Mindset and dedication have paid big dividends for 19-year-old Cable Wareham of Whiting, who won the saddle bronc riding championship at the recent National High School Finals Rodeo in Guthrie, Okla.

He says the road to that victory was paved with hard knocks.

“I got bucked off a lot; landing upside down makes a hard head, costly too with all the crushed hats,” he says. “But every time I’d hit the ground, I got back on more determined that ever that I could ride broncs.”

Wareham placed in every go-round and scored 216.5 points on three rides. The runner-up had 197 points.

“I was happy to make qualified rides and really pleased to win the championship,” he says. “It was a big improvement over a year ago at the finals.”

The young cowboy says lessons from last year were much in mind as he had to decide whether to accept a re-ride when he had a low score on his first horse this year.

“Last year when I took a re-ride, I got bucked off at 7.8-seconds and lost all my points,” Wareham says. “But I knew the score on my first horse this year wouldn’t stand up in the average, so I took the re-ride.”

This time it paid off moving him up to first in the go-round with 76.5 points. Marking 66-points, Wareham was eighth in the second go-round, and came back placing third in the short-go with 74-points. But his three-ride total gave him the championship.

Early desire to be a cowboy

Wareham says he has known he wanted to be a cowboy since he got his first pony in kindergarten.

“I started breaking ponies to ride and didn’t even have a big horse of my own until I was in the fifth grade,” he says. 

SENIOR PORTRAIT: This photo of Cable Wareham was part of his package of senior year photos.

While still in elementary school, Wareham started doing day work on horseback for cattle owners in the area as well has helping his dad and grandpa look after about 300 cows.

But it was bucking horses that captured his imagination.

“It was just in my blood,” Wareham says. “I always liked colts that had a little buck in them. My uncle Marty Hebb was a champion saddle bronc rider and that rubbed off some, too.

“I’ve done calf roping and team roping which are essential for a rancher. But I prefer the rough stock at rodeos.”

All-around athlete

An all-around athlete, Wareham played football, basketball and ran some track at Jackson Heights High School, Holton.

“We had a great football team making the Class 1A state semifinals,” says the starting quarterback. “Leaving the football field late at night to be at a rodeo the next day made for some tough weekends.”

Wareham has already purchased his Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association permit.

“I usually compete in three or four rodeos a week, top amateur competitions as well as professional rodeos,” he says.

His arena skills have earned him a rodeo scholarship to attend Fort Scott Community College.

“The coaches there are great for saddle bronc riding with top practice horses from Don Reno, Nowata, Okla.” he says.

Wareham is majoring in ranch management and working out for the rodeo team. He hopes to qualify in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association finals and eventually realize his dream of making it to National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

Wareham has already collected several rodeo checks since completing his high school career.

“I just love it. There’s no better feeling in the world,” the saddle bronc champion says.

Kansas team results

The combined Kansas team placed fifth at the recent National High School Rodeo Finals in Guthrie, Okla., reported James Higginbotham, executive director of the National High School Rodeo Association.

Higginbotham says the boys ranked second while the girls placed eighth. 

Leading scorer for the Kansas boys was Ty Pope of Garnett who was runner-up to the all-around cowboy. He was third in saddle bronc riding and sixth in bareback bronc riding.

Taylor Todd of Rexford was fourth runner-up to the all-around cowgirl while placing third in the reined cow horse event. 

Fourth in the all-around rookie cowgirl standings was Grace Gardiner of Ashland.

And the big winner was Cable Wareham, who won the saddle bronc riding championship.

Seeing other Kansas high school saddle bronc riders do well added to the thrill of the win for Wareham.

Ty Pope of Garnett was third overall with 196.5 points, and Weston Patterson, Waverly, came in 12th with 130 points.

“I travel to rodeos with Ty and Weston so that was really great for us all to compete together and place at the Nationals,” Wareham says. Colton Potter of Grenola was 15th with 108-points. 

Pope was sixth in bareback bronc riding with 222-points. Colt Eck, Redfield, marked 212.5-points on three bareback broncs to place 13th. His brother Bryce Eck totaled 142.5 points to rank 18th. Quintonn Lundsford, McCune, placed 20th in the bareback average with 137-points.

Lane Berkenmeier, Maple, Hill was sixth in bull riding with 77.5-points, and Tate Pollmeier, Fort Scott, ranked 14th, with 62-points.

Other Kansans placing in the top ten in event competition were also announced. They include Faith Miller, Allen, girls cutting, fifth; Lane Berkenmeier, Maple Hill, bull riding, sixth, and Trey Adams, Junction City, tie-down roping, ninth.