How 18-year-old flankman Payton Yule is making her mark behind the chutes
By Julia Finot
The 30 seconds before any rough stock event are nerve-wracking.
Eight seconds atop a bucking horse or bull can determine a champion—or end in disaster. Plenty can go wrong during those eight seconds; rides could end early, or injuries could happen. But what happens when the animal never bucks in the first place?
The horses and bulls used in saddle bronc, bareback and bull riding are bred for athleticism and an instinct to buck. Yet, there are often times that they leave the chute without that explosive burst of energy.
A key component to a successful rough stock event is the flankman. In the minute leading up to the ride, the flankman tightens a flank upon the stock about to be released for competition. The flank is made of leather and lined with fleece or sheepskin, and it is placed behind the ribcage of the animal. When tightened, this strap encourages the stock to buck higher with more power.
A flankman may prepare dozens of animals in a single day, leaving little room for error. When the chute opens, his/her work becomes one small but crucial part of every ride.
On the rodeo grounds, most people know her as “Flank Girl”.
Eighteen-year-old flankman Payton Yule knows those 30-seconds better than most. While thousands of fans watch the cowboy, her attention is turned towards the animal waiting in the chute.
Raised on a farm north of Gleichen, Alta., she grew up around rodeo. Her father, Jeff, is a stock contractor with more than 200 horses. As a young child, Yule often accompanied her father to rodeos. Before long, she wasn’t just watching—she was helping behind the gates.
Yule flanked her first horse in 2020. Since then, she has continued to practice flanking her family’s bucking horses until she got her flank card at the age of 14. Immersed in the family business, she spends endless hours out with horses not only refining her practice but also learning to take care of them.
Her biggest challenge has not been her age, but the fact she is one of the few females working as a flankman.
Most flankmen are older men. Yule stands 5-foot-4 and must rely on technique and practice to overcome the physical demands of the job. When she initially got her card, some athletes questioned whether she could complete the tasks of a flankman. She didn’t let the concerns discourage her; she used them to fuel her growth and motivation to work harder.
“It was quite tricky but now that I’m older and I’ve been around longer, it’s getting easier to talk to them,” said Yule. “They (the athletes) respect me more now.”
Although flanking stock is a flankman’s most notable responsibility, Yule’s work extends far beyond fitting the horse before each ride. Long before the rodeo opens, she is tasked with taking care of the horses and coordinating their whereabouts to ensure continuity in the rodeo events.
“I bring them in, sort them and feed them,” explained Yule.
She spends a lot of her day with the animals, ensuring their wellbeing while helping the chute operations run smoothly.
Yule is no stranger to making mistakes in this job; everyone makes them. She understands when and why something has not gone as planned, but she takes every opportunity as a learning experience and an opportunity to grow. With every horse she flanks, her confidence grows.
While female flankmen remain uncommon across Canadian rodeo, Yule is not the only one. She enjoys the opportunity to learn from and work alongside other women in the chutes.
At home, Yule is inspiring the next generation. She has two sisters, Taylor and Sawyer, who have seen their sister succeed and have become inspired by the example she is setting.
Looking ahead, Yule plans to stay involved in rodeo for as long as she can. She hopes to earn her certificate in equine massage therapy, allowing her to continue working around horses, both at home and during competition.
For Payton Yule, the most important part of a rodeo performance is not the eight seconds inside the arena. It is the 30 seconds of preparation that leads to the chute gate swinging open as the action begins.