RODEO PROFILE
FLORIDA RODEO ATHLETE BECOMES PART OF HISTORY AMANDA COLEMAN RANKS 9TH IN NFR’S NEWEST EVENT
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Written by: Kathy Ann Gregg
ith COVID-19 closing down professional rodeos from mid-March to late May, the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association rallied to ensure that the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo would proceed. And with the temporary relocation to Globe Life Field (home to the Texas Rangers baseball franchise) in Arlington, Texas, for the 2020 event, the organization has made a historical change in adding women’s breakaway roping to the line-up of events.
Coleman started rodeoing at age 3, when she ran barrels, poles and goats in the peewee/tiny tots division. When she was 6, she picked up a rope to imitate her dad, John, who was a team roper—and her fate was sealed! First up was All Florida Junior Rodeo, then three years in Cinch Junior High Rodeo, with Florida High School Rodeo as a finale, winning the All-Around Cowgirl title several times at both levels. She was a member of the National Barrel Horse Association, taking home the 2D National Champion title in 2013 on “Alive With Chaos,” owned by Heather Fleckinger. For six consecutive years, Coleman was a multiple-event qualifier at national finals—in breakaway, barrels, team roping, goattying and ribbon roping in junior high, and breakaway, team roping and goat-tying at the high school level. While making the short-go rounds several years at National High School Finals Rodeos, her crowning achievement came during seventh grade at the Cinch National Junior High Finals, where she won Reserve National Champion in—what else—but breakaway roping. And all of this was done while also competing in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association events and U.S. Team Roping Championships. After her third year in high school rodeo competitions, while a national championship in breakaway roping A true Floridian all the way—Amanda Coleman even takes her ropes to the beach!
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F LO R I D A C O U NTRY D e c e m b e r | J a n u a r y 2 0 2 1
PHOTO BY PAUL GRAY
Only the top 15 contestants compete at the NFR, and the Sunshine State is proud to have Melbourne native Amanda Coleman in that group for the inaugural event. Only 19 years old, she currently ranks ninth in the world in breakaway roping—a lot to have accomplished in a mere 16 years.
