Highmore teen ready for big run at national rodeo finals

HIGHMORE — Tate Hoffman is a good roper. Dale Lee Forman is a fast runner. So it’s only fitting that the two paired up for a run at the National Junior High Rodeo Finals June 24-30 in Huron.
Hoffman, 13, will compete in tie-down roping on his own and ribbon roping with Forman. The 2018 event marks the second straight year Hoffman will compete at the Junior High Finals, having competed in team roping a year ago.
Hoffman, from Highmore, thinks he and Forman might have a shot at a high place in the ribbon roping competition.
Ribbon roping is an event with one roper and one runner. The roper, on horseback, ropes the calf and brings it to a stop, while the runner, on foot, grabs the ribbon from the tail of the calf and runs back across the finish line.
The faster the roper can get the calf roped and stopped, the shorter the distance for the runner.
“She’s fast and I’m a good roper,” Hoffman said of Forman. “It works out.”

Hoffman said he’s been roping for about five years, learning the trade from his dad, Kenny, who is an accomplished roper himself.
“He’s been my teacher my whole career,” Tate said.
He began with goat tying and breakaway roping at 4H rodeos when he was 8 years old. For the past two years, Hoffman has been roping off his horse, Dunno, a 20-year-old gelding he’s had for three years.
“Last year we were still working out the kinks,” Hoffman said. “This year we’re decently good.”
At 20, Dunno is nearing the end of his rodeo career.
“He’s got a little limp to him, but he’s good,” Hoffman said, adding that he already has his next ride, Ace, waiting. Ace and Hoffman will start competing together next year.
Hoffman, who also participates in football, track, and wrestling at Highmore, said having the national finals essentially in his backyard — Highmore is less than 70 miles from Huron — will be nice in terms of accommodations. But he’s looking forward to traveling more, as well.
In the meantime, Hoffman is riding or roping every night of the week heading into the finals, where he has some pretty lofty goals for himself.
“I’m hoping to make it back to the short go in both events,” he said. “And place really high in ribbon roping. We’re pretty good at that.”

PHOTO BY JOHN DAVIS/AMERICAN NEWS
Highmore teen roper Tate Hoffman settles a loop about the head of a calf, during a rodeo event earlier this summer. Hoffman will compete in the National Junior High Finals Rodeo in Huron.