Behind the Chutes: Joey Painter

Age: 22

Family:Joe (dad), Cindy (mom), Jessica Holmes (sister), Casey Holmes (brother-in-law), and PJ (brother)

Hometown:Buffalo, SD

School:Black Hills State University

Rodeo events:Breakaway, Goat tying, Barrels, Team Roping

What is your future in the sport of rodeo? I hope to continue rodeoing in both the Badlands Circuit and at the local amateur rodeos such as the SDRA and NRCA. I also want to continue training barrel horses.

What is your ultimate goal as you continue competing in rodeos? My short-term goal is to win the College Finals again and like almost everyone involved in the sport of rodeo, my ultimate goal would be to qualify for the NFR and win a world title.

Best rodeo memory: My most memorable rodeo memory was the 2012 College National Finals Rodeo. Not only was this rodeo memorable because I won the College National Finals Breakaway Roping title, but because my niece Tommi Jo Holmes was born during the week in Casper. My sister came to watch me in slack because she wasn’t due for at least another week and after the second round of slack she went into labor, forcing her to have her baby at the hospital in Casper. It was an amazing week with great friends and family there.

Notable achievements in the sport: 2012 CNFR Breakaway Champion; 2011 Great Plains Region All-around, Breakaway, and Goat Tying Champion; 2013 Great Plains Region All-around and Goat Tying Champion; Badlands Circuit Finals Qualifier and Rookie of the Year; and 2012 NRCA Year-end Breakaway Champion.

I have qualified for four NHSFRs and four CNFRs. I have also won both the pickup and trailer at the Elks Youth Rodeo in Sheridan, Wyoming. I have won numerous saddles and buckles throughout the years from all different rodeo associations.

Tell us about your horses: Louie is my breakaway horse. He is 21 years old and my sister and I have been roping on him for at least 10 years. My sister won the CNFR on him in 2006 and I won the CNFR on him in 2012. He has been quite the horse for both of us!

Grey (real original) is my goat tying horse. I have been using her for just a few years now, we have had her since she was a 3-year-old and my dad used her as a ranch horse and a turn back horse for many years. I also rope calves on her occasionally. Technically she is my dad’s good heel horse but I steal her for almost 12 months of the year.

Dandy is the horse I head on. He is actually my brother’s head horse that I stole when he began law school three years ago. He is 17 years old and we raised him on our ranch. He was used by my brother and the neighbor boy all through junior and high school rodeos! Dandy was also the main haze horse on the place for several years. A girl on my college team at Black Hills goat ties on Dandy and they just qualified for the CNFR as well!

Have you attended any rodeo schools? If so, which ones?The only rodeo school I have been to would be a Ty Tuff goat tying clinic by Deb Plosaj. For the most part I have learned everything from my family.

Role models/mentors: My biggest role models would have to be both my older sister and brother. They have both taught me a lot about rodeo and life.

What do you like to do when you’re not competing? I also played college basketball this past year, but aside from rodeo and basketball I enjoy fishing (if someone else baits my hook), shopping, skiing, and recently hunting! I also enjoy traveling, I love history and visiting new places.

What’s playing on your iPod/radio?I like all types of music, definitely not picky! I mostly listen to country though.