Roper Takes on Reined Cow Horse to Become the First World’s Greatest Youth Horseman

By Journal Editor Larri Jo Starkey

Multiple AQHYA world champion Trevor Hale has a new title to add to his collection: World’s Greatest Youth Horseman.

The 16-year-old from Perryton, Texas, won the inaugural youth competition February 24 during the National Reined Cow Horse Association World’s Greatest Horseman competition in Fort Worth, Texas.

Trevor rode Survive These Lips, a 2008 sorrel mare by CD Survivor and out of Lipschic by American Quarter Horse Hall of Famer Smart Chic Olena. The mare was bred by Holy Cow Performance Horses of Santa Ynez, California.

“I’ve had her for about four years now, and I got her through Brad Lund,” Trevor told the Journal. “Brad Lund and Todd Crawford helped me a bunch with her. I haven’t been doing cow horse very long, but I’ve been lucky enough to have a great mare to help me along the way. It’s been fun learning all about it, and luckily the hard work paid off.”

It was the first time for the contest that had 20 youth competing in four events – rein work, herd work, steer stopping and cow work – across three days. The top six entered a fence work-only finals Saturday night during the World’s Greatest Horseman finals. Right before the open cow work finals, the youth competed in front of a sold-out, screaming crowd.

“We were talking about it from the first time we saw (the news about the World’s Greatest Youth Horseman),” Trevor said. “This is just a great event to come to and really test how your skills are and how good your horse skills are.”

At the 2018 Built Ford Tough AQHYA World Championship Show, Trevor won three world championships and a reserve world championship in roping. He won additional youth world championships in 2014, 2016 and 2017. 

Cow horse competition is still new to him, he said, and he has been working toward the goal of getting better.

“I’ve been preparing for a long time and really working on it,” he said. “Just lucky enough for it all to come together this past week.”

For the win in Fort Worth, Trevor picked up a check for $2,430.

Second place in the inaugural NRCHA event went to Pierce L. Wold of Wilton, California, AQHA’s 2018 year-end high-point youth in cutting. Third went to Garett Lund of LaCygne, Kansas; fourth to Joshua Briggs of Pilot Point, Texas; fifth to Regan Wheatley of Calhan, Colorado, and sixth to Trail Townsend of Earth, Texas.

Packing up his loot and heading back to Perryton wasn’t in the cards for Trevor: The 16-year-old reported that he would remain in Fort Worth for The Patriot timed event, as well as RFD-TV’s The American.