GREELEY (AP) – The intention was for his sons, Toby and Shaun, to attend a bible camp in Texas.
Kyle Vanlandingham didn’t know his life would be changing, as well.
On Saturday, Vanlandingham, who lives in Frederick, sported a straw cowboy hat with a gray button-down shirt, jeans and, of course, cowboy boots as he walked around the pin, talking to about 20 audience members and helping corral bulls during a bull-riding event on a farm on the east side of Greeley. The bull riding, however, was not the main event. The main event was Kyle’s sermon, as part of At the Foot of the Cross Ministry.
“The bull riding is just extra here,” said 12-year-old Tyler Kippes. “The whole thing is pretty much just the ministry because the more you give to God, if you’re obedient to God, God will bless you back. Kyle has taught me so much about God and bull riding.”
Kippes, of Eaton, has been riding for five years and heard about At the Foot of the Cross Ministry three years ago when he met Vanlandingham at a practice in Erie. He had the chance to ride one of the bulls Saturday, just before he and a few others travel to Abilene, Texas, to compete in the Youth Bull Riders World Finals. This would not be possible, however, had it not been for the life-changing experience Vanlandingham had when he took his sons to a bible camp in Texas eight years ago.
“I came back to Colorado, and God started showing me the vision, this ministry,” Vanlandingham said. “He gave me the name, At the Foot of the Cross Ministry, with the logo. He gave it all to me.”
Vanlandingham began his own bible camp, which has turned into an almost weekly event during the summer. Each Saturday begins with Vanlandingham giving a sermon, followed by the bull-riding events.
There are five separate event categories, beginning with sheep riding, which is for children 6 and younger, up to senior bull riders, who are 19 and younger. In the juniors, for those 15 and younger, was the outgoing Kippes, who didn’t shy away from giving advice to riders during the practice round.
“Kyle is like the Arnold Schwarzenegger of bull riding and church,” Tyler said. “He talks so much about the good news that it makes you excited to go bull riding and to go out there and share what God has in store for you.”
Vanlandingham’s sons also were bull riders, a reason they went to Warrior Weekend in Texas because, like the ministry he started, bull riding was implemented into the teaching of the scriptures. Vanlandingham wanted a place that didn’t fall into some of the bull-riding stereotypes, such as drinking and fighting.
“I think it’s awesome because there are so many bad influences out there now, and Tyler, he’s very social,” said Michelle Kippes, Tyler’s mother. “I think it’s great to be in this environment, whether it’s once a week or several times a week because of the positive influence.”
That influence comes from Vanlandingham’s ability to use bull riding as not only an initial interest but as a tool to help those who come to learn and understand the Bible better and also to learn and understand how the Bible helps with bull riding.
“It’s awesome to see kids grow – in their walk with God, in their bull riding, but, more importantly, their walk with God – and keeping him the focus because God (rewards) those who seek him,” Vanlandingham said. “So for the kids to come out here and seek him ... it’s cool to see them grow in their walk with God and their bull riding.”
