GILLETTE, WYOMING S GILLETTE NEWS RECORD S Wednesday, July 19, 2017 PAGE A9

AT THE RODEO

Its all about that shape

Steaming hats is more than a profession, its an art
By JONATHAN GALLARDO
NEWS RECORD WRITER
jgallardo@gillettenewsrecord.
net
Billy Treadwell stood
at the Heads or Tails Hats
booth at the National High
School Finals Rodeo Trade
Show, his fingers deftly
bending the brim of a cow-
boy hat. He pressed his
foot against a pedal on the
ground, held the hat over a
steamer and proceeded to
continue gently squeeze the
hat.
After repeating this pro-
cess a few more times, he
dried off the hat with a
News Record Photo/Alex Goodlett towel.
Another cowboy hat
TJ Gray, center, stands next to his brother Levi Gray before competing in the bull riding
sculpted.
event Sunday at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Gillette.
In a time where hats
and many other products
takes a lot of practice and
some skill.
Perhaps most importantly,
he said. I think you need
some artist in you. Either
that or you had to grow up
as a kid with a lot of Play-
Doh.
He compared shaping a
hat to creating a sculpture.
Youre putting dents and
patterns in it just like you
would working with a piece
of modeling clay, he said.
Years ago, Phemister
worked with a small steam-
er that could only shape one
part of a hat at a time. With
the new steamers, he can
shape the entire hat at once
and finish the process in five
minutes.
These big, new steamers
really put the fun back into
shaping for me, because
those are merely sugges-
tions.
You can have a hat that
theres only one like it in the
world, he said.
Although the fit is import-
ant, Phemister said that
most people probably care
more about how it looks
than how good it fits.
And hats will eventually
fit with enough time.
If you work long enough
and sweat in it a little, it will
conform to the shape of
your head, every little knot
and bump, he said.
And everyones head is
different.
What might look good on
one person might look terri-
ble on another.
The same style can look
totally different on different
people, Treadwell said.

Brothers bond
are mass-produced by
machines, cowboy hats
remain hand-crafted and
unique.
Rick Phemister, owner
of Heads or Tails Hats out
(with the small steamer) I
got to where I didnt want to
shape anymore, he said.
The possibilities are vir-
tually endless. Phemister
has a chart with 14 styles of
It depends on the part
of the country you come
from and the age you are,
Phemister said.
You can spend $5,000 on
a hat, and if its not shaped

over rodeo
of Haskell, Texas, has been crowns, six styles of brims right for you, youre wasting
shaping hats for 37 years. It and six widths of brims. But your time, he said.

First year together at NHSFR also their last

By JONATHAN GALLARDO
NEWS RECORD WRITER
jgallardo@gillettenewsrecord.net
Levi Gray was 3 years old when he rode
his first sheep. Two years later, his brother
TJ Gray followed in his footsteps.
Since then, theyve worked their way up
through the ranks of youth rodeo, and this
year theyre both competing in bull riding
for California at the National High School
Finals Rodeo in Gillette.
But this week is different from any other
so far for the brothers. Not only is it the
first time theyre both riding bulls at the
NHSFR, its also their last. After living
under the same roof for 15 years, the broth-
ers from Dairy, Oregon, will be separated by
1,400 miles.
But their bond is stronger than that dis-
tance.
Ive only got two weeks before he leaves
(for college), so were going to try to make
this a fun week, said 15-year-old TJ.
In the fall, Levi, 17, will move to
Tucumcari, New Mexico, to learn sil-
versmithing at Mesalands Community
College. When he turns 18, he plans to
join the Professional Rodeo Cowboys
Association.
Although this is TJs first year competing
in the NHSFR, his brother qualified the
past two years, so TJ has had a little taste of
what its like. While he couldnt compete,
just traveling with the family and watching
his brother gives him an advantage Levi
didnt have.
I think hell probably be more comfort-
able (than I was), Levi said. When I came
in, I didnt really know what to expect. Hes
been here the last couple of years. This is
his comfort zone now.
Levi got into riding when he was 3 years
Every time you go out you definitely
want to beat him, but you dont want him
to buck off, Levi said. You want him to
finish second.
Their job, first and foremost, is to ride a
bull for eight seconds. No other competi-
tors matter, brother or otherwise.
Rodeo has taken them all over the coun-
try, and theyve traveled thousands of miles
in a little camper, said their father, Tim.
You get really close, he said. Theres
no personal space, so you get to know your
kids really well.
In fact, the Gray brothers biggest fight
that they can remember happened in a
camper.
We got in a fight in a Whataburger park-
ing lot because we tore off the roof of our
camper, Levi said. There was a bar that
was hanging over the drive-thru.
We were just at a rodeo that night, TJ News Record Photo/Alex Goodlett
said. I was frustrated. He said some things George Yocham uses steam to help fit a hat at his booth at the Trade Fair in the Wyo-
and I didnt like that, and so we ended up ming Center at Cam-plex on Saturday.
we didnt get in a full-blown fight, but we
were arguing with each other pretty good.
But for the most part theyve stayed away
from arguments, instead preferring to help
each other. Levi will watch videos of TJs
performances and break them down for his
little brother.
I feel like me and my dad, we both
know how (TJ) rides better than anyone,
probably better than he does, so it helps
him out a lot, Levi said. I just enjoy see-
ing him do really good, so I try to help him
where I can.
But the older brother also has learned
from the younger. Levi watched TJ perse-
vere through multiple injuries, including
several broken bones, which has inspired
the elder sibling.
Whenever Ive been in those positions, I
can go, You know what? He did it, and he

s
old. He was at a local rodeo and wanted to was very positive about it, Im going to do
get on a sheep. that same thing, Levi said. He helps me

y Ch ristma
Cowbo LY
We put him on a sheep and he did good, push through on situations like that.
and then TJ wants to do whatever his big I think these two will end up back

brother was doing, said their mom, Jami
Gray.
As they grew, they progressed to riding
calves, then small bulls, then big bulls. Levi
said that although he has more experience,
his brother rides way better than I did
when I was his age.
Hell still beat me sometimes, he added.
IN JU
together in a couple years, after they both
do their college thing, said Jami, their
mother. Theyre not only brothers, theyre
really good friends, so I dont think much is
going to separate them.
The Gray brothers agreed with their
mom. Although 1,400 miles might seem
like a long distance, its no match for the

As far as consistency goes, hes better,
TJ said.
They admit to sharing a sibling rivalry
when it comes to bull riding, but its a pos-
itive one born from the competitive nature
Buy 2 Jeans
bond between the two boys.
Yeah, its coming to an end, but Ill still
call him. Im sure Ill still send him my vid-
eos, Levi said. Well still be tight. I just
wont be there.

and get 1 pair Free.

of the sport and their relationship as broth- Hes my best friend, TJ said. And noth-
ers. ing can change that.

Mens and Womens Denim available

at the FCA Country Store.

ou t t h e Tent,
Check . - 6 p. m . at the
a.m
Ju ly 15-23, 9 r a d d l savings o
itiona
n
z a fo Tack.
Travel Pla ear, B o o t s an d
Western W - 2 2 8 a . m .-6 p.m
- July 14
Feed Shed

Were proud to welcome the contestants, families and

visitors this year at the National High School Finals Rodeo!

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