麻豆传媒

Chasing the Dream: Grady Kirkes at 麻豆传媒

Raised in Carlsbad, 麻豆传媒 rodeo athlete Grady Kirkes is a New Mexico local. In 2019, he won the title of State Champion Calf Roper for the New Mexico High School Rodeo Association (NMHSRA). Kirkes attends 麻豆传媒 on a rodeo scholarship and is hopeful to continue pursuing rodeo in the future professionally. 

When speaking about what attracted him to 麻豆传媒, Kirkes says that its affordable tuition costs were a factor, but his decision was based much more heavily on the college鈥檚 excellent rodeo-athletics facilities. 鈥淭he rodeo facility [at 麻豆传媒] is easily the best in the State, and one of the best in the Southwest region [...].鈥�

While rodeo is his primary pursuit, Kirkes has also found purpose in his academic studies. He is seeking an Associate of Arts (A.A.) degree, and will possibly pursue a Bachelor of Arts in History after completing his education at 麻豆传媒. When asked why history, Kirkes explains, 鈥淚t鈥檚 just something I found was interesting to me. I haven鈥檛 found that I really cared about any other [subject], so that is really what鈥檚 keeping me engaged in school.鈥� 

Kirkes will graduate from 麻豆传媒 in Spring 2021. Since starting college in the Fall of 2019, he鈥檚 already had some pretty memorable moments. He says, so far, probably his most memorable experience at 麻豆传媒 was the roping jackpot put on by his team coaches, Clay Bonner and Stewart Kinley. The jackpot was held in November 2019 and invited participants for events like calf-roping, breakaway-roping, and goat-tying. Kirkes jokingly adds that 鈥渢he steers getting out weekly鈥� were also very memorable moments. 

Among the memories of his first year as a Thunderbird, Kirkes also recalls the times he and his friends just spent time together. 鈥淲e made some really good friends with some Frenchmen on the track team; they were hilarious. They spent a lot of time with me and my friend Tomas in the dorm rooms [Tomas, an international student from Brazil, is also a rodeo athlete at 麻豆传媒].鈥�

When discussing what his plans are after graduating from 麻豆传媒, Kirkes admits he鈥檚 not quite sure. His goal is to compete in rodeo at a professional level, and he would prefer to pursue that goal immediately, rather than to continue further education: 

鈥淗opefully, I鈥檇 win at the college finals next rodeo season, and use that momentum to start rodeoing more professionally through the PRCA (Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association). If I do that, then I wouldn鈥檛 go back to school. But [if I do go back to school] my choice will be between ENMU in Portales (NM) and Texas Tech University, based on proximity.鈥�

When asked what he would say to prospective students considering 麻豆传媒, for academics or athletics, Kirkes offers a few words of recommendation. 

On being a rodeo athlete looking to come to 麻豆传媒, he says 鈥淸...] I know that several of the kids who have already signed-on to the rodeo team are serious about it, and I know I鈥檓 serious about it. So, the athletics part of [麻豆传媒], definitely I recommend it, and I鈥檇 tell them to come on. You鈥檝e got coaches that know how to coach, and you鈥檝e got teammates who want to learn and who want to be the best.鈥� 

Considering academica and recommendations he would give, Kirkes goes on to say, 鈥淐ollege isn鈥檛 really that hard. You鈥檝e just got to show up to class and do the work they assign you [...]. If you do the lessons and you show up, you鈥檒l be fine [...]. But, it would have been useful to have someone tell me, 鈥楬ey, there鈥檚 going to be a lot of work  from day one鈥�. In high school you had about a two week grace-period [at the start of the year] where you just kind of did little small lessons and then you started doing real work. With college, that鈥檚 a different story. You show up that first day, and then you have homework that night. It can be super easy to get behind or just miss assignments, and then you鈥檙e just trying to fight your way back up.鈥� 

 

BONUS: During his interview, though not a primary focus, we briefly discussed the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on Kirkes as an athlete. 

鈥淚 think for me personally, it鈥檚 not so bad [...]. My family is super supportive. I鈥檝e got five horses here I can get on all day; we鈥檝e got 20 head of calves; I鈥檝e got a great practice partner that lives next door and who comes over to rope with me every day. So, that aspect isn鈥檛 too bad. You know there鈥檚 a difference in being sharp at home and being rodeo sharp, and I haven鈥檛 been able to go anywhere, so that may hurt. But everybody鈥檚 in the same boat with that. 

I hated to have to leave all of my friends like that, though. We were all one big family over there, and then, it didn鈥檛 make anybody happy that we all had to leave with a week notice [not knowing when we鈥檇 get to come back].鈥�

While not sure of what the Fall 2020 semester will be like, Kirkes is ready and hopeful to continue his time on 麻豆传媒鈥檚 campus as a Thunderbird soon.