Promoting rodeos is a family affair that goes back generations for the Kitaif family of Walthall County, and daughter Jade will continue the family’s rodeo tradition when she enrolls at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, La., in the fall.
Jade is the third child of James and Amy Kitaif to earn a rodeo scholarship.
J.C. Kitaif Pro Rodeos is the professional rodeo production company that James and Amy operate.
James provides livestock, including bucking bulls, roping calves, steers and bronc horses, for rodeos, including Parklane Academy’s Pro Rodeo, set for April 13 and 14.
The family moved to southwest Mississippi from Church Point, La., about 10 years ago.
Jade competes in break away roping, goat tying and cutting, in which riders are judged on how well they can separate an animal from the rest of the herd.
Jade, a senior at Parklane Academy, says she’s been riding her whole life.
“I’ve been doing this forever,” Jade said. “My parents and their parents did rodeos, so I grew up in the rodeo.”
“Jade’s my third child to get a rodeo scholarship,” Amy said. “My husband and I produce rodeos all over the country. We probably wouldn’t be such a close family if it weren’t for the rodeo.
“It plays such a big part of our lives. We’ve spent many hours traveling together as a family,” Amy Kitaif said. “We’ve made so many good memories. We have friends all over the country.”
Jade said she plans to study pharmacology, but the rodeo will always be a big part of her life.
“I will always rodeo,” she said. “It’s always been a family thing and it’s kept me and my brothers very close.”
“You spend as much time as my family has spent together on the road and you’re either going to love being together or hate it, but we love it.”
Jade said the opportunity to be on the McNeese State rodeo team could make her a standout on campus. She compares the notoriety of being on the rodeo team to the way most university student bodies revere football players.
“We have our intercollegiate competitors,” she said. “A lot of people don’t realize that it’s a big inter-collegiate sport. It’s a big deal on campus. Everybody knows who’s on the rodeo team. It’s just like it is with a football team here.”
McNeese State is a member of the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association. The College National Finals Rodeo is held every year in Casper, Wyo.
There are 11 regions in inter-collegiate rodeos. Jade will compete in the Southern Region, which includes Mississippi, Louisiana and part of Texas.
Her two older brothers, Colt and Jack, both landed full rodeo scholarships as well.
Colt is attending McNeese, and Jack is attending Sam Houston University in Huntsville, Texas.
McNeese rodeo coach Justin Browning noticed Jade’s ability during practices for youth rodeos and offered her a place on his team.
“He would see me practicing with the other girls, and he always told me he wanted to have me on the team,” Jade said. “This year, we were at a big youth rodeo, and that’s when he offered me the scholarship. I was very happy.”
