FIRTH — Rodeo runs deep in the Wallace family, and two local siblings are keeping that family tradition alive in a big way.
Ryder and Kinsley Wallace, siblings from a ranching family in Bingham County, have emerged as rising stars in Idaho’s junior high and high school rodeo circuits.
With roots and boots planted firmly in the cowboy and cowgirl lifestyle, the pair has turned their family’s passion into a pursuit of excellence.
The children of Katie and Wade Wallace, the family operates a cattle ranch in the Firth area. Katie and Wade both rodeoed, as did Ryder and Kinsley’s grandfathers, Bill Wallace and Wayne Christensen.
Rodeoing isn’t just a pastime for them—it’s a way of life. Katie Wallace says the sport has taught her children more than riding skills.
“We love rodeo and all the responsibility it teaches our kids,” she said. “From hours of practice to daily care of their horses and themselves, to be at peak performance. The kids exercise their horses six days a week to get them in shape for the spring rodeo season, which begins on Feb. 15. Rodeos start the second weekend in April for six weekends — 12 rodeos! It’s a whole different aspect of sports. It takes an army.”
That army includes a tight-knit community of sponsors, friends, and fellow rodeo families who help with everything from bucking practice horses to cheering from the stands.
The Wallaces extend thanks to Clover Roper, Fringed Pineapple, Arrow F Printing, Drinky Drink, the Rosenkrance family, Idaho AgCredit, Idaho Beef, and the many helping hands who show up week after week.
Fifteen-year-old Ryder, a freshman at Firth High School, had a standout year. He rode 12 out of 12 bareback horses — a rare feat, especially for a freshman.
His drive and talent earned him multiple District 4 titles, including District Bareback Champion, District Saddle Bronc Champion, third in Steer Wrestling, District All-Around Boys Champion, and District Boys’ Rookie Cowboy.
“I started out mutton busting at the Firth Little Buckaroo rodeo just down the road,” said Ryder. “That’s where my love for rodeo started and grew.”
As the district’s “All Around Cowboy,” Ryder has qualified to compete in all three of his events — bareback, saddle bronc, and steer wrestling — at the State High School Rodeo Finals, being held this week in Pocatello.
Ryder has his sights set on college rodeo and dreams of making a career out of the sport.
His younger sister, 13-year-old Kinsley, is also making her mark as a cowgirl. She is a student at Firth Middle School, entering eighth grade this fall, and recently wrapped up a successful season in the junior high division.
Kinsley finished fourth in District Rodeo in Barrel Racing, Pole Bending, and Goat Tying. She advanced to the State Junior High Rodeo Finals in Pocatello, where she again placed fourth in barrel racing. She’ll represent Idaho at the Junior High National Finals Rodeo in Des Moines, Iowa, at the end of June, riding her trusted mare, TJ.
Kinsley said her horse has boosted her confidence, adding, “What I love most about rodeo isn’t just the competition — it’s the friendships that I make.”
“Rodeoing is our family fun and vacation every year,” Katie added. “They started seriously competing in fifth grade and haven’t stopped. We travel all summer to rodeos in Wyoming, Idaho, and Utah.”
And they’re not alone. District 4, which includes southeastern Idaho, is sending 11 national qualifiers from the junior high level to Des Moines this year. Junior High Rodeo, open to students in grades five through eight, is considered a stepping stone to high school rodeo — the same path Ryder and Kinsley started on just a few years ago.
Idaho currently ranks as the third-largest state in the nation for junior high rodeo membership — a testament to the sport’s popularity and cultural roots in the region.
Whether in the arena or back at the ranch, the Wallace family embodies the grit, tradition, and community spirit of rodeo.
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Firth siblings, Ryder and Kinsley Wallace, ride to rodeo success
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