Jace Powell deserving of BCAS Scholarship
By Diana Walker and Sharon Dahl
BCAS Scholarship committee members
Jace Powell, son of Calvin and Haley Powell, attended Youngstown School and Hope Christian within PLRD, graduating in the spring of 2021.
One of two Big Country Agricultural Society scholarship recipients, Jace received a tuition rodeo scholarship to Central Arizona College, where he took the first year of a General Agriculture Certificate. “This rodeo experience and agriculture education will allow me to contribute to rural living,” said Jace.
Jace was involved in soccer and hockey and fell into captain or coaching positions as time progressed. He helped with little tee-ball practice and basketball, taking a leadership role with his high school basketball team. He enjoyed being an older role model to the younger kids in the community.
He and his three younger siblings participated in 4-H, Alberta High School Rodeo, Youngstown Community Club, Youngstown Warriors, the Big Country Agricultural Society and the Cereal Athletic Association by hosting or organizing functions.
A seven-year member of Dryland Multi 4-H Club Jace held roles at district and regional levels helping as a ring man, teaching clipping and judging, and giving dummy roping lessons and live cattle clinics.
“I’ve always enjoyed 4-H as it was a way to meet new people and hang out with friends, but most importantly, we learned from each other and volunteered in our community with events and highway cleanup,” adds Jace. “We were able to help and teach the newer generation of the community that has not been around horses, cattle or other livestock about our way of life and all the neat things we know and have learned over the years.”
As an ambassador of rodeo and AHSRA, Jace encouraged his siblings and fellow classmates to become involved in rodeo. “I helped kids get involved but also brought rodeos and gymkhanas to our local towns,” says Jace. “Within AHSRA, I was on the Hanna Big Country Rodeo Committee, and we hosted four performances over three days for our district. I helped BCAS with gymkhanas, youth rodeo and with the Beef Expo as a ring man. I helped plan and host Cereal Athletic Association’s Kids’ Rodeo. The best part about these little rodeos in our local towns is seeing all these kids learn from their friends and watching them become solid riders and develop horsemanship along the way.
“I have been happy to help out. It has given me so many awesome opportunities and skills that I can take on to the next chapter of my life,” Jace concludes in his application.
This past spring, Jace wrote, “Arizona has been a blast. It does get cold here too - I had to put a sweater on once or twice. Seriously though, this is the roper’s dream. I have roped nearly every day except for when it has rained (twice since August.)
When I first got down here, it was too hot to rope in the day, so we roped in the early mornings and later in the evening through the night, which left time for school in the day. Now in winter, we rope all day and do a bit of school at night or in the morning. I have been on a month-long Christmas break, so have been working for the trainer that I worked for in Canada, who has supplied me with tons of horses allowing me to practice all day every day.
In our fall rodeo season. I competed in team roping as a heeler, calf roping, steer wrestling and saddle bronc riding. My team is made up of students from all over the United States, including Hawaii and the three Western Canadian Provinces. I have some excellent coaches and am lucky to be part of such a great team.
My Agriculture Certificate classes have been a little tough, but it’s all towards something that I want to do, so it makes it a little bit easier. So far, I have taken Plant Biology, Agricultural Accounting, Horsemanship, Computer and English courses. And rodeo. Farrier courses begin this spring. I really appreciate this scholarship to help me purchase tools for my education and trade.”
Applications for the 2022 scholarships are open.
