Southlake Rodeo's Inaugural Team
Southlake got a brand new rodeo team in 2014 thanks to the ambition of six Carroll students, joining the North Texas High School Rodeo Association for competition.
With a year under their belts, the girls will hop up on their saddles once again, adding two freshmen to the squad
According to team parent Kim King, whose daughter, Bailey is a sophomore specializing in barrel racing and pole bending, the season runs September through June and is almost every weekend, exceptbrfor about 5 weeks during Christmas break. The rodeos are Friday through Sunday, and the team member picks which night they want to run for that weekend.
Friday nights startbrat 8 p.m., Saturday starts at 7 p.m. and Sunday at 2 p.m. There arebrsome adjustments to those times and it can be found on the league website underbrthe schedule tab. Most of the rodeos are held at the Saginaw Arena andbreach weekend is hosted by a different school.
"These events are very fun and family friendly!" King said. "Itbrteaches the students responsibility and that hard work really pays off!"
The participants have to maintain passing grades to participate. The NTHSRA has operated for more than 40 years.
"While rodeo is not recognized as a regular high schoolbrvarsity sport, no other athletic activity in history was ever developed whichbrso embodies the traditions in history of an entire way of life," the NTHSRA website says. "The events inbrrodeo grew out of actual day-to-day duties of the American cowboy, or werebrdreamed up to further test the courage, stamina and ability of thesebrWesterners."
The rodeo offers many events during each of the rodeos, including: Bull Riding, Bareback, Saddle Bronc, Calf Roping, Goat Tying,brBreakaway, Steer Undecorationg, Ribbon Roping, Walk Up Goats, Steer Wrestling,brTeam Roping, Barrels, Poles, Chute Dogging.
Below are quick profiles of the team, including head coach/team manager Michael McGibson.
Head Coach
Michael McGibson
Tell us a bitbrmore about your history in rodeo: I started rodeo my 10thbrgrade year of high school as a bull rider. I went through the motions of tryingbrother sports like football, baseball, soccer and swim team, but rodeo was mybrcalling and my true love of sports.
I did some bareback and roping,brbut always found myself going back to the bulls. It wasn't until midseason of my 11thbrgrade year that I got so messed up that my parents had to take a secondbrmortgage to pay for the medical bills.
That's when I thought to myselfbr“where was my protection, where were the rodeo clowns.” So that summer I trainedbrto be a rodeo clown. I didn't want thebrsame fate as I was dealt to happen to another cowboy. I went on to do rodeo in the U.S. Army, inbrcollege and then went and got my PRCA card in the early 90's as a rodeo clown,brnow known as a rodeo bullfighter by today's terms.
How did you comebrinto coaching this team? I called Rachel Wilson “ourbrcurrent team President” about a horse she had for sale. We got to talking about how Ibrtook over managing another high schools rodeo team. She stated that she wishbrSouthlake Carroll had a team. I told her I thought they did and that wouldbrcheck on it.
A couple of days later I foundbrout that there was only one person left on the team “Miss Katie Wright, ourbrcurrent rodeo team Queen.” So I spoke with the manager of SLC team andbrshe gave me her blessing to take the team over. We put the word out that there was a SCLbrrodeo team and the rest is history.
What is yourbroverall outlook of the team this season? This is a young team, but abrhungry team. They are very dedicated to the club and to the sport, and thatbrmakes them dangerous and a great competitor. I believe they will continue tobrpush each other and themselves to be better. I feel anyone on this team will surprisebranyone they go up against.
What makesbrcoaching this sport unique to other sports? Unlike most of your team sportsbrthis sport is a competition against everyone, even your team mate. Although the team gets points asbra whole, it’s up to the individual member to place or score for their win. Also unlike other high schoolbrsports it does not fall under UIL so team uniforms nor equipment is provided bybrthe school.
The individual on the team is solely responsiblebrfor supplying their own equipment, horse, trailer and team uniforms. Some of these things can bebrprovided by local business or corporate sponsors. This also includes theirbrentry fees for each rodeo. The plus side is if the team member placesbrfor the weekend they win money.
