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J.D. Yates

J.D. Yates, a cowboy from Colorado Springs, CO started roping at the age of 14, roping heels behind his dad. He began his rodeo career the following year in 1975. At that time he was the youngest cowboy to ever compete at the NFR. J.D. first competed in 1977 at Cheyenne Frontier Days in steer roping. He has competed in team roping at Cheyenne Frontier Days for over 40 years with his father Dick and son Trey. In 1994, J.D. won the Steer Roping Championship. In 2016, he placed third in the average team roping, third in the average steer roping, and first in the senior steer roping, gaining him the All-Around Cheyenne Frontier Days Champion title. He says, “There is a reason they call this rodeo the 'Daddy of ‘em All.' Cheyenne Frontier Days is where everyone dreams about coming, competing and winning. People work a lifetime to get to Cheyenne. The rodeo is a challenge, with a long score and fresh cattle; it truly requires you to challenge yourself and compete at a different level.” J.D. continues to rodeo today and CFD will always be on his calendar, because his greatest win is always the next one. In 2018, he participated in the Senior Steer Roping event. In 1991, J.D. won his first Pendleton Round Up buckle in steer roping. Including his win in 1991, J.D. has also won steer roping titles at Pendleton in 1994 and 2001. His win in 1994 also gained him the All-Around Champion title at Pendleton that year. These achievements earned him induction into the Pendleton Hall of Fame in 2016. Outside of his rodeo career, J.D. is most recognized as a performance horse trainer. His roping experience has helped him transition into this position as he was always training heeling or calf roping horses while his father trained the heading horses. This training evolved into a major business as people started sending their horses to the Yates’ for training. He has worked hard to achieve 42 AQHA World Championships and 5 Super Horse titles. J.D. is a lifetime member of the AQHA and serves as a national director. You can find J.D. and the family business, Hitch Rack Performance Horses, in Pueblo, CO.

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J.D. Yates
J.D. Yates

J.D. Yates

J.D. Yates, a renowned roper from Colorado Springs, has competed at Cheyenne Frontier Days for over 40 years and is also recognized as a top performance horse trainer.

2018

J.D. Yates