Coy Rahlmann grew up loving rodeo, and after years of hard work, he will find himself on the sport’s biggest stage Dec. 2-11 when he competes in the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
“It’s a dream come true. That is the World Series of rodeo pretty much,” said Rahlmann, who will compete with partner Douglas Rich in the team roping competition.
Rahlmann, now 20, grew up in Ellsinore but went to school in Poplar Bluff until the seventh grade, he said, and learned to love rodeo at an early age.
“I’ve been roping and riding horses for as long as I can remember,” he recalled.
Though he now lives in Weatherford, Texas, Rahlmann remembers well his local upbringing and credits his parents, Chris and Susie Rahlmann, with getting him to where he is now.
“Dad owns a business there and my mom is a reading specialist at the Kindergarten Center. My dad rodeod, and my mom did too,” he said.
“For sure, I owe it all to them. They’ve always been very helpful since I first showed interest in rodeo. They sure did a lot for me,” Rahlmann added. “They knew enough to get me around the right people.”
He also credits others in the region who helped him along the way.
“There were a lot of people around home that gave me places to practice and rope and helped me with my horses,” he said.
To qualify for the National Finals Rodeo, Rahlmann said, you first must be a card-carrying professional.
“You can’t really become a pro until you become 18, so I’ve been at a pro level since then,” he said. “You’ve also got to go to the biggest rodeos in the country and be in the top 15 in the world to qualify in each event.”
Leading up to the national event, Rahlmann said, he’s put in a lot of work.
“It was such a hard, long journey to get there. In the summer months, you’re pretty much gone all the time out west to about 55 rodeos between the middle of June and Sept. 30,” he explained.
Rahlmann also understands the opportunity he’s been blessed with.
“There’s only a very, very small percentage of people that get to become a pro and an even smaller percentage that get to make the National Finals Rodeo,” he said. “There’s little kids that would die to have the opportunities I have, so I’m very thankful.”
To fund his rodeo obsession, he works training and selling horses throughout the year.
“That’s kind of what helps me get the money gathered up to go for the summer,” he said.
As h prepares for the big event, Rahlmann said, he’s so far remained calm.
“Right now I’m not nervous, but the Thomas and Mack Center seats 15,000 people and gets sold out two months prior,” he said. “It will be the biggest stage you can possibly compete on, so I’m sure the first night I will be nervous.”
In the meantime, he’s relying on advice from other seasoned pros to help him.
“I’ve been asking the veterans and the Michael Jordans of team roping what I need to get ready for and asking for their advice,” he said. “I’ve been lucky that I’ve gotten to be really great friends with most of those guys over the last couple years.
“They’re willing to help, and that helps me a lot.”