"I watch the kids that come out of here and they are all hard workers," Donna Thacker said. "They can go on with their lives and they get good jobs. They know how to work."

Despite a decline in participants in the past five years, it's the tradition that has kept the sport strong. Fuel and feed prices have cut the number of rodeoers from over 1,000 as recently as five years ago to 586 this year.

"Rodeo is still good," Norris said.

The proof is in the national championships.

Heading into this year's National Finals in Farmington, N.M., July 21-23, Team Utah has won three of the past five national titles. Utah won its first in 1996. It has also finished second three times.

"I think it's just as good as anywhere," Kenny Norris said, "The only advantage other places have is they have year-round rodeo."

The member clubs of the UHSRA sponsor 37 rodeos per year and rodeoers travel anywhere from 7,000 to 10,000 miles annually for Utah events, while regional and national events boost that number considerably.

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E-mail: jhinton@desnews.com