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IN THE ARENA by Sage Faulkner
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Cutting & Reined Cow Horse
n addition to the usual rodeo events of roping, barrels and rough stock; the National High School Rodeo Association also includes boys and girls cutting and reined cow horse competitions. Erica Johnson-Valdez, reined cow horse director of the NMHSRA, says that the reined cow horse competition is fairly new to high school rodeo, having been added at the national level in 2014. She says NM has a rich cow horse history and there are several multi-generational youth members in the NMHSRA. “Reined cow horse is one of the few events that is co-ed, the girls can compete against the boys.” Erica’s goal as a new director is to increase participation across the association in the event. The most participation she has seen is seven competitors, and she thinks there is a lot of room to grow. “I hope to provide a fun and educational experience for our members.” Danli Valdez, 16-year-old daughter of Erica and her husband Bobby, is a sophomore, homeschooling through the Christian Light program. Danli tells me she really enjoys the cow work. But, she says, “Patterns stress me out!” She keeps her horses legged up and works on reining drills at home. She says she sometimes works cattle at home but tries to ride with a trainer as much as she can. Focusing on horseman-
(top right) Danli Valdez, Animas, New Mexico, cutting. (right & bottom far right) Sterlin Mitchel, Lamy, New Mexico, team roping and cutting.
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ship has helped all her other events, but she getting to rope and compete with him. This says that cutting and reined cow horse year he is team roping with Riley Ybarra. competition are a much different way of Always an ambassador for his events, espethinking than the traditional rodeo events cially reined cow horse, Sterlin invites other and it is hard to jump from one style to the contestants to consider competing, saying other. Danli also competes in team roping, “There are good kids in all the events in high barrel racing, and breakaway roping. When school rodeo. But to encourage them to I asked her what she would say to another enter in the reined cow horse, I always tell high school member thinking about partic- them, you get to chase a cow!” ipating, she said “there is a lot to it, but it is Sterlin qualified for and attended the fun, and different. Learning the different Junior High School National Finals in the patterns and how to control your cow is eighth grade. He has attended the High hard, but the more you do it, the more com- School National Finals the last three years, fortable you get. The group of kids that in both reined cow horse and boys cutting. compete and their parents are really He says Nationals is fun because you get to encouraging.” compete, and you get to meet lots of differSterlin Mitchel, the 16-year-old son of ent people from all over the country. He Grant and Connie Mitchell, attends Mos- says it makes you work really hard so that quero Online School where he is currently you get to go back and see your friends and a junior. He has been competing in the compete again. Sterlin adds that both cutting and reined cow horse events, along reined cow horse and cutting take a special with team roping, in NMHSRA since his horse. “I am thankful to everyone over the freshman year, but he has competed in years who has helped me. I am thankful to other reined cow horse competitions since Singleton Ranches for letting me ride such he was seven. He says he likes NMHSRA and wonderful horses!” Congratulations to all competes in three events; team roping, the contestants in the reined cow horse and reined cow horse and boys cutting. He feels cutting events and we look forward to the like the reined cow horse and the cutting program growing! For more information events give him the opportunity to work on on NMHSRA and these events go to www. his horsemanship. His first year of NMHSRA nmhsra.com. competition allowed him to compete against his older brother, Trey. They ended up tied as state champions in the reined cow horse event. He also team roped with his brother and says it was a lot of fun
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