By Rich Winter

605 Sports

DES MOINES, Iowa — Buffalo’s Revyn Floyd heads to Iowa Friday in preparation for his second National Junior High Finals Rodeo. 

Floyd qualified in four events at the South Dakota state finals but it wasn’t easy as he experienced some adversity during his eighth-grade year at Harding County.

“I was on the varsity wrestling team and in the first match of the season I broke my elbow,” Floyd said. “I posted my arm up and it just happened. It was probably the most painful thing I’ve ever experienced.” 

The day after the injury Floyd had his elbow surgically repaired. For a week he was in a splint and then he was in a brace. Floyd, a multi-time AAU state qualifier in South Dakota, did not wrestle again in 2023-24 and he said it took about three months for the injury to heal. 

Floyd is a multi-sport athlete that plays football and wrestles. He likes those sports but rodeo, without a question, is his true love.

“Rodeo is my favorite,” he said. “There is something about being around friends and making new friends and I really like to work with the animals.”

Floyd qualified for the 2023 Jr. High National Finals in goat tying. At the 2024 South Dakota Junior High Finals, Floud finished third in the tiedown roping, second in the goat tying, third in the saddle bronc and third in the bareback riding. 

Floyd’s next bit of adversity came when his tie-down horse came up lame while dealing with a calf horse injury. His next play was solving that problem as best as he could. 

“I was able to get a horse from Levi Grimes of Kadoka,” Floyd said. “On Thursday I went and practiced with the horse and he works pretty good so I’ve got no complaints.”

In addition to the four events he’ll be contesting in Des Moines, Floyd also competes in chute dogging, ribbon roping and team roping. 

At any rodeo Revyn Floyd is a busy young man.

“I really don’t have a favorite event, I kind of enjoy them all,” he said.

Harding County eighth grader Revyn Floyd says that one of his favorite parts of rodeo is taking care of the animals - Courtesy Photo

Following his performances at the South Dakota Junior High Finals Rodeo, Floyd was awarded a saddle and a buckle after winning All-Around Cowboy honors. “That was really an honor,” he said. “I felt like I really competed and went out there and did my best at everything.” As noted, Floyd competed in Georgia at the 2023 Junior High National Finals Rodeo in the goat tying. He won a performance and ended up in 25th place, just short of making the short go-round. That experience of being on the big stage helps take away the nerves and Floyd said it is going to be business as usual.“I’m not nervous,” he said. “I’m going to take it one step at a time and make the best runs I can make.” Floyd comes from a rodeo

family with influences from several uncles. His cousin, Sattyn Wilson, a year older than Floyd, qualified in the barrel racing for the National High School Finals Rodeo. Without question Floyd said his biggest rodeo influencer is his dad Colt.

“Both of my parents rodeoed in high school and college and my dad was very consistent in every event he did.”

Like a lot of kids that live on ranches, Floyd gets farm strong by doing chores, fixing fence and tossing around square bales of hay.

For a man so young Floyd  has a calm demeanor as he heads to the national finals.

“It is fun because you get to meet tons of people and hang out with friends,” he said. “As far as goals and expectations I just want to go out there and do the best I can.” Following his performances at the South Dakota Junior High Finals Rodeo, Floyd was awarded a saddle and a buckle after winning All-Around Cowboy honors. 

“That was really an honor,” he said. “I felt like I really competed and went out there and did my best at everything.” 

As noted, Floyd competed in Georgia at the 2023 Junior High National Finals Rodeo in the goat tying. He won a performance and ended up in 25th place, just short of making the short go-round. That experience of being on the big stage helps take away the nerves and Floyd said it is going to be business as usual.

“I’m not nervous,” he said. “I’m going to take it one step at a time and make the best runs I can make.” 

Floyd comes from a rodeo family with influences from several uncles. His cousin, Sattyn Wilson, a year older than Floyd, qualified in the barrel racing for the National High School Finals Rodeo. Without question Floyd said his biggest rodeo influencer is his dad Colt. 

“Both of my parents rodeoed in high school and college and my dad was very consistent in every event he did.”

Like a lot of kids that live on ranches, Floyd gets farm strong by doing chores, fixing fence and tossing around square bales of hay.

=For a man so young Floyd  has a calm demeanor as he heads to the national finals.

“It is fun because you get to meet tons of people and hang out with friends,” he said. “As far as goals and expectations I just want to go out there and do the best I can.”