WELD COUNTY, Colo. — Less than two years after climbing into the saddle, 14-year-old Hayden Chambers has earned a spot at the Junior National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
The Weld County teen will ride for a championship belt buckle next week, battling not only the clock and a bucking bronco — but also a comeback from a serious injury just three months ago.
“I listen to Chris LeDoux music a lot, and he was a bareback rider, so that kind of got me into it,” Chambers said. “Think it’s just the adrenaline rush. I’m kind of an adrenaline jockey.”
Bareback riding requires competitors to stay atop a bucking horse for eight seconds, spurring in rhythm to the animal’s movement. Chambers, who was taught by a coach, quickly began excelling in regional rodeos. He placed second at the regional finals, earning him a spot in the Nationals…