Anything else you'd like to add? I don’t coach or manage this team because I have son or daughter onbrthis team. I coach and manage this team out of love of the sport and the bond Ibrhave with this team. I see myself in abrlot of these members as they push to be better and the love they have for abrsport that has No strikes, No timeouts, No instant replays, No halftime, Nobragents, No contracts, No hesitations, No guarantees, No wimps and Nobrmercy ... Rodeo.
Seniors
Taylor Tornow
Taylor Tornow
Taylor Tornow
Speciality: Barrel Racing
Favorite Thing About Southlake: I love having the connivencebrof a big city packed into a small town and being able tobrkeep a small town feel.
Hobbies outside of rodeo: I love to water ski, wakeboard,brand snow ski. I also enjoy reading and learning to play guitar.
Future Aspirations: I would love to have a job that allowsbrme to travel around the world.
What got you interested in rodeo: I've always loved ridingbrever since I started when I was 7 years old and thought it would be fun to start competing.
Main Inspiration in life: I really look up to my Mom andbrDad.
Cassidy Oehl
Cassidy Oehl
Cassidy Oehl
Specialty: Barrel Racing
Favorite thing about Southlake: Something I love about Southlake is thebrwide variety of opportunities there are for sports/academics, and howbrsupportive a lot of people are.
Hobbies outside of rodeo: Outside of rodeo, I like to spend time with family &brfriends, volunteer and travel.
Future aspirations: I plan on going to college to be an elementary schoolbrteacher or a high school teacher.
What got you interested in rodeo: I have always loved riding horses, and when the offer camebrabout to join the rodeo team, I decided to give it a try and ended up lovingbrit!
Main inspiration in life: I look up to all of the successful peoplebrsurrounding me, especially my parents, who encourage me to do my best in everythingbrI do.
Rachael Wilson
Rachael Wilson
Rachael Wilson
Speciality: Barrel Racing
Favorite thing about Southlake: Team spirit
Hobbies outside of rodeo: Giving Horseback riding lessons and camps tobrchildren, Training horses, church youth group, mission trips, Texas a&mbrfootball games.
Future aspirations: I want to attend Texas A&M and become an equine vet.
What got you interested in rodeo: I have been riding since I was seven and likebrto be competitive so I decided to start barrel racing.
Main inspiration in life: Fallon Taylor is my inspiration because i’m strivingbrto one day be a pro barrel racer and she is very positive and hopeful.
Juniors
Katie Wright
Katie Wright
Katie Wright
Specialty: Barrel Racing
Favorite thing about Southlake: My favorite thing about Southlake is that the entirebrcommunity is very unified. In times of terrible loss and tragedy, we all mournbrtogether and in times of triumph and victory, we all celebrate. And of course,brwe love to come together and watch our favorite football team play every Friday night.brThe sense of community is very strong here and it's a large part of why Ibrlove Southlake.
Hobbies outside of rodeo: Other than barrel racing, I love running and competing inbrtriathlons. I also enjoy training horses and teaching younger kids how to ridebrand barrel race.
Future aspirations: In the future, I hope to either be an equine veterinarian orbra horse trainer. I ultimately hope to be happy and successful in whatever I endbrup doing.
What got you interested in rodeo: I've ridden horses sporadically throughout my life, but Ibrreally became interested in rodeo when I first saw barrel racing at a camp.brOnce i started to barrel race, I fell in love with the atmosphere atbrrodeos and the adrenaline rush of barrel racing and the other rodeobrevents.
Main inspiration in life: My main inspiration in life is Jesus Christ because He'sbrtaught me to be fearless and love others unconditionally. Because of my faith,brI can fully enjoy each day that I get to ride horses and do what Ibrlove.
Sophomores
Bailey King
Bailey King
Bailey King
Specialty: Barrel Racing and Pole Bending
Favorite thing about Southlake: Southlake is a unique place to live. I love that Southlake has that small town feelbrbut it also has a lot to offer like a bigger city. My favorite thing about Southlake would havebrto be the teachers that I have had in school.
