story by Ruth Nicolaus
Nearly every Tuesday night in the summers, Addisyn Gibbens can be found in Lexington, Neb., making someone else’s life a little better.
For the past three years, she has been part of the Saddle Pals group, riders who bring their horses to town for challenged kids to get to ride. The kids sit on the horses as they are led around poles and over obstacles, and Addisyn loves it. “I love seeing all the kids, and seeing their smiles,” she says. “It’s a little scary for them at first but they end up loving it.”
The fourteen year old cowgirl, a member of the Nebraska Junior High School Rodeo Association, lives about fifteen miles from Gothenburg and just finished her first year of junior high rodeo.
For the barrels, she rides a fourteen year old flea-bitten mare named Robin. Robin does not like to stand still, and she’s high strung, but in a good way, Addisyn says. “She won’t trample you, but she approaches you as a really confident horse.” In addition to barrel racing, Addisyn rides English and shows horses, and has six others: Pistol, Odie, Tuff, Bunny, Cupcake (a Shetland pony) and M&M.
In the spring, she finished her eighth grade year at Gothenburg Middle School, where she was active in volleyball, basketball, FFA, and was on the A Honor Roll. She tried out for cheerleader in high school and made it, and is also a member of 4-H, where she shows horses, pigs (Georgia, Tank and Spot) and rabbits (Simba and Tellulah).
The Gibbens love to camp and enjoy camping at Johnson Lake and Ft. Kearney. Addisyn loves to eat her dad’s breakfast when they are camping: pancakes with eggs and bacon. His pancakes “are amazing,” she says.
When she grows up, she’d like to be a veterinarian and specialize in equine.
She showed her animals at the Dawson County Fair and will show at the Nebraska State Fair as well. For the fourth year, she has competed at the State 4-H Horse Show, in the poles, barrels, and western pleasure. She helps with the annual Pony Express Rodeo in Gothenburg over the Fourth of July as well.
She has three sisters: Bailey, who is 21, Blaire, seventeen, and Breckyn, who is ten.
She is the daughter of Tim and Becky Gibbens.
