Family Ties: Siblings and Cousins Win Together at State High School Rodeo Finals
The National High School Rodeo Association values family and tradition, something each state association is full of. Familial success across generations is not uncommon in the rodeo world; however, success in the same generation of kids is an event that will always stand out.
The Montana and Wyoming High School Rodeo Associations saw lots of siblings and cousins win together at their 2025 state finals rodeos.
All-Around Cowboy and All-Around Cowgirl are coveted titles in the rodeo world, one of the highest honors an athlete can receive some will argue. The Montana High School Rodeo Association had the special opportunity to award the year end titles to a brother/sister duo from Huntley, Montana.
Aspen Swenson, a 16-year-old sophomore, after missing the national team last year by a few points, left no room for debate that she belongs on the team this year. She left the MHSRA State Finals as the 2025 Champion Breakaway Roper, Goat Tier, and All-Around Cowgirl.
AJ Swenson, Aspen’s 18-year-old brother, was aboard two borrowed horses after struggling with major losses in horsepower over the year, while proudly riding a home raised and trained mare in the calf roping that he finished himself also. He was finally able to capitalize on the runs laid out ahead of him. Despite the pressure of the all-around title, a state championship, and the possibility of a college rodeo scholarship riding on his performance, he stayed focused and let the hours he worked behind the scenes calm any nerves. He finished third in tie-down roping and third in steer wrestling, which helped him win the Men’s All-Around.
“I have been very blessed to have a great number of people wanting to help me out,” AJ added. “Whoever said in the rodeo industry that they can do it on their own, they are completely lying to you.”
Winning the All-Around title with each other was a special moment for both of them. “It was a representation of how much dedication our household has,” said AJ. “If you don’t love it, you won’t make it, and for us to win it together exaggerates the level of dedication we both put in,” he added.
Another set of siblings who found success at the MHSRA State Finals were the Poppe brothers of Fallon, Montana. Tate and Trace Poppe earned the year end title of the 2025 MHSRA State Champion Team Ropers.
Attributing to their success together is their unwavering confidence in each other, “I feel less pressure roping with Trace because I know he is going to turn the steer no matter what,” said Tate. “We always get to practice together, go down the road together, and just get to see more runs together,” added Trace.
In the miles traveled down the road with each other, one stop along the way was the 10.5 NTR Finals in Wickenburg, Arizona, where they took home first place and $20,000.
“After a rough rodeo season last fall, the boys made a huge comeback this spring to take over the lead in the standing after the memorial weekend rodeo,” said their mom, Bree Poppe, TSLN publisher. “They went into state leading the standings by nine points, and widened the gap to 15 to win it. They didn’t win any rounds, just placed along the way and secured it.”
On the heels of the Poppe boys in the team roping standing were their good friends, Charlie and JP Cornwell, of Glasgow, Montana. Together they were the MHSRA Year End Reserve Team Roping Champions.
Although JP doesn’t feel more pressure roping with his brother, Charlie said he does, because “you’ve got to drive home together,” he joked. Thankfully the ride home from State finals was fun according to Charlie. “The hostility was not high,” he added.
Preparing for the high school finals for the Cornwell boys includes going down the road and entering rodeos to stay sharp. However, when they are home, they like to keep it simple, keep their horses in shape and only make “five good runs and call it a day,” said Charlie.
In a true header/heeler dynamic, Charlie (the heeler) said their big goal at nationals is to bring home a world title, to which JP (the header) corrected his brother, “we’re going to rope three clean steers as fast as we can.”
When they say “Montana makes cowboys,” they mean it. The third place MHSRA team ropers were yet another sibling set – Tike Erickson and his sister Ali Erickson from Hobson, Montana.
Tike, who says he has been swinging a rope “pretty much forever – since I could walk,” had many mentors along the way. His dad, mom, older brother, uncle Bryant Mikkelson, family friends Layton Perry and Ron Lund have all played a role in Tike’s success.
“Never give up. It won’t be easy, always work hard,” is advice that Tike would give to younger kids.
Tike himself just finished his freshman year and enjoys roping with his sister, Ali, who just completed her junior year. They both say arguments are inevitable when roping with a sibling, but “for the most part we get along,” said Tike.
Tike qualified for the Montana High School Rodeo finals in team roping and also steer wrestling.
This was his first year swinging his rope at the back end of the steer, but as it turns out, he’s got skills on the heeling end.
Older sister Ali made it to state in breakaway and reined cow horse in addition to team roping. She ended the year fifth in the reined cow horse event.
To prepare for the National High School Rodeo Association Finals in Rock Springs, Wyoming later in July, the Ericksons are entering a jackpot and roping at home. Ali will squeeze in a trip to the National Future Career and Community Leaders of America (FCCLA) convention in Orlando between now and nationals. “I’ll get back from Orlando the 10th, we will practice and then leave on the 11th,” she said.
The talent runs deep in this family, with Bryton Mikkelson, a cousin to Tike and Ali, also qualifying for the national high school rodeo.
Bryton landed in fourth place in the MHSRA calf roping. He practices with his cousins on occasion, and they support one another to achieve their rodeo goals, he said.
In a bittersweet end for the Mikkelson brothers, Bryton’s brother Gage ended the season in fifth place, just one spot out of qualifying for nationals.
When Gage broke the barrier in the short go, it opened up Bryton’s chances of qualifying.
Bryton said he and his brother don’t typically share a calf horse, although they did at this year’s state finals. The two of them competed together in team roping, too.
Bryton credits his dad for teaching him to rope calves.
Wyoming
Across the southern border of Montana into Wyoming another set of siblings has been steadily making names for themselves. The Thompson kids of Yoder, Wyoming, will have the opportunity once again to make their presence known at the 2025 National High School Rodeo Finals in Rock Springs, Wyoming.
Hadley finished second in barrels, first in breakaway, first in goat tying, third in team roping with her partner Asa Pixley, and took home the All-Around Cowgirl title as well. Her brother Turek finished second in the team roping standings with his partner and cousin Trigg Thompson.
The Espenscheid family of Big Piney, Wyoming, is synonymous with rodeo, and despite their success across generations, Hays and his cousin Cael were the first to qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo together. Although their state finals did not go completely as planned, they still finished as the Wyoming High School Rodeo 2025 Year End Team Roping Champions. Cael also qualified for tie-down roping in third place while Hays was one out of the placing to qualify as well.
“It’s been a really big deal for our family to finally make it together,” said Hays, “everybody in the family has made it to nationals but we are the first to make it together. We are not trying to look at nationals as anything different than what we do every day.”
–Editor’s note: this story has been updated to include additional competitors.
