Rodeo competition a little easier with family along for the ride

BILOXI, Miss. (WLOX) - Rodeo competition is back-breaking work, and with the Professional Cowboy Association rodeo finals in Biloxi, the competition is fierce.

“They compete all year long at over 80-something rodeos to get here,” said PCA chief executive officer Will Campbell. “We only take the top 15 in each event. It’s the best of the best what’s made it here.”

The action in the arena is the only thing most people see.

Behind the scenes is tough as well, but the transition from work to play is smooth. It just depends who is on the saddle.

Austin Davis, a competitor in the PCA finals, is happy.

“Just a way of life: cow-boying,” he said. “Something to do. You know, just fun atmosphere. A lot of people are different. Every day, do cowboy work.”

What makes him happier is that his whole family, including daughter Acee Roan, is along for the ride.

“Just have them with me all the time for the support and everything,” he said. “It’s amazing, you know. Seeing her growing up with. She loves it just as much as we do. She’s crazy about it.”

His wife Aleah, is a professional rider as well, but has taken a little break after Acee’s birth.

“It’s something we do as a family. We’ve never left her,” she said. “She is 20-months old today. And she attended her first rodeo at three weeks old. And we’ve never been to one without her and we don’t plan to. She’s grown up loving it and we hope she continues to do so.”

Campbell said that is what makes this profession special.

“We have our rodeos throughout the year. You see them pull up, there’s mom, there’s dad, there’s the kids,” he said. “And they all pull out rope together, they compete together.”

“It’s busy, but it’s something we love and we crave to do,” Aleah added.

The rodeo continues for the last day Sunday at 2 p.m. at the Mississippi Coast Coliseum.

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