Pickup Man Picks Up Pace Rodeo Cowboy Does Double-Duty

The odds of breaking even in rodeo are about 10 percent, considerably less of turning a profit.

Leighton Redmond is hedging his bet - make that covering his entry fee.

The 25-year-old bronc rider is doubling as a pickup man at the Wrangler Prorodeo Classic at the Arena this weekend.

“I think it has kind of helped my bronc riding,” he said of his double-duty. “There’s enough stuff to do as far as pickup. If I pickup for bareback, then jump over and saddle up for broncs, I don’t have time to get nervous. I’m a lot more relaxed. You don’t let pressure get to you.”

Redmond started doing pickup work - helping bareback and saddle bronc riders get off their horses at the end of a ride - for promoter Jerome Robinson last year. This year, he is also taking a run at every cowboy’s goal, making the National Finals Rodeo.

“This is the first year I’ve been serious about it,” he said. “I just went in circuit rodeos in Montana, stayed close to the state. The last couple of years I’ve been making a little bit bigger circle.

“I’d like to try to (make the Finals). I’ll play it by ear. I’ve been having a pretty good winter so far. If they keep letting me win a little bit, I’ll keep going until I can’t afford to. If I start starving to death, I’ll have to quit. I’ll go as hard as my pocketbook will let me.”

Redmond would like to have at least $5,000 to travel with by spring, which would be enough to get him to the lucrative Fourth of July rodeos.

“If you have any kind of Fourth, that would take you to Labor Day,” he said. “I’d sure like to have $5,000 saved between my working for Jerome and (competing). That would do it if you don’t get crazy, buying airline tickets all over the place.”

The plan is to get to the limit of 125 rodeos and see what happens.

“I hate to say I’ll get to the National Finals, but this is as serious as I’ve been. I’d like to take a run, see what I can get done and take it through next year. I’m still pretty green. If I could make it in the top 50, I’d feel pretty good. Then there would be 35 guys I’d have to beat out to make it.”

Redmond’s pickup partner, Justin Parish of Fort Collins, Colo., is also doing double-duty, calf roping on Saturday and team roping on Sunday.

Pickup work is something Redmond would consider full time once he is done chasing a dream.

“It’s a pretty good check, and a good way to stay involved in rodeo,” he said. “I was a little nervous about it at first, thinking I was going to get somebody hurt. There are guys, that’s all they do for a living. If you get them hurt, it would put them out of work for a while.

“I got enough confidence now, it doesn’t bother me. I guess I do kind of enjoy it. Being around the livestock is a lot of it. Jerome’s an awful good guy to work for. If you’re picking up Dan Mortensen (a world champion bronc rider) and you get him off, it’s kind of neat, I’d say.”

And at the moment, the dual roles are working together quite well.

“You get a lot more of a chance to study them horses, see what kind of rein they want, what kind of pattern they have,” he said. “You’re right out there, you have the best seat in the house … you’ve got a good idea what they’re wanting to do and if you happen to draw him, you kind of know what to expect.”

Being involved in rodeo helps Redmond stay busy, even if his home is the road.

“It gets in your blood, running and gunning down the road,” he said. “When I get home and sit down it gets boring. Home is Belfield, N.D. My folks have a ranch there. I’m pretty much without an address chasing these rodeos around. Get my mail sent there.”

And, hopefully, double checks. , DataTimes ILLUSTRATION: Color Photo

MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: RODEO FACTS Name: Wrangler Prorodeo Classic Sponsor: The General Store Sanction: Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association Where: Spokane Arena Performances: Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2:30 Tickets: General reserved seats $8 and $12, VIP seats $15. Available at Arena box office or G&B Select-A-Seat outlets, 325-SEAT or 1-800-325-SEAT Producer: Jerome Robinson, Western Trails Rodeo, Fort Collins, Colo. Announcer: Wayne Wise, Loveland, Colo. Clown and barrelman: Scott Cameron, Golden, Colo. Bullfighters: Dan “911” Toohaker, Cedar Ridge, Colo., and Casey Smith, Masonville, Colo. Pickup men: Leighton Redmond, Belfield, N.D., and Justin Parish, Fort Collins, Colo. Stock contractors: Western Trails Rodeo, Fort Collins, Colo.; Double J Rodeo, Brandon, Neb.; and Dakota West Rodeo Co., White River, S.D. Specialty act: Francisco Zamora, West Jordan, Utah, trick roper and animal trainer Noted competitors: Each performance is filled with many of the top competitors from the Columbia River circuit of Washington, Oregon and North Idaho and the Montana circuit. On Friday, National Finals bareback rider Bob Logue of Greeley, Colo., is matched up with NFR horse Scout. Former world champion bareback rider Clint Corey of Kennewick is also up Friday.