The Texas High School Rodeo is more than a display of young talent, it gives great opportunities to the students who take part in it.
KTXS met two remarkable young men Thursday who have lived rodeo for much of their lives.
It's given them everything from inspiration to an opportunity for a better life.
"Rodeo is my life," said high school bull rider Andrew Alvidrez.
"Without rodeo I'm pretty sure I'd be lost, I'd be some punk just doing whatever, just getting by," said high school rodeo roper Dakota Leopold.
Amazing displays of talent is just the surface of the Texas High School Rodeo Finals, underway this week at the Abilene Expo Center.
Behind those skills people will find remarkable people like Andrew Alvidrez, a 15-year-old bull rider from Seminole, Texas.
Andrew is a national and two time state champ in the sport.
His introduction to bull riding was humble to say the least.
"I had a little bouncy ball and I just rode it everyday and they decided let's take him to a rodeo and it took off from there," Alvidrez said.
Andrew is a freshman competing against seniors, and winning.
So why bull riding?
"It's the same reason why a quarterback would throw a pass when knows a 200 pound linebacker is coming to hit him," said Alvidrez. "It's the adrenaline, the urge to conquer something that's bigger than you."
Eighteen year old Dakota Leopold of El Campo, Texas is a roper and started competing rodeos at the age of three.
He was recently voted vice-president of the Texas High School Rodeo Association.
He said the rodeo has driven him to reach his ultimate goal: becoming an Aggie.
"Since I was a little kid I've always wanted A&M, that's been my dream, wanted to be an Aggie, wanted to rodeo," Leopold said.
But times were tough, financially, for Dakota.
He started beginning to settle on a community college near his home, then the rodeo came through for him, in a huge way.
"I'm going to walk out of here with $15,250 in scholarships for this week," he said.
All from a combination of scholarships through rodeos and rodeo associations around the state, and Dakota said he plans to attend A&M.
Visitors can catch both gentlemen in action Friday at the Expo Center.
The rodeo runs through Saturday, June 16.
