story by Lily Weinacht
Kaycee Binder is the 2017/2018 WHSRA Student Goat Tying Director. The 17-year-old travels from Merino, Colorado, to rodeo in Wyoming, and she took on her role in the inner workings of the association at the 2017 state finals. “As a director, you get to make a lot of decisions for your friends and fellow competitors,” explains Kaycee. “You get to help decide with the judges on ground conditions, preside over the stock and make sure all the rules are followed, and I also get to go to all the board of directors meetings and vote on behalf of my competitors.”
Come June, Kaycee will work together with the next goat tying director at state finals. She also hopes to cap off her senior year by finishing in the top ten in pole bending and goat tying. “I usually say they’re tied as favorites. I enjoy that poles are just me and my horse and it’s about horsemanship more than anything. With goat tying, I enjoy that it’s about athleticism. I use the same horse for both events and he’s definitely my biggest teammate. Socks is a red dun. He’s 14 now and I got him when I was 11. He was started on poles, but I’ve trained him to do most of what he knows. Now my brother is starting to use him for breakaway and tie-down. He loves the variety of jobs and he has a heart of gold.”
Kaycee’s brother, Teagen, is an eighth-grader competing in junior high rodeo. Starting at the beginning of the year, the brother and sister and their parents, Doug and Kristie Binder, go to the fairgrounds on weekends to practice. “My mom and dad are always there to switch out horses for warming up and hold goats. They help a lot,” says Kaycee. Her mom showed horses growing up and ran barrels in college, and her dad enjoys riding. “My parents are definitely my biggest supporters and my coaches. Rodeo is very much a family sport, so I like the fact that I get to do it with my family. They support me so much and I get extended family through rodeo, and we become a tight-knit group traveling so much together. I like the competition, but I like how rodeo prepares us for the outside world with the connections we make, and the hard work, and being able to experience the ins and outs of traveling together.”
Kaycee’s rodeo travels have taken her as far south as Gallup, New Mexico, for the NJHFR, but some of her favorites are local, such as Jackson Hole or Sheridan. “I like the arenas and scenery for both, and they have big setups, like for Don King Days.” Since she does school through Branson Online School, Kaycee also has more flexibility to practice and travel. “I’ve always loved science, so biology is my favorite class I’ve taken.” Additionally, she’s taking several concurrent classes at Northeastern Community College and will finish high school with 20 college credits under her belt.
When she’s not with her horses, Kaycee enjoys reading, as well as planning upcoming trips. She went on a mission trip to Southeast Asia in 2015, and hopes to return this summer. “Rodeo has prepared me for missions and traveling. A lot of it is visiting the people, discipleship, and connecting with local areas.” Kaycee will be a freshman at California Baptist University this fall with the goal of becoming a physical therapist and going on medical missions. “I always want to have horses in my life in some way,” she finishes. “I’d definitely like to try to be in at least the top ten of my events at state finals, better myself overall as a competitor, and end up better than I did last year.”
