ELKMONT'S COWBOY - CODY INMAN

Cody Inman’s family always had horses, and he began riding when he was 14. That was also the time he became familiar with the art of calf roping. “Some friends from church invited me over to their place, and they let me rope on one of their horses,” said Inman, a 2012 Elkmont High graduate. “I was hooked from that day.”

Inman has traveled a long way since his parents took him to Lawrenceburg, Tennessee, to compete as a calf roper in a junior rodeo. “I won because I was the only one entered in the 13-to-15 age category,” he said.  Despite the lack of competition that day, Inman rode and roped his way to amateur stardom. He earned a four-year rodeo scholarship to the University of Tennessee-Martin, where he will begin his junior year in August.  Inman was named the International Professional Rodeo Association Rookie of the Year in 2013 for team roping. “I won more than $10,000 in that association last year and more than $30,000 total,” he said.  Overall, Inman, who competes in about 70 rodeos a year, counts more than $100,000 in prize money, along with more than 26 buckles and nine saddles.

In team roping, he partners with Lane Mitchell, 20, of Bolivar, Tenn. “Lane and I met through the junior rodeos when we were eighth-graders,” Inman said. “We were Tennessee state champions in team roping when we were high school seniors. Now, we’re juniors at UT-Martin and have a house together up there.”  The university’s rodeo team is No. 3 in the nation. The school maintains a rodeo barn, arenas and stalls, and Inman keeps four of his six horses on campus, including Nelly, an 8-year-old he has had for a year.  “She’s my main horse now. She’s fast and pretty versatile, calm and runs hard,” Inman said. “You can do anything you want on her.” 

Inman travels to two or three rodeos each week. He will be in Athens on Thursday, Tuscumbia on Friday morning and Newnan, Georgia, by Friday night.  “I will also go to the Special Needs Rodeo in Athens on Friday morning,” Inman said. “I’ll be jumping around like crazy. But I want to do well at the Limestone County Sheriff’s Rodeo, and Lane and I will go all out. I’ll be competing at home.”
For the fourth year, Inman, 20, who has competed across the nation, will participate in calf roping and team roping at the Limestone County Sheriff’s Rodeo.

For the complete article, pick up Thursday's Decatur Daily or visit their website: Link