and he doesn't place at all, he'll be the
kid out there giving them the high five,
telling them 'good job.' He tells me, "I
want to see my friends win too, and I
just want to be the best bronc rider I
can be." He has a group of friends in
Harrison who are his riding buddies."
The Knapps live on a farm with
many animals, including cows, horses,
pigs, goats, and chickens. Hayden and
Denver, who are homeschooled, do
most of the chores themselves. "They
get up every day. They have horses to
feed and pigs to feed, and they take
care of the animals. At 10 and 8 years
old, I can say they take care of animals
probably better than most adults. I
never worry that they don't do it right.
They do it right."
Hayden plans to become a
professional rodeo rider when he
grows up. His hero is wrangler Kaycee
Feild, a four-time world champion
from Utah. "We took Hayden to Texas
recently and he got to meet Kaycee
Feild. He got to watch him ride in the
rodeo and he thought that was the
coolest thing."
"He's my hero," Hayden said.
Hayden and his father will be going to
a rodeo school together in Kingston for
three days. The kids will learn how to
ride better and safer, and to work on
their sportsmanship. Hayden said his
Uncle Nick helped him train and that
he gets a lot of practice at the rodeo.
"I ride the big bucking machine. I put
my riggin' on it, and I hop on it, and
my friends buck me and that's how
we practice." The riggin' is a handle
put around the front of the horse that
gives the boy something to hold on to.
The family's favorite rodeo is the
one in their hometown. "I really love
it when they have it here in Harrison,"
Mrs. Knapp said. "All their friends
get to see them ride in action. When
you travel around, people don't really
know you, but when you're in your
hometown, it's your friends you see
at the rodeo, the people you see in
the grocery store. Our whole family is
involved. My husband goes behind the
shoots and helps Hayden get ready—
makes sure he gets his vest and helmet
on and gets his pony ready. I help my
daughter get her horse ready for her
barrel race. Mostly Mom does a lot
of video and cheering while the kids
participate. Rodeo is a very family-
friendly sport."
OfficialKidsmag.com • December 2020 • 45
Name: Official Kids Mag
2 x 10.25"
Customer Name: BEAVER WATER DISTRICT
Ad Number: 102520NWR8621
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