Letter to the Editor: The opportunity for an 8 second ride

By By

Dear Editor,
The title of this letter may seem a little misleading, but keep reading and I think it will help you to understand what it means.
When a young man or woman starts out in school in Emery County there’s an elementary school in most of the communities that they attend. There are also two Junior high schools that make it easier for kids to get to school from both ends of the counties.
Our family has been a beneficiary of each of these, attending Ferron elementary and San Rafael Junior High. I pay tribute to those teachers, advisors, administrative assistants, principals, and janitors who helped our kids-most recently our son to go through each school. Then on to Emery High and complete his education here in Emery County.
I hesitate to name names, because I will inadvertently leave some out-but I still want to name a few (my wife cautioned me about this also, but I didn’t listen). At the elementary: Two Mrs. Behlings (Lisa and Leona), Stewart Behling, Vickie Nielson, Jacki Behling, Mr. Dawes, and Joan Smith. At the Junior High: Doug Mecham, Julie Sitterud, Ky Horrocks and Layne Justice.
This small town has also helped our son with encouragement from many other sources, his Church and Boy Scout Leaders, his great friends, and those who live close by.
The Southeastern Junior Livestock Show was also a great addition to summers. It taught our kids responsibility as they raised pigs and lambs. The lady of our house became a very proficient pig trimmer through it all! (Does the name Dennis Worwood come to mind with this event?)
Our family also enjoyed a small business venture in Ferron selling snow cones, and some sweet corn to those who came through Ferron in the summer. However, our biggest support was from the people who lived in town. It helped our kids earn some money for school clothes, but they learned many lessons from what they did.
Sports became a large part of our son’s life, starting with baseball and soccer. Coaches like Derri Jewkes and others gave him their time, skills they had learned, and encouragement to do the best he could.
Here in this small town and rural county, kids have a great chance to make lasting friendships. Our son made some great ones at a young age-those that have been closest to him are Bryce Dugmore and McKoy Christiansen.
These boys played sports together, and developed into young men that their parents are very proud of!
I want to pay tribute to and thank all of the parents of the kids who our son and daughters have had to associate with here and have done their best to help where they could.
As I think of the more recent past, I reflect on what has happened to our son as he has gone through Emery High School. Again sports were a major part of his life. He often said that the only GOOD REASON for school was to make it possible for him to Wrestle and Rodeo!
He did enjoy great teachers at the High School–in addition to his coaches and advisors. Justin Thornley, Diane Carter, Mike Kava, Neal Peacock, and Lee Moss to name a few.
Justin Thornley inspired him with the FFA program and instilled in him a love for and a recognition of the importance of Agriculture to us all-to the point that he plans to study Ag Education at Utah State University this coming fall.
His biggest sports advisors were Kirk Christiansen, Justin Thornley, Travis Allen, Robbie Oveson, and Dawnette and Kevin Gordon. Kirk and his wife Mistie continue to call our son, another one of their “boys”.
Horses became one of his great interests-he purchased one from the Christiansens, and developed a love for training and conditioning them.
Wrestling brought him a great deal of satisfaction. He always said that he just had to beat the other boy in his weight and he was first string-he didn’t have to rely on politics or others to get there. He worked harder than anyone to achieve his goal a state title. (6 a.m. and until 7 p.m. after school) His Senior year he finished 3rd in Region, and he gave ALL that he had to win the state title in his weight even though it didn’t happen for him.
Rodeo became what he calls his “strange addiction,” I don’t know whether he came up with that phrase on his own but it does fit well. His friend McKoy and his dad, Kirk again were instrumental in helping him to excel at the sport. I took him to a rodeo school, and he took it from there-his mother was not “sold” on the saddle bronc event that he grew to enjoy, but she allowed it after he pleaded with her.
Kevin Gordon as the Rodeo advisor at the High School and his wife Dawnette, were instrumental in helping him and us to learn the “rodeo system” and do the best we could to support our son and the club. If anyone has ever been involved in hosting a rodeo, they know how much work it is.
The other parents who were involved and their kids provided a great deal of support for each other, not just cheerleading, but those who helped with more than time and effort. (i.e. Shane and Laurel Nielson donating all the hay needed for the Emery rodeo, Cory Cloward and Earl Gordon lining up cattle to use in some of the events, Kash and Brock Winn were also major sources of inspiration, the list of great names goes on and on)
Our son, Nathan and our family have benefited, enjoyed and grown to love and appreciate all of those who have contributed to and provided the opportunities that we have had.
This opportunity for an 8 second ride has been a wonderful example of what extraordinary people have done for us.
I have left out others; those here in local businesses, those who came to sporting events we have been involved with, and many who we don’t even know about.
The opportunity for a ride was culminated at the end of the High School Rodeo season when Nathan was able to compete in the Silver State competition in Winnemucca, Nevada where he won the first round and took second overall.
The crowning event was making it to the National High School Finals in Gillette, Wyoming after another Bronc rider was hurt just prior to the rodeo. This was his dream and goal. He wanted to be there with all of his heart and was so happy to be involved with one of his best friends. As well as other contestants from the Emery team and other parts of Utah.
My limited ability as a writer and “wordsmith” cannot begin to convey or express our appreciation to all of you for what you have done for Nathan and all of us.
Thank you.
Sincerely,
Wayne Urie
Ferron