BILLINGS — Just how big are the Wrangler Team Roping Championships each year in Billings? Let’s just say a purse of over $1 million in cash and prizes draws men, women and full-fledged families from all over.
“Welcome to the Hutchison crib,” Jerome Hutchison said with a smile and a laugh while entering his travel trailer.
The family of five seemingly lives inside their 'crib' as often — or even more so — than their home in Watford City, N.D.
This week it was planted on the MetraPark grounds about as far away from First Interstate Arena as a family can get, underneath this nice, big shade tree.
“I love it,” said 15-year-old Braden.
Teenage brothers Hayden and Braden say they can't get enough of life on the road.
“It’s a blast. Hang out with your friends all weekend long, do what you love,” said 17-year-old Hayden. “Half of it is like a hotel and the other half is a stock trailer.”
The Hutchisons hauled seven horses, two trucks and two trailers to Billings hoping to leave the team roping championships with pockets full of winnings.
“Great lifestyle there is, I think — being on the road with our family and horses, team roping and rodeoing," Jerome said outside another horse trailer.
Daugther Cassidy is the family's youngest. She’s 12 with a passion for junior high rodeo, but she’s cashed in at these team roping-only events. And with the abundance of travel all three siblings are home schooled — which has its pluses and minuses.
“Like, I just want to go ride horses and get it done with. But it’s pretty good, it doesn’t take too long to do a day worth of school,” Cassidy said.
At some point, every family member has competed together, including mom Kelsie. And they win – a lot.
A Tuesday run for Jerome and Hayden locked up a win in the division and paid more than $20,000.
“We spend a lot of money here so we dang sure have got to win so we stay at least even," Jerome said. "But we’ve had good years here where we’ve won $40,000 … $50,000.”
The Hutchisons say they've traveled to this event every year but one.
“It’s expensive, but it’s fun,” Hayden said.
Braden wasn’t even old enough to drive two years ago when — as a 13-year-old — he won a new Dodge pickup truck at these championships.
“My nerves was a little high, but (it was) just another steer," he recalled of his emotions before the winning round.
“When they announced it, it was unreal. We all started tearing up. It was cool,” Hayden recalled.
“(That truck) was probably our biggest highlight of a win, as a family,” Jerome said. “We try not to drive it. We try to let it stay as new as it can so we don’t wear it out for him.”
Surely, with a family of five constantly traveling in tight quarters, somebody has to play the role of 'annoying' at times.
"Braden definitely gets on our nerves the most,” Hayden said without hesitation.
Cassidy agreed with a smile.
No matter the family, a middle child typically seems to take the hardest hits. But the siblings will have to put up with Braden if they want a ride in that new pickup.
