Little hands, big loops
Twins advance with top roping wins

By LORI COPE | East Texas Edition

Bradley and Bryan Caudle, 5-year-old twins, will soon travel to the World Championship dummy roping event in Las Vegas. They have each won top places in the AATRC. -Staff photo b Copey

November 20, 2003 -- Little hands can throw big loops, and the big loops thrown by Hopkins County ropers Bryan and Bradley Caudle have caught a lot of wins.

The Caudles, 5-year-old twin brothers, have been invited to demonstrate their roping talents at the World Championship dummy roping competition in Las Vegas in early December, when the National Finals Rodeo will be under way.

The high-energy, brown-eyed pair seem to have natural ability for their favored sport, but they each credit "Poppa" for teaching them their winning ways.

Poppa is granddad James Wright, a winning roper in his own right. "Even when the boys were born I called them 'front' and 'back' for header and heeler," Wright said.

"I heel, he heads," Bradley explained about he and Bryan's positions in team roping, a sport they are sure to grow into.

"The boys have always carried some kind of rope in their hands since they could walk," said Rodney Caudle, the twins' father. Wright is his stepdad. "They actually started swinging a big rope in January this year."

The boys, pre-kindergarteners at Water Oak school in Sulphur Springs, are quick to note they use Orange Crush ropes.

"We practice a lot," Bryan answered about why he was so good at roping.

The brothers' wins have been generated from competitions in dummy roping. They attended their first competition, at the age of 4, in late May 2003 at an event sponsored by American Amateur Team Roping Championship (AATRC).

At the competitions, the young roper stands at a line and ropes a dummy, which is a plastic steer mount with a horned head. Those who rope the dummy advance to the next round. At each round, the line is a little further from the dummy.

"Their first competition was in Athens," said mom Jennifer Caudle. "Bradley was unsuccessful in his first event and Bryan received second place" which earned him a new rope.

It was in their second AATRC competition in Fort Smith, Ark., where Bradley took first place and won his first belt buckle. "Bryan was still struggling to get to the top," Jennifer said.

The boys' third competition netted both a win. A two-day event in Glen Rose, sponsored by the U.S. TRC, saw Bradley taking first place, and Bryan placing second on the first day of competition. Bradley earned a new rope, spurs, and a roping glove. Bryan came away with $5 and a goody bag. On the second day of competition, Bradley was unable to rope; but Bryan took third place, wining his entry fee and a goody bag.

At the fourth competition, held in Ada, Okla., Bradley won his second belt buckle with a first place win; and Bryan place second and won a new rope.

"By the end of September, we were back in Glen Rose," Jennifer said. "It was there that Bryan won his first belt buckle."

At this competition, Bradley "fell down the rank a little," and explained he would "starting giving his all when Bryan won just as many buckles as he won," Jennifer related about the brotherly-love her sons share.

Also in October, the twins competed in Ardmore, Okla., but this time, without their "coach." Poppa James Wright had suffered a roping accident which left him with a broken pelvis. The twins still roped, under the coaching of their dad, and Bryan won his second buckle there.

With all their wins, Bryan and Bradley went to Oklahoma City on Oct. 29 to compete for a spot in the U.S. Team Roping Champion (USTRC) finals. The competition was as stiff as a new rope among the numerous young cowboys and cowgirls, and only the first through third place finishes would advance. Bryan narrowly missed a spot, coming in fourth.

On Dec. 7, the twins will compete in Shawnee, Okla., for the AATRC finals; then it's off to Las Vegas for another competition which has prizes ranging from scholarships to saddles.

Bradley throws a loop over the dummy at a horse celebration in Sulphur Springs, as James "Poppa" Wright (background, left) and brother Bryan (right) watches his technique. -Staff photo b Copey

The whole family, including sister Brittney Bowen, grandparents, aunts and uncles, often travel to the competitions to cheer for the young ropers.

"It can be hectic with the traveling," said Rodney. "We usually hit one (competition) a month. It's fun to get away and we have a good time. ... And they enjoy it," he said as he watched his sons swinging ropes at a horse celebration event in Sulphur Springs on Nov. 4.

"The boys enjoy what they do, even if they don't win," Jennifer said.

Hopes for the duo are they will continue in the roping sport. "They are just learning to ride," said Wright. "They are getting the basics down. ... They've been roping a Buford (a moving, simulated steer) on foot for a while now.

"Next year we hope to be involved in more ropings," the boys' "coach" said.

But, so the young ropers don't get "burned out" with the sport, Wright added, "If they want to go fishing, we go fishing."