We’re excited to welcome these collegiate teams to the Days of ’47 Road to the Horse Collegiate Colt Starting Challenge on July 23 & 24 at the Salt Lake City Equestrian Park & Center in South Jordan, Utah.
Casper College’s Collegiate Colt Starting Challenge Team
Coach Sandy Bob Forbes
Sandy Bob Forbes serves as the Assistant Rodeo Coach at Casper College, where he lends his expertise in the rough stock events. The former PRCA saddle bronc contestant, professional guide and member of the storied Forbes rodeo family is an essential part of the Casper College Rodeo Team. He continues to work with his dad, John Forbes, and his brothers to produce rodeos across the region, providing some of the best stock in the country. Coach Forbes and his wife, Penny, have been instrumental in developing strong recruiting relationships with international student-athletes at Casper College. A long tradition of family, rodeo and the Western lifestyle are a monumental part of Coach Sandy Bob Forbes’s life.
Carson Johnson
A Junior Education major at Casper College, Carson Johnson has the distinction of being the 2021 National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association’s Champion Team Roper, with his brother Kellen working the other end. He is part of the sixth generation associated with the Johnson Ranch in Natrona County Wyoming. Carson has competed at all levels of rodeo throughout his lifetime. He and his brother, Kellen, were the 2018 Days of ‘47 gold medal champions in the team roping, with the distinction of being the youngest team to earn this honor. Carson continues to work with young horses, as he has for many years. His future will revolve around the equine and agricultural industries as he continues to rodeo and support the family ranch.
Ty Christensen
Ty is a junior at Casper College majoring in Agricultural Business. His family owns a multi-generation performance horse operation near Plain City, UT. Ty’s dad, Cody, provided him with the foundational knowledge to work successfully with young horses and to gain their trust and maximize their individual potential. Ty is a professional team roper, who has trained all of his competition horses from start to finish. He envisions himself continuing to follow his lifetime passion of training colts after completing his educational pursuits.
Beau Rees
Beau is a sophomore majoring in Agricultural Business from Tooele, UT. He began training colts with his dad, Roger, when he was 12-years-old. Beau finished his first colt by himself when he was 17 years of age, and he has continued to work with young horses since. He attributes much of his success, passion and ability to his family members, all of whom have been staunchly supportive of his pursuits inside and outside of the arena. Beau is a professional farrier, who continues operating the business he launched when he was only 17-years-old. He is truly a student of all horses, and he sees himself working within the equine industry throughout his lifetime.
University of Montana’s Western Collegiate Colt Starting Challenge Team Roster
Coach Eric Hoffmann
Eric Hoffman serves as the Director of Horsemanship and Head Horsemanship instructor at the Montana Center for Horsemanship and the University of Montana Western. He has taught horsemanship classes at MCH and Montana Western since 2008. Hoffmann holds an A.A.S. in Equine Management and Training from Laramie County Community College, and he earned his B.S. and M.S. degrees in Agriculture Education from the University of Wyoming and Montana State University. Currently, he serves on AQHA’s Ranching Heritage Committee.
Katie Ross
Katie Ross, a native of Elko, Nevada, is majoring in Ag Business and pursuing a minor in Natural Horsemanship. She lives for ranch rodeos, roping and playing basketball. Katie brings a great personality and a willingness to learn while working with horses. After college, she plans to day work on the family ranch with her dad and work for some other ranches as well. Her aspirations include eventually cultivating a career as a Western Video Market Representative. She is entering her sophomore year at the University of Montana Western.
James Ramirez
James Ramirez, a native of Churchill, Montana, is double majoring in Biology and Natural Horsemanship and pursuing a minor in Equine Science. He is entering his senior year in the Natural Horsemanship Program at the University of Montana Western. He competes on the UMW Rodeo Team as well, and enjoys roping, riding horses and entering team roping and calf roping jackpots. James will also serve as a student senator this fall. Notably, he qualified for the College National Finals Rodeo in the team roping this past June. After college, he hopes to continue working with and training horses, with aspirations to rodeo professionally.
Jacob Christenson
Jacob Christenson, a native of Buffalo, Minnesota, is majoring in Natural Horsemanship and pursuing a minor in Ag Business. He is entering his junior year at the University of Montana Western. He serves as president of the university’s Horseman’s, Young Farmers and Ranchers organizations and as vice president of Montana Associated Students. In addition, he is a member of UMW’s student senate. Jacob enjoys showing in sortings, cuttings, ranch rodeos and reined cow horse events. After college, he aspires to take care of the family ranch in Minnesota.
Utah Valley University’s Collegiate Colt Starting Challenge Team Coach & Roster
Head Coach Shane Draper
In his 13th year as Head Coach of the Utah Valley University Rodeo Team, Shane Draper has made tremendous strides as a knowledgeable, supportive and motivational leader, who has shown immense dedication and ingenuity in building the program. Draper says, “The love of rodeo is a deep, driving force that consumes every thought of these UVU athletes. We provide them the opportunity to get an education while competing. Were it not for programs like ours, many of these talented athletes would graduate high school and enter the workforce without any thought of completing a degree. We strive to ensure that these opportunities and our rodeo legacy live on.”
Hayden Boren
Hayden Boren, a native of Vernal, UT, is majoring in Civil Engineering at Utah Valley University and has been a member of the Utah Valley University Rodeo Team for two years. He competes in steer wrestling, tie-down roping and team roping and has the distinction of being a 2021 CNFR qualifier. He has had the opportunity of working with horses all of his life, and he is excited to use his knowledge during the Days of ’47 and Road to the Horse Colt Starting Challenge.
Bret Olsen
Bret Olsen, a native of Castle Dale, Utah, grew up riding horses in both the desert and mountains. He began rodeoing during his freshman year of high school. At the time, Bret’s dad had purchased him some young horses and told him he could make his own rodeo horse. Since then, he has gained a lot of knowledge about training and roping, which he uses while currently training horses for a living. Bret is also a part of Broncs and Donks and is expanding his resume to include training mules. He competed on the Utah Valley University Rodeo Team during his freshman year of college. Bret loves team roping and calf roping, and he credits his horses, Reno, Hank, Smoke and Robyn with helping him progress as both a trainer and person.
