story by Lindsay King
Time is of the essence for Weatherford, Oklahoma, cowgirl Aubrey Buckmaster who runs from one activity to the next all year long. An active officer of her junior class, the National Honor Society, Fellowship of Christian Athletes, and the student council, Aubrey still finds time to play basketball and rodeo. “I try to balance everything while keeping my grades up and my horses ready for each rodeo. I am not even sure how I manage to get everything done anymore. Rodeo has helped me develop a lot of time management skills that is for sure,” said the 16 year old.
A mind for crunching numbers, Aubrey loves taking math classes at Hydro-Eakly High School. “I am actually a pretty big nerd at school. I am also on the academic team.” Concurrently enrolled at Southwestern Oklahoma State University, Aubrey is getting a jump start to her aspiring collegiate rodeo career. “I plan to continue down the rodeo road in college but I think I would like to train horses as my career one day.” And always rodeo, of course.
Once an all-around competitor, Aubrey now focuses on barrels and poles. “I loved poles the most. I had a horse that taught me everything I know about it. He even took my sister to Nationals. He ignited my passion for poles.” Aubrey is the middle child of Chad and Paula, her mom, between her sister, Reece, 18, and brother, Cain, 13. “My family has been in western Oklahoma for what seems like forever. My grandpa raises cattle and horses so my dad, Chad, grew up in Oklahoma rodeo too.” Chad trained race horses for almost 20 years and then his daughters started to junior rodeo.
Though supportive, Chad was burnt out from a career in the horse industry allowing the girls’ grandpa to lend a hand in their early rodeo days. “Papa is definitely our number one fan. Ever since we were little, he has kept us riding and practicing. My grandpa and dad are very much to thank for where we are today and who I credit my success to.” All of their horses come straight off the ranch. “I have never actually ridden a horse that was not raised by own my family. Not many people get to say that.” Even fewer get the opportunity to grow up in rodeo.
“I played sports in junior high and high school and there is just nothing that compares to the rodeo community or family. It is out of this world.” Aubrey recognizes her unique opportunity to grow up in rodeo and is thankful for it every day. “All athletes put a lot of pressure on themselves to do well, I am exceptionally hard on myself. I am just trying to make the most of my last years in high school by having fun and working hard.”
Some of Aubrey’s best friends are her fiercest competitors in the OHSRA. “It is a tough group of people but I love that level of competition. Someone is always on their A-game and that lights a fire under me to want to do well also. It has been great growing up around the association that my dad also competed in.” Aubrey always enters the arena, practice or competition, with a goal in mind. “I try to keep a positive mindset going into each weekend and Micah 7:8 at the ready: though I have fallen, I will rise.”
Win or lose, Aubrey is always proud of the horses she takes home with her. “I might not come away with the best record at the rodeo but it is a win in my book because I was improving in some way.” A top 15 finish in poles as a freshman and the same in barrels and poles last year keep Aubrey hunting for a top four finish and a trip to nationals this year. “I am kind of independent in that I like to figure things out for myself when it comes to training my horses.” Aubrey’s ultimate goal is to qualify for the American one day.