Hobbies outside of rodeo: I have been in 4-H for 7 years. During that time, I have held differentbroffices and I am the current V.P. Overbrmy 4-H career, I have competed in photography, cooking, public speaking, and inbr4-H rodeos and local rodeos. The 4-Hbrprogram has also been a great way to learn about many things, to help thebrcommunity and to improve my horseback riding skills and knowledge.
Future aspirations: My long-term goal is to graduate from Texas A & Mbrwith a Veterinarian Degree. I would like to become a Vet and specialize inbrsmall animals. But on the side, I want to keep riding and become a professionalbrbarrel racer. By redoing in 4H and in the high school rodeo, I hope to makebrthat happen.
What got you interested in rodeo: I started riding when I was 8 years old at a summerbrcamp held at Ride With Pride. Ever sincebrthen I have been competing in as many play days and rodeos as possible. I love horses and the challenge of earningbrtheir trust in order to become their leader/team mate. Once you earn your horses’ trust, that horsebrwill want to do anything you ask.
Main inspiration in life: My horse trainer is a very important person tobrme. I have been her student for almost 4bryears. During this time, I havebrprogressed through three horses and I have learned so much. My trainer, Kenda hasbrtaught me the importance of patience. She has also taught me how important itbris to get the basics down first before moving on to the next step. This process helps you to build trust and tobrbond with your horse. Through theses lessons, I have not only learned patience,brbut also responsibility, compassion and that hard work will make a big difference.
Kelsie Mooney
Kelsie Mooney
Kelsie Mooney
Specialty: Barrel Racing
Favorite thing about Southlake: The team spirit community wide. Community involvement and "Protecting thebrTradition!"
Hobbies outside of rodeo: Spending timebrwith family and friends, our Ranch and hunting, going on the lake,brand working with special needs children.
Future Aspirations: Equine Therapy
What got you into rodeo: I have always beenbraround horses since birth , my grandmother and I participated in westernbrpleasure and Horsemanship. She taught me how to ridebrand then started me in rodeos. I won my first "First Place"brribbon when I was 5 years old.
Main Inspiration: I have always had abrpassion for horses ever since i could remember as a small child. FallonbrTaylor is a huge inspiration to me, because I too want to be abrprofessional Barrel racer.
Freshmen
Raquel Gourley
Raquel Gourley
Raquel Gourley
Specialty/Favorite Event: Barrels, Poles, goatbrtying
Favorite thing about Southlake: In Southlake there is so much that you can dobrand so many groups of people that it's hard not to find one that becomes yourbrsecond family.
Hobbies outside of rodeo: I have golfed since I was a little kid andbreverything that involves the outdoors.
Future aspirations: When I grow up I want to be in a field that will help peoplebrin need
What got you interested in rodeo: When I was little my mom put me on a horse and Ibrjust clicked so I grew up riding horses and becoming attached to thebrsport.
Main inspiration in life: In my life I look up a lot to my brother and sister becausebrthey have made it this far and they haven't fallen short and have alwaysbrfulfilled what was asked of them.
Marialyssa McDavid
Marialyssa McDavid
Marialyssa McDavid
Specialty: I run barrels, pole bending, breakaway and team roping, goat tying and steerbrundecorating. I'm going for all around cowgirl this year.
Favorite thing about Southlake: My favorite thing about Southlake is the team spirit.
Hobbies outside of rodeo: Outside of rodeo I do 4H, play basketball and field hockey, an artist, andbrriding horses in general; reining, working cow, stock horse pleasure, trailbr(stock horse versatility).
Future inspiration: In the future I plan to go to college and get my degree in either Sportsbrmedicine, Interior designer or go into the Navy. While also I want to trainbrhorses.
What got you interested in rodeo: I grew up on the back of a horse and fell in love with the sport immediately.
Main inspiration in life: Kelli Hurst is my main inspiration in life, she taught me to ride from thebrbeginning and still helps me today. She's a cancer survivor. She's also beenbrthere for me through thick and thin.
Southlake Rodeo Fall 2015 Schedule
Southlake Rodeo Fall 2015 Schedule
1 of 10
2 of 10
Southlake Rodeo Fall 2015 Schedule
3 of 10
4 of 10
5 of 10
6 of 10
7 of 10
8 of 10
9 of 10
10 of 10