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Kyle Myers, 19, of Felton ties a calf at the 2005 Pennsylvania High School Finals Rodeo. Myers' rodeo skills have earned him a full scholarship at Rogers State University in Oklahoma, where he begins classes this week. (Submitted)
Since he was just a boy, Kyle Myers has been working with his horse, Sleek Toy, to master the art of calf roping for the rodeo.

While Myers, 19, was learning to throw a rope around a calf's neck and quickly dismount, he was also training Sleek Toy to pull back on the rope just tight enough to keep the calf still while Myers rushed to tie its feet.

"It takes a lot of time to do it," said Myers of the training. "Ninety-five percent of your time goes to your horse."

But after years of training together, Myers and his horse, which is now 11 years old, have learned their lesson so well that they're going to college together.

This week the Felton resident is starting school at Rogers State University in Oklahoma, where he has garnered a full scholarship to attend college while competing on the rodeo team.

Myers, a 2006 graduate of Red Lion Area High School, plans to major in entrepreneurship at the university. He has also taken Sleek Toy to the school to join him on the rodeo team.

On the way to Oklahoma, Myers and Sleek Toy stopped at the Ford American Quarter Horse Youth Association World Championship in Fort Worth, Texas, to compete.

And the rodeo partners didn't disappoint.

Myers and Sleek Toy claimed the reserve world championship title in calf-roping, also known as tie-down roping.
Myers said about 1,900 competitors from around the world were entered in the rodeo. He and Sleek Toy beat out dozens of cowboys in the calf roping competition.

Only Tavis Walters of Mississippi edged out Myers for the top spot in the competition with a total score of 220.5 to Myers' 218.5.

Myers' mom, Renee Myers of Felton, said her son's success with the rodeo might be unique in this area. But for the Myers family, she said, it's nothing new.

Kyle Myers' older sister, Shayla Willwert, 26, and his older brother, J.R. Myers, 21, also won their share of rodeo and horse riding competitions.

But Renee Myers said Kyle is the first person from the East Coast to win a full scholarship to Rogers State University for the rodeo team.

Kyle Myers said practices have already begun, and he's hoping he and Sleek Toy can improve their calf roping times.

"Once I get out here and start roping with a little harder competition, I'll get better," he said.

-- Reach Brock Parker at 505-5434 or bparker@yorkdispatch.com.