Jason Robert King & Justin Pender - PRCA Pick Up Men

For many rodeo spectators there are two cowboys in the arena that go unnoticed, but to Rough Stock contestants they are Lifeguards on Horseback.  This team of cowboys known as pickup men are crucial to keeping athletes both two and four legged kinds safe.  It’s the job of the pickup men to help contestants safely to the ground after the 8 second ride is over and to get the bucking horse taken care of as well.

Horsemanship skills are crucial to being a good pickup man. Plus having Intuition and quick reactions are what makes a pickup respected and sought after.  In split seconds they need to react to whatever situation that might arise, whether it’s a routine get off or a cowboy hung-up, they must be ready to maneuver with speed to the right place at the right time to save a cowboy from injury and to help corral the bucking stock.

Communication is the key for the two-man team to work together.  It’s not about what I can do but how WE can do our job to help get the contestant safely to the ground and get the horse escorted out of the arena.  If you watch closely, you will notice one pickup man will ride beside the bucking horse and the other pickup man will be behind driving the horse and rider to the position that they can be helped.  If the bucking horse decides to change directions their rolls will reverse quickly without a warning, notice or discussion. In that split second, they need to react to each other, the animal, and the rider.  When rough stock contestants show up at a 4L rodeo they know that they are in good hands.

4L Rodeo has two of the best pickup men in the business, Jason Robert King and Justin Pender When Jason joined the 4L family he stepped in as pickup man and let his father-in-law slow down a little. For the 2023 season Jason has once again been voted as one of the pickup men for the PRCA Southeastern Circuit and has been selected as pickup man for the First Frontier on three occasions.  Working alongside Jason is Justin Pender from Perkinston, MS who has just returned from working the NFR Open, which is the Ram National Circuit Finals in Colorado Springs, CO.  Without a doubt these two are outstanding, they love what they do and it shows.