ProRodeo Sports News - October 5, 2018

Finding His Niche

Saddle bronc rider Johnny Espeland had an 86.5-point ride on Big Stone Rodeo Inc.’s Bubbles to win the Kitsap Stampede in Bremerton, Wash., Aug. 25. He earned $3,892. Kent Soule photo

Espeland drawing notice in Columbia River Circuit BY TRACY RENCK R odeo wasn’t the road less traveled for Johnny Espeland’s family. It was a road that wasn’t traveled at all. None of his family were involved in the sport. Not until Johnny attended a rodeo Bible camp when he was in eighth grade. “That camp sparked my interest in rodeo,” Espeland said. When he was a freshman in high school, Espeland was all in on rodeo and without hesitation tried his hand at saddle bronc riding.

“I had fun competing in other sports, but the adrenaline rush I got from riding bucking horses was way better than anything else I did,” he said. “My family watched rodeo, but they didn’t know much about it, so they thought it was pretty cool that I was competing in saddle bronc riding.” Espeland, 21, has a twin sister, Peggy, a younger sister, Jazmin, 19, and an older brother, Jeff, 31.

“I just started off saddle bronc riding because it was my favorite event,” Espeland said. “Once I start something I want to figure it out. So, once I started saddle bronc riding I was going to figure it out and keep doing it until I did.” Espeland was a high school running back and wrestler – placing third at state wrestling at 145 pounds as a senior while competing for Culver (Ore.) High School. That year he helped Culver win the Class 2A/1A state championship.

J.L. Schaffner had an early influence on Espeland’s rodeo career. Schaffner won the Columbia River Circuit year-end title in saddle bronc riding in 1995. “J.L. put me under his wing and helped me get going,” Espeland said. “He put me in the right positions to succeed.” Espeland’s skills landed him a spot on the Blue Mountain Community College rodeo team in Pendleton, Ore. While at BMCC, he qualified for the 2016 College National Finals Rodeo.

ProRodeo Sports News 10/5/2018

ProRodeo.com

40