COEUR d'ALENE - Sabre Soderbeck, 14, was not fazed at all after being violently bucked off a rather disgruntled, vocal cow with unstoppable back legs.

"I just wanted a buckle," the Rathdrum teen said with a grin, dust from the arena still clinging to her face and clothes. "I'm fine."

She wasn't scared after chute dogging with the rambunctious bovine, but admitted the adrenaline that comes with being a rodeo star certainly plays its part.

"Nerves," she said Sunday afternoon, explaining that "your nerves getting ahold of you" can make or break a cowgirl's concentration.

Sabre and 84 other cowboys and gals competed in the inaugural Lake City Junior Rodeo at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds, which welcomed contestants ages 18 and younger. Contestants competed in several categories, including rough stock events such as chute dogging (where the rider leaves the chute on the animal and tries to "dog" it to the ground), roping, pole bending, barrel racing and more. More than 50 shiny belt buckles and four all-around saddles were awarded at the conclusion of the rodeo.

"All these sports proceed into what pro rodeo would be," said event chair and Sabre's dad, Wade Soderbeck. "These kids that chute dog, they're learning how to be steer wrestlers. They learn how they have to flip those cows. Then they'll move up to steer daubing, which teaches them how to be close enough to that animal when they're on horseback to be able to get down onto the animal to compete in steer wrestling."

Wade is a member of the Coeur d'Alene Rodeo Committee, the organizing entity behind the junior rodeo. He explained that the young riders were evaluated on several aspects of their performances.

"It's everything from holding on to how well they sit on the animal and keep themselves down. Our judges are professional judges," he said. "I think (the kids) learn every time."

Lassos, chaps, cowboy hats, ropes, boots and the cacophonous chorus of cows mooing and people hooting or hollering painted quite the North Idaho scene surrounding the arena in the heat of the dusty afternoon. Little brothers and sisters sat on benches or leaned over fences to watch their siblings compete while moms, dads and grandparents enjoyed the view from beneath the shade of the grandstands or beach umbrellas cleverly opened to shield them from the hot sun.

Brody Deal, 9, of Pasco, Wash., wore a red shirt and cowboy hat as he participated in the rodeo activities. He said he liked the rough stock competitions the best.

"The rough stock is when you ride the bulls and stuff," he said as he waited in line to practice lassoing with his rope.

Wade said rodeo life is a good experience for youngsters and he hopes the junior rodeo is even bigger next year.

"I think that busy kids are good kids and if they're out doing things like this," he said, "it's good and wholesome good stuff."