Stancik wins big at Mutton Bustin

By Michael Brooks

Staff Writer

Garth Brooks was the big star of the Houston Livestock and Rodeo, but for some Ganado residents, another much smaller star stole the show. Six-year-old Kyle Stancik won the March 12 preliminary Mutton Bustin. Although he didn’t win the championship, he did earn a spot in the finals, a feat that very few people can claim.

“He did it last year and then this year,” Kyle’s mother, Cari Stancik said. “He enjoyed doing it last year. When we were at the rodeo last year, he saw them doing Mutton Bustin and said he wanted to do it so he did it and liked it and wanted to go back and do it again this year. Last year he was in the outside arena. For the main arena, you fill out an application and they do random selections and we filled out the application in January and then we got the exciting email confirmation.”

“It was fun,” Kyle said.” I wasn’t scared or nervous, I am used to it.”

Mutton Bustin riders have to be either five or six years old and can’t weigh more than 55 lbs. 

“He suited up, put his vest on this time like he was a professional,” Cari said. “He was 52 pounds, so I’m sure we will surpass that soon. There were 19 kids the first day that he rode. At the finals, pretty much all of them made it to the fence but he got a belt buckle for winning and a plaque from the first night and then a participation trophy from the finals. He got two belt buckles, but this one goes to little brother.”

Little brother Koen has no interest in following in Kyle’s footsteps. “Kyle does the Mutton Bustin,” Koen said. For Kyle though, this may be as far as his rodeo career goes.

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