"mAKING A DIFFERENCE IN INDIAN COUNTRY. ONE NATIVE YOUTH AT A TIME"

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Cotton Real Bird is 15 years old and is a member of the Crow Tribe of Indians in southeastern Montana. Cotton is currently a sophomore at Hardin High School where he participates and excels in Varsity Football and Basketball. He is a member of Varsity Club and the Hardin High School Rodeo Team where he competes in team roping and calf roping.

Cotton Real Bird is 15 years old and is a member of the Crow Tribe of Indians in southeastern Montana. Cotton is currently a sophomore at Hardin High School where he participates and excels in Varsity Football and Basketball. He is a member of Varsity Club and the Hardin High School Rodeo Team where he competes in team roping and calf roping.

Cotton requested assistance from the American Indian Credit Outreach Initiative Liaison in the spring of 2003 to apply for an FSA Rural Youth Loan to purchase cattle. With the assistance of the Outreach Liaison and Cotton’s father, Curtis Real Bird, a business plan was put together for him to purchase six head of cattle. Cotton submitted his FSA youth loan to the Big Horn County FSA Office in July and his youth loan was approved in September.

Cotton has opted to wait until the spring of 2004 to purchase his cattle. In the meantime, he will be busy concentrating on his other interests, such as school, sports and roping. Cotton’s family roots consist of ranchers, rodeo cowboys and horsemen. When he was little he was quoted as saying “ I come from a long line of rodeo cowboys and I am going to be a good one”. This determination and confidence will contribute to his success as a Crow Indian cattle rancher.