National High School Rodeo Finals

This was the first year here and I was a little nervous about being in such a humongous and well-mannered facility. I made it to nationals in Barrels, Poles, Goats, Breakaway, and Ribbon Roping. My favorite event is poles even though I do not do well at it. My second favorite event is Breakaway because in my family, we are all ropers and all my siblings do very well at it. My third favorite event is Ribbon Roping,

I should have imagined what to do in this scenario, because it was the only one that actually happened. It was the regional meet in Delta. This was the fastest course in the state, as evidenced by the incredible times run there. This meet was the culmination of over six months of work, physical therapy, and weightlifting. So far throughout the season,

With a combination of rain and chill, it really tested everyone who was playing that day. Out of nowhere, I shot amazingly, ten strokes lower than I did the previous day. I felt great, I was almost sure I would make the team at this point, but I didn’t want to jinx anything. I shot a 55 the next day, which kind of lowered my spirits, but not so bad as I was feeling defeated like the year before. On the final, and probably most important day of tryouts, it was like I had practice the whole day before that tryout.

I look to the front of the pack, and I see our top four girls in the top ten spots. I get excited, but I cannot let it get to my head. Mile three is rough. My lungs were starting to burn, and the race starts to get all mental. " Am I strong enough for this?

Knowing this I pushed myself to my limit pre track season; I worked harder than I have before in the sport and made incredible improvements. Once track season started I was so eager to show the world what I was capable of. The first few competitions were both fairy large and very important. I went into both competitions excited and motivated only to walk away frustrated and disappointed. Everything that could have possibly gone wrong while I was vaulting went wrong.

Cole, Tim, and I advanced to the finals of the 4 on 4 tourny. Now everybody at the camp was watching me. I knew I shouldn’t have been nervous but I was

There once was a young girl who loved rodeo with her heart, her horses were her unsurpassed friends in the world. Ordinarily, she would wake up early just to practice all of her events which include barrels, poles, goats, breakaway, team roping and ribbon roping. Due to, she strived to achieve her goal of the Jr. High National Finals Rodeo, due to the fact that it was her last year in Jr. High Rodeo.

I grew up in a rodeo family, my parents did it, my grandparents did it, even my great grandparents did it. I have been on a horse, well, since before I was born. I have had a rope in my hand since I knew how to walk. I even won my first buckle when I was three, my first saddle when I was five, and won a trailer when I was eight. I was the best around. Key word there... Was.

During my final year of Cross Country around Regionals at Oglethorpe, I ran my final race for my high school career. Banks County was nearly number one in the State, the furthest we had ever ranked in history, and spirit and hopes for State Championship were high. I was nervous, like nobody’s business, I had messed up during my senior night because I was upset for my parents for not showing up and escorting me. And I was scared that I was going to do horribly. But as I ran, I realized that if I let my past mistakes and failures hold me back or get in my way, so I ran, harder and better than I ever had before and apparently even beat a “skinny kid”.

Monday October 3rd I was texting my cousin Teagan Snyder and was talking about rodeo season again and she said that she was going to a Leon rodeo and I asked her to ask her mom if I could go with her. Her mom said yes so I hadn’t practiced at all during the week before the rodeo. The Friday night that I got down there I had to get everything ready for the rodeo in one night and it was really hard.

In those two and a half years I started racing. My first time I ever raced I got first place and it was the best feeling ever. I was so proud of what I had accomplished and wanted to keep racing. But after I placed first in that class I got bumped up to a new class that had bigger bikes and faster kids. At the time I was still on the 100 and I was racing kids on bikes twice as big as mine.

The course was muddy and slippery and damp. I knew that the last runners who were going qualify to state were going to run a nineteen-minute race. While other teams were practicing and warming up, my team was playing in the playground. From what I’ve been through this week, I know I wasn’t going to make it to state, but I still wanted to know how close I would be .The teams were called to the starting line and I was nervous.

The second I was on the field I knew my team had the game won. All I could see around me was a group of men ready for war. I couldn’t be more ready for my last home opener so after I did what I do when the unexplainable happens, accept it. I ran to the 45 to the 35 to the 20, hoping to find the kick returner. 8 months waiting for this moment all the sweat, pain, 100 degree sun beaming UV rays to my face.

Even though we lost, that final moment that I jogged off the field, every one of my teammates smiled, and gave me a high five. As I gathered my things, I went over to my family. “You did an amazing job for your first time!” They all say in unison. Making it seem like it was rehearsed.

With my relay team stretched,warmed up, and ready to go, we headed towards the stadium where we would race against the fastest girls in the nation. Intimidated but not deterred we headed out of Tent City and into the gates of Turner Stadium. Knowing this was my last race I would run with my close friends and relay team, being it 's the last race of the season and we all weren’t going to be in the same age group next year, I had a whole new mind set. I was constantly thinking, “we have to make top ten because we can make top ten.” “We have the times, we have the strength, we have the speed, we just need to have the guts to walk in there like we are going to shred the track into pieces.