Northern Wyoming News - Serving the Big Horn Basin for over 100 years

TEN SLEEP - Success at a young age can spoil a person into believing they're good and the days of hard work are behind them, creating complacency and allowing them to rest on their laurels. Then eventually the field passes them by and they're looking back on glory days realizing they did themselves in and they're now a cautionary tale.

That will not be the case for youth roper Mason Trollinger, who had his best rodeo season this summer and will be working harder as he aims to do even better next year.

Entering the eighth grade this fall, Trollinger's rodeo accomplishments included winning the Wyoming State Junior High Rodeo team roping championship, with partner Lane Andersen of Meeker, Colorado, with a time of 19.41, third place in goat tying (24.91) and ninth in ribbon roping (19.22 on one); earning him his second trip to the National Junior High Rodeo in Lebanon, Tennessee.

Winning the state championship was one of Trollinger's goals this season after being the reserve champion in last year's rodeo.

"It was one of my main goals this year and it felt really good to win the state championship. My family was real happy for me and that made me feel real good and made me realize that all my hard work paid off," said Mason Trollinger.

Trollinger then qualified for the Nationals in team roping, goat tying and breakaway.

At Nationals Trollinger kept it rolling. He and Anderson took 10th in the overall with a cumulative time of 50.71 and second in the go-round with a time of 9.58. In goat tying Trollinger was 49th with a cumulative time of 30.67 and 89th in breakaway with a time of 4.59.

Trollinger was happy with his performance at Nationals. And when you consider that he and his roping teammate live in different states it is all the more impressive. For Trollinger though, it's not a big deal because he knows that Andersen is working just as hard as he is and they will make it work when it counts.

"I never practice with Lane and he did a real good job handling them and made it easy to catch them. It doesn't take much," said Trollinger. "I have a lot of trust in him and he's roped real good all year long and he's handled them good."

The success of this season has motivated Trollinger to top this year's accomplishments next season as he continues to pursue his passion of roping and goat tying.

"I always want to be more consistent and work on my horsemanship," said Trollinger.

"I really like team roping because it's an adrenaline rush for me, and my family has done it their whole life. I just really love it. For goat tying, going down their 30 mph, jumping off your horse and tying the goat is a lot of fun too."

With the hard work and dedication on his end, Trollinger was able to bring home a state championship. But without the support from his parents (Clay and Tammy Trollinger), grandparents (Bob and Toni Trollinger), uncle (Craig Trollinger) and the community this year's championship probably wouldn't have happened.

"None of this would be possible without my dad, my mom, my Uncle Craig or my grandparents. I'd be nothing without them, that pretty much it," said Trollinger. "I'd like to thank everyone that has helped me along this season, my family and the community have all helped me out a lot and I really appreciate it."