We covered a lot of youth rodeo events this year at FloRodeo, and there is one thing we’ve noticed: these parents dug deep into the cowboy dictionary to pick their kids' names, and they have all become the very definition of a cowboy.

We picked out some of our favorites that we saw in 2017, and we’re making a mental note to look out for them on future rodeo leaderboards.

Pecos Tatum

The cartoon character “Pecos Bill” was the inspiration for this young champion’s name, and his parents seemed see in to the future when they chose it for their son.

"He rode a tornado and invented calf roping and the six shooter," said Tatum’s mother Keylie in an interview with FloRodeo earlier this year, "We figured if we gave [our son] the name 'Pecos' he was destined to be a cowboy."

Destined, he was. Tatum has already claimed several American Junior Rodeo Association championships, qualified for multiple National Little Britches Rodeo Association Finals, and been featured in not one but two documentaries.

Read his full story HERE

Rodee Owen DeMers

Now if you don’t understand why we think this name is awesome, just say “Rodee Owen” out loud a couple times and you will catch the drift.

Eight-year-old Rodee is the son of Lacie and Joe DeMers from Montana. Rodeo is a way of life for this family, and the kids have the names to show for it; the older siblings are named “Cody Joe” and “Buck,” and when Lacie was visiting with a friend at the Boulder, Montana, rodeo they came up with the perfect name for their next addition to the family.

“I guess you can say rodeo roots run strong in this family,” said mom, who manages the mini bareback riding and saddle bronc riding world championship.

Rodee Owen qualified for the 2017 Junior NFR, and while he didn’t have the finals he was hoping for, we’re quite certain you’ll see this little guy rodeoin’ for years to come.

Bronc Ryder DeMers

You’ve met big brother Rodee Owen; now meet his little brother.

If you haven’t heard of Bronc Ryder DeMers after the 2017 Junior NFR, you have been living under a rock. The 4-year-old became an internet sensation after making an exhibition ride that is now nearing two million views on Facebook.

As you’ll see in his interview, he’s a little man of few words, but we think his name says all you need to know.

Just in case you have been living under that rock, you can watch the video of DeMers making his ride HERE

Rooster Yazzie

He was born as Kelton Yazzie, but something said “Rooster” was the name for this young cowboy; he can’t even remember where the nickname came from, but he's now legally known by the handle. He sounds like he comes straight out of an old western novel, hailing from Coyote Canyon, New Mexico, and never wanting to be anything but a cowboy.

 This 17-year-old always wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, and he’s already shown great promise in the rodeo world as two-time National High School Finals Rodeo and Indian National Finals Rodeo qualifier. He also placed in the top 10 at the International Youth Finals Rodeo this year and picked up some money in the 16-and-under incentive at the first-ever Ote Berry Steer Wrestling World Championships at the Junior NFR.

Look out for the name Rooster Yazzie in the future; this New Mexico cowboy has dreams of qualifying for the College National Finals Rodeo before setting his sights on the WNFR.

Ketch Kelton

When you’re a roper and your name sounds a lot like "catch," the pressure is on to do just that. Good thing Ketch Kelton seems to have no problem with catching pretty much anything you put in front of him.

He’s the son of three-time WNFR qualifier Chance Kelton and, by the way, he can already handle his rope; you can tell dad has held nothing back when teaching his protégé.

“When he was born, I was packing him on my horse before he could even see,” said Chance Kelton in an interview with USA Today Sports.

Ketch spends his days not only practicing to be a rodeo cowboy, but practicing the art of being a "real cowboy," putting his skills with a rope to good use on his family’s ranch in Cordes, Arizona. 

Here's Ketch getting it done earlier this year at the Barry Burk Jr. Roping Roundup. Noticed dad in the box giving the young Kelton some guidance before he nods his head.