle as well,” Wykert wrote.
Blaze, one of the Wykerts’ 12 horses, has been with the family for 17 years. They got Blaze when he was five years old, and Wykert’s grandpa raised and broke him. Blaze is an American Quarter Horse and is currently 22 years old.
Today, every member of the family has competed with Blaze.
Wykert described Blaze as mellow and said not much makes the horse nervous. When he gets in the arena, though, Blaze gets excited and pumped up.
A special way Wykert cares for his horse is giving him a special helping of grain each morning, because “Blaze loves his grain and will lick up every last bit of it.”
“I have accomplished many goals with Blaze because of his training and rodeo experience,” Wykert told the NHSRA. “When I was ready to go to the next level of competition, Blaze was the perfect horse for me.”
Wykert plans to continue rodeo into college and any competitions past college that he can.
It’s the “family thing,” according to Wykert, which is part of what makes it so enjoyable for him. “It’s fun to be doing the ‘family thing,’” he said.