Keenan Hayes is hard-headed by nature, it only makes sense that he found a love in bareback riding. 

He grew up on his grandparent’s ranch, complete with cows and practice horses for him to originally get his feet wet — freshly caught by Hayes’ father.

Now, still on his permit in riding until 2023, Hayes is out to prove a Colorado-bred rider, straight from Hayden, CO, can be as good as anyone else. 

Hayes stayed on for the required eight seconds and captured a second-place with an 80.5 after the first day of the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo at the Norris Penrose Events Center Wednesday. 

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The fast start comes just months after Hayes took the win at the Mountain States Circuit in Loveland, CO. 

“This is the biggest money I’ve ever competed for,” Hayes said. “I knew most of these guys from the last two years, so it’s been even more fun with a rodeo family.”

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Hayes was only required to win $1,000 to qualify to buy out of his permit. By the time he was ready to move off it, the scoring had already started and would’ve cut his season short on points — so, he decided to hold off. 

Across the nation, and at several events in Colorado, Hayes has already racked up over $50,000 in winnings. He’s never been one to take ‘no’ for an answer and fell in love with the sport that pushes the stubbornness to its limit. 

“I just want to make a name for myself,” Hayes said. “I won a bunch of money early and decided to hold off a year. I used to wrestle and this is a similar event — just a fist fight from the start.

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“If I’m going to do something, I don’t want to just come out and donate money, I’m trying to be the best.” 

Hayes is even adding to his skills by giving back. 

He’s part of a group that hosts Bronco camps and helps to teach the fundamentals of the sport to young minds. When he starts to get rusty in his thinking, he bounces right back after teaching it. 

In his childhood, his family did much of the same for him, which started him along the path, as well as a defiance of anyone who told him he couldn’t. 

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The same groups that supported and taught him are planning to be around Saturday for Hayes’ semi-final run, barring a score beating his out before then — though a top-two finish on day one sets him up nicely. If not, he’ll be right back on the road to the mountains to compete in another event. 

No one’s harder on him than he is — after the ride, he already had thought up multiple critiques of himself. The fixes will come just as quick, it’s simply Hayes’ nature.