Riding in their footsteps: family legacies live on in Cal Poly Rodeo

Several Cal Poly Rodeo athletes said that being immersed in the world of rodeo was something that happened before they could even remember. To them, rodeo has always been second-nature, something they were raised with, passed down through their family.

Vince Nino, a team roping and tie-down roping athlete for Cal Poly Rodeo, is continuing a family tradition that spans across several generations. He said his family line of Cal Poly Rodeo athletes is so long, it’s hard to keep track.

“I’ve had a couple cousins that competed here at Cal Poly Rodeo, and then my dad went to Cal Poly,” Nino said. “I’ve had numerous aunts, uncles and family members — I couldn’t count how many have been here, but there’s been a lot of us.”

The agricultural science senior said he isn’t the only Nino competing on the team today, and it’s not the first time multiple Ninos have competed together.

“It’s fun rodeoing with my cousin. He’s a freshman right now,” Nino said. “When I was a freshman, I had an older cousin that looked out for me, so it’s pretty good to continue that for someone else.”

Cal Poly Rodeo was first established in 1939. While the program has grown over the span of several decades, so have some families’ lineage in the program’s history. Today, 11 athletes on the Cal Poly Rodeo team come from families of Cal Poly Rodeo alumni, according to Anna Grace Durham, the media manager for Cal Poly Rodeo.

For Ethan Lazanoff, a team roping, calf roping and steer wrestling athlete, his family rodeo legacy is one that is also visible in the grounds today. His father currently manages the cowboy beef unit and takes care of the cattle ranches on campus.

“My dad and my uncle were both on the [rodeo] team, and then my mom was on the livestock judging team here,” said Lazanoff, an agricultural systems management freshman.

Caleb Carpenter, a team roping and calf roping athlete, said that being a part of the Cal Poly Rodeo team was always a goal of his, in order to continue his family’s legacy. The agricultural communication senior’s father and aunt both previously competed for Cal Poly Rodeo and his father won a national title for team roping in 1984.

“I felt that it was cool to be able to continue kind of what my dad had done back then and to be able to fulfill, you know, coming here getting a degree in rodeo and Cal Poly,” Carpenter said.

For some rodeo athletes, like Lacey Lewis, a breakaway, team roping and barrel racing athlete, they were able to experience their family’s Cal Poly Rodeo legacy firsthand.

“My mom always raved about it, she loved it so much. She comes back every year and does the alumni team roping for Poly Royal, and I was lucky enough to have a year here with my sister before she graduated,” said Lewis, an agricultural communication junior.

Lewis shared that there was one specific moment during her time with Cal Poly Rodeo where she realized she was currently living out her family’s legacy.

“It was my sister’s senior year,” Lewis said. “We were both up in the same event, and the announcer was talking about the two Lewis sisters that are here. We happened to be good friends with the announcer, and they said something like ‘the three Lewis girls,’ so that was kind of cool, it felt like a tradition almost.”

Committing to Cal Poly

The athletes said that it was their family’s history at Cal Poly and experience with the rodeo team that ultimately influenced their decision to commit to Cal Poly.

“It’s where I’ve wanted to go since I was a kid, mainly because they all did. I saw the opportunities they had. It looked like a great, wonderful place,” Nino said.

Competing for the Cal Poly Rodeo team and attending Cal Poly had been a life-long desire for several of the athletes.

“I mean, it’s been one of my goals since my dad’s been telling me stories my whole life. I’ve always wanted to come here, and now I’m here,” Lazanoff said.

“I saw my dad’s success here and the opportunity. He always talked about how great San Luis Obispo was, so it definitely sparked an interest and a want to be here,” Carpenter said.

Team Culture

Though Cal Poly Rodeo has grown and evolved over the last couple of decades — with a team that now boasts over 100 members — these athletes share the camaraderie on the team is one that has remained the same year-after-year.

“We’re all great friends,” Lazanoff said. “We get along, everyone works together and wants everyone to get better, and my dad and all his friends were the exact same way.”

For these athletes, Cal Poly Rodeo proves to be something that lasts far beyond the arena.

“My mom met all of our family friends here, so then growing up with them and then seeing all of the people and connections that my sister got to make, you kind of just make your own family here,” Lewis said.

‘A Dream of Mine’

All of the athletes shared that competing for the Cal Poly Rodeo team is an accomplishment that they had been working towards most of their life. There was a sense of pride that they said their younger self would feel if they saw where they were today.

“I’d be so happy. I mean it was one of my biggest goals in my life, and I would be pretty happy with myself that I made it here,” Lazanoff said.

“It definitely is a goal I achieved and I would be proud and ecstatic for myself,” Carpenter said.

“I think he’d [Nino’s younger self] be a real happy guy. It was a dream of mine to come to Cal Poly. I think I’d be proud of myself, so that’s exciting,” Nino said.

“I never pictured myself coming to Cal Poly, but I’m so glad that I did. I feel like I’ve grown as a person here because of this team and because of our coaches and all of the other people I’ve met, so she [Lewis’ younger self] would definitely be proud that I made it here,” Lewis said.

The Next Generation

Many athletes shared a hope that the Cal Poly Rodeo family lineage doesn’t end with them. They said that similar to the way they heard stories from their families’ time with the team, they are ready to carry their experiences over to the next generation.

“Just like my dad did for me, you know, give us an opportunity to come here and do rodeo, and I feel like I want to do the same for my kids and give them my stories and experiences here and let them know it’s a great place,” Carpenter said.

“I hope if my kids want to, they end up at Cal Poly, and they can experience what the rest of my family got to experience, because it is awesome, it’s a gift,” Lewis said.

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Ethan competes in team roping, calf roping and steer wrestling. Before him, his father and uncle were on the rodeo team, and his mother was on the livestock judging team. His father did team roping, and his uncle did calf roping and steer wrestling for Cal Poly Rodeo. Today, Ethan’s father can still be found around the rodeo grounds, taking care of the cattle ranches, as the manager of the cowboy beef unit. Ethan said that being raised in rodeo from a young age paved the way for him today. “I’ve always loved rodeo, loved the lifestyle and I’ve always known that’s something I wanted to do my whole life.”

Lacey competes in breakaway, team roping and barrel racing. Before her, her mother and older sister also competed for Cal Poly Rodeo in the same events. Lacey said that seeing the connections her mother and sister made through the Cal Poly Rodeo team influenced her decision to come to Cal Poly. “My Mom met all of our family friends here, so then growing up with them and then seeing all of the people and connections that my sister got to make, you kind of just make your own family here.”

Vince competes in team roping and tie-down roping. Before him, his cousins competed for Cal Poly Rodeo, and his father, aunts, uncles and several other family members all attended Cal Poly. Today, Vince competes alongside his cousin, who is a freshman Cal Poly Rodeo team member. Vince shared that being at Cal Poly and on the rodeo team makes him proud, knowing that he’s continuing his family’s legacy. “The day I got accepted was kind of cool. My Dad went here, and I was like ‘yeah sweet, I’m going to continue it,’ and that’s something to be proud of.”

Caleb competes in team roping and calf roping. Before him, his father and his aunt competed for Cal Poly Rodeo. In 1984, Caleb’s father won a national title in team roping for Cal Poly. Caleb said that he sees a similarity in the way his father described the Cal Poly Rodeo team and his experience today. “Like us as a team and them as a team back then, we all try and look for each other’s success. We’re always trying to make each other better and see us succeed.”

This story originally appeared in the April printed edition of Mustang News. Check out more stories from the issue here.