story by Riata Christiansen
Hinklie Davis is determined. She has to be. At 14, she is an eighth grader at Mt. Nebo Junior High and lives in Goshen, Utah. She grew up riding and naturally started to rodeo because that’s what her dad and grandpa had always done. She now competes in barrel racing, pole bending, team roping, breakaway and ribbon roping, but breakaway is her favorite. Her goal this year is to make it to nationals in breakaway roping and she’s well on her way. Last year she made it to state in three events and plans to improve on that this year. She loves the UJHSRA because everyone cheers each other on and you know that even if you don’t do well, you have friends there to cheer you up and keep you going.
Although she used to show sheep in local stock shows and was an excellent showman, she has dedicated herself to rodeo now and if she’s not at school she’s riding one of her two horses. Hinklie has trained her horses which is one of her greatest accomplishments. She currently uses two horses. Her breakaway horse she calls “JJ.” Hinklie got JJ as a two-year-old as a colt from her grandpa and has trained JJ herself. She also uses “Too Tall” to team rope and she is training Too Tall to run barrels and poles.
Not many people know that Hinklie has a genetic disease that has taught her to be determined. Hinklie has Fabry Disease and has to receive IV infusions every other week. Each treatment lasts three to four hours and infuses a synthetic enzyme into Hinklie’s blood. Hinklie doesn’t naturally make the enzyme that helps her internal organs clear all the dead cells that naturally occur in everyone’s body. If the dead cells don’t clear and leave your system, the organs can be permanently damaged. The treatments and the disease aren’t fun for Hinklie but she pushes through and uses her determination to be able to do what everyone else can.
Most of the people she looks up to in life have that same kind of determination. Her idol is her grandpa, Eddie Davis because he works so hard and is so dedicated. If she could spend time with a celebrity it would be Sherry Cervi who has proven to be a determined competitor herself. She proved her determination recently in a ribbon roping run with partner, Todd Sweat. The calf knocked her down, ran her over, ripped her shirt and she still got up and finished the run. That’s just how she is.
Hinklie would like to be a pharmacist when she grows up…and prorodeo on the side. Math is her favorite subject, she loves steak and fries, Grey’s Anatomy, the color coral and her two dogs. Even though Hinklie has a constant battle with her disease, she has an awesome attitude and will be successful in life. Her favorite quote is, “Look for something positive in each day, even if some days you have to look a little harder.”
