RODEO CHALLENGE BY JAKE MADDOX Text by Matt Doeden Illustrated by Aburtov STONE ARCH BOOK a caps1onc imprim
CHAPTER 1 TOUGH RIDING Dust hung in the air outside an old red barn The barn sat on a low hill where two boys watched a girl riding a horse One of those boys Wade leaned against a wooden fence post his chin resting in his hands Wade sighed I’ll never be able to ride like that he said
Javier stood near Wade and clapped him on the back Javier was Wade’s friend and a son of one of the ranch hands He was also the brother of the rider Maria’s been riding her whole life said Javier You just got here for the summer You can’t already expect to be as good as she is Wade watched He was both jealous and impressed Maria’s chestnut brown quarter horse Sammy responded to Maria’s every word Sammy dashed cut and jumped on command Maria rode over and hopped off Sammy’s
