story by Ruth Nicolaus
Hope Brosius is a member of the Nebraska Junior High School Rodeo Association.
The fourteen year old cowgirl lives south of Ashby, Nebraska, and competes in the pole bending, goat tying, breakaway roping, and ribbon roping (as a runner for Kaden Wooters.) She has two horses for her events: Dexter and Annabelle. Dexter is her pole and goat horse, and he has a “funky” personality, Hope said: he likes to eat Froot Loops.
Annabelle is a five-year-old palomino who is new to the family. A breakaway horse, she has a lot of energy. “She’s always ready to go and do stuff,” Hope said.
Hope just finished her eighth grade year at Hyannis Public School. Science is her favorite subject, and she loves to read, especially adventure and action books. Her favorite teacher was her kindergarten teacher, Mr. Blevins, from Stapleton, Neb., because he was kind and patient. He passed away from a heart attack seven years ago, and because of his example, Hope wants to be an elementary teacher when she grows up.
She is active in 4-H shooting sports, plays volleyball, basketball, and runs track, and is on the honor roll. In 4-H, she shows goats, horses, bottle calves, and the family dog (a Corgi, named Lilly). She sews and bakes, including decorated cakes and cream cheese chocolate chip cookies.
Hope’s favorite vacation was a trip the family took to Des Moines to the National Junior High School Finals two years ago, when her sister Britney competed. Hope had a blast. “All my friends were there, and we got to hang out for a week.”
Her favorite food her mom makes is chicken alfredo; her favorite dessert is her mom’s homemade turtle cheesecake, and her favorite soda pop and candy is root beer and Milky Way candy bars.
She has competed at the state junior high school finals the last two years and will do so again this year. She has also qualified for Nationals in the 4-H BB gun competition, which will be held in Rogers, Arkansas in late June.
She is the daughter of Jennifer and Robert Brosius.
