Varsity Big Red Team Major Helen Erickson with alumnus Randy Britton in the paddock at the 2022 National Western Stock Show

At the 2022 National Western Stock Show, Westernaires Varsity Big Red Team Major Helen Erickson caught up with alumnus, PRCA pickup man Randy Britton. Helen had a great time talking with Randy about how he got into rodeo, his experiences in Westernaires, and what it takes to be a pickup man. Randy and his lovely wife, Kathryn, also run Rocking RB Ranch, where they breed and train solid, working horses that Randy uses at rodeos.

Helen Erickson: Randy, thank you for taking the time to meet with us. Can you think back to your early years in Westernaires and tell us when you started?

Randy Britton: I think it was either 1992 or 1993, and my parents’ friends had some kids in it. We came and watched a show and decided to make a go of it. (Editor’s Note: Randy’s father is long-time Westernaires instructor Larry Britton.)

Helen: Did you have any previous experience with horses?

Randy: Very little. My grandparents had a ranch, and had a couple of horses. We’d done a little riding here and there.

Helen: What year did you graduate from Westernaires?

Randy: 2001.

Helen: Can you share with us one of your favorite memories from your time in Westernaires?

Randy: Ha ha! Geez. Vernal (Utah) was always fun. We had some stupid stuff happen there, but always had some fun stuff too. A girl ran through a window while playing Red Rover. We stayed in the High School, and there was this big long hallway. I don’t know why we were playing Red Rover, but anyway, one team was winning and they sent someone over and she went full boar and into a waist-high window. (Editor’s Note: If this was you, we want to make sure you’re okay, and once we do that, we want to hear the story of going through a window!) Trinidad was fun. I got locked in a refrigerator on a dare.

Helen: In what ways did Westernaires prepare you for ranching life and your life on the circuit?

Randy: It kind of set the whole path, really. I joined Westernaires, and then I had a group of friends that started rodeoing, and I followed them into that life.

Helen: What were some challenges that you faced during your time in Westernaires?

Randy: Trying to rodeo and be in Westernaires at the same time. Glen Keller (then Director of Westernaires and Instructor of Varsity Red Team) was not enthused with me missing practices to be doing rodeo. We had meetings with him every year and gave him a schedule, so that was the biggest thing. I graduated in Vernal because I came to one Stock Show, then graduated from high school that following Spring. So trying to rodeo and then I was going to go to college in Riverton, Wyoming — like, there’s no way to have the time to come back down to Westernaires practices. So I decided to graduate at Vernal.

Helen: What advice would you give to any of the guys or girls out there who want to ride the rodeo circuit?

Randy: Um, don’t. Ha ha! No, I mean I can’t regret any of it I guess, but… it’s hard. You’re going to get beat up. But, just keep at it, I guess.

Helen: What would be step one for someone who wanted to follow your path and try their hand at a career as a pickup person?

Randy: Start roping. Get a good Westernaires horse. Many of the Westernaires horses are good at transitioning from Westernaires to a pickup life — like Steppes is a good example of that. Then being around all of those flags and everything. It was pretty seamless for me, really, in that respect. But, I mean, you also kind of need to know somebody too. I started picking up in 2002, and that was because my best friend started an amateur rodeo company. That was the only reason I got my foot in the door, really. And then, he bought horses from a larger contractor who was short-handed one day and called my friend who then called me. It took a couple of years to make my way like that. I mean, if you don’t have ties into it, it can be hard.

Helen: Randy, as part of Cervi Championship Rodeo, I read that you travel around to over 150 rodeo performances each year. So, you obviously get to see a lot of different rodeos and you get to see quite a few different specialty acts. How do you feel Westernaires stacks up against some of these other acts you see out there?

Randy: Pretty good! You know, there’s not a whole lot of drill teams. I mean, I’ve seen a few who are good, expecially in the Pacific Northwest. But most of those groups don’t really go very far in their travels. I haven’t heard of anybody doing what Westernaires does as a specialty act.

Helen: Is there any advice you’d like to pass along to the current Westernaires riders?

Randy, Kathryn, & Tessa Britton. Photo courtesy of Rocking RB Ranch

Randy: I feel like I’m not one for giving much advice. I took a long hard road and there was probably a much easier road I could have taken, but it also led me to where I am now and I’m a pretty lucky guy where that is. I guess maybe: Let the road of life lead you. Where I am now isn’t where I thought I’d be when I graduated high school, but I wouldn’t want any other life than what I have today. So, when your road turns, don’t get discouraged because it might be leading you to something even better than you could have ever imagined.

Helen: Thank you for that! So, Randy, you breed horses and train them to do pickup work. We obviously know a whole lot of people who would love to break into that kind of work as well. What kind of advice could you give to them?

Randy: Well, shoot, I never sugar coat the fact that it’s extremely hard to get into this life, but if I did it, then so can they. Rope everything in sight: a roping dummy, your dog, your siblings, everything. I actually took a “training a rope horse” class in college that greatly helped me. Go out and get a couple of older, solid pickup horses. When you’re first starting out, you need a horse that knows more than you. Actually, later on, many Westernaires horses transition nicely into the work too. The #1 mistake though that young guys make is they think they can train a horse and themselves at the same time. It doesn’t work out well. And lastly, try and get yourself into a college rodeo practice or something like that.

Helen: Do you have any horses of your own down here at the stock show this year?

Randy: I have a coming 5-year-old that I got as a yearling down here this year. He’s the oldest one out of that.

Helen: Randy, thank you so much for your time. And we appreciate you representing us well here as part of the Cervi Championship Rodeo crew at stock show!

Randy: It’s my pleasure. Thanks for what you do.

An Interview with PRCA Pickup Man (and Westernaires Alumnus) Randy Britton