story by Michele Toberer
Louisiana cowgirl, Kolbie Brashear, just graduated from Iowa High School in May, but because of her involvement in the dual enrollment program she already has 26 college credits completed before actually beginning her college career just 15 minutes from home, at McNeese State University in Lake Charles, Louisiana. Kolbie has also played volleyball all four years of high school, while maintaining her rigorous academic schedule. She has received a rodeo scholarship and will be competing on the college rodeo team in breakaway roping, while obtaining her nursing degree. She would eventually like to become a nurse anesthetist.
Kolbie was born and raised in Lake Charles, with parents, Denise and Tommy Brashear and her older sister, Kelsey. Denise is a teacher at the Calcasieu Career Center, and Tommy works as an operator at Westlake Chemical. There are just two years between Kolbie and her Kelsey, and both sisters have been able to enjoy competing in rodeo as they grew up. Kolbie has been riding horses since she was two-years-old, and her family spent time competing in playdays and other horse shows before starting to rodeo in LJHSRA and LHSRA. Tommy is a team roper, but Kolbie chose to follow in her sister Kelsey’s footsteps and compete as a breakaway roper, and after receiving roping help from her family and friends