Thursday it’s Hailey.

Friday it’s on to Big Piney, Wyoming.

Saturday will find Ryder Wallace in Paris.

Most likely Paris, Idaho. But considering the state high school bareback champion’s weekly rodeo itinerary, there’s no ruling out France.

Such is the life of a rising rodeo talent.

Wallace, a Firth High School junior, rode his way to a state bareback championship at the Idaho High School Rodeo Finals in Pocatello during the first week of June. Wallace won with 66 points, 12 better than runner-up Tate Stoddard (Grace).

Now it’s on to the National High School Finals Rodeo in Nebraska.

Lincoln, Nebraska. Not Paris, Nebraska.

Wallace will represent Idaho, Firth and District 4 of the Idaho High School Rodeo Association in Nebraska during the final week of July.

Ryder’s practice partner and family friend Jack LePage is a recent graduate of Firth High School, and the pair both qualified for the state steer wrestling competition in Pocatello.

Neither Wallace nor LePage qualified for nationals in steer wrestling (top 4 to nationals), but apparently that’s not the kind of thing that sways Ryder Wallace one way or the other.

“Ryder works hard, listens, and always tries to get better,” LePage said. “Even if practice doesn’t go his way, he shows up the next day ready to go again.”

Cowboys are generally considered “tough” by the general public, but what does that “T” word mean, exactly? Watching and practicing with Ryder all these years, Jack LePage has some ideas.

“Toughness is mostly mental,” LePage said. “Anybody can be tough when things are going good, but when you’re tired or things aren’t going your way, your mindset gets you through it. Mental toughness is what separates good cowboys from great ones.”

Both boys compete with the Firth Cougars football team, and both were active members of the wrestling team.

Ryder is quick to give credit where credit is due, noting the lessons learned on the football field and wresting room are crucial to being a balanced cowboy.

More than giving credit, however, Ryder goes out of his way at every turn to deflect praise, redirecting it to his heroes and mentors.

Because Ryder Wallace adheres to the dignified old-world idea that, “If you have to tell people you are great, you aren’t.”

“Jason Clemons taught me how to bulldog (steer wrestle), and he’s an amazing guy,” Ryder said. “He’s the Firth ag science teacher and the FFA advisor, and practices with us two nights a week for five hours.”

Then there’s people like Bill Clark who provides bucking horses for Ryder to practice with all winter.

“There’s no way any of us could do any of this without those people,” Ryder said. “It takes 10 or 12 people just go out and buck for three kids.”

Wallace lives a couple hundred yards from the Firth football field, just east of the Snake River. The Wallace’s are a ranching family by trade and a rodeo family by reputation.

Grandpas Wayne Christensen and Bill Wallace were rodeo cowboys, and so was Ryder’s dad Wade. Ryder’s mom Katie and kid sister Kinsley are also cowgirls in their own right.

When talking about his state bareback title, Ryder will look you right in the eye and tell you he loves the adrenaline. Loves the challenge.

More than anything, he says, Ryder loves having people like LePage, Clark, Clemons and his family to make it all happen.

“Rodeoing takes a lot of people, and I’ve been lucky to have good people who are there to help me,” Wallace said. “It just goes to show you that if you want to do it, and you have good people to help you, you can go far.”

So very, very far. To Lincoln, Nebraska and Big Piney. To Rock Springs and Las Vegas.

And sometimes, just sometimes, all the way to Paris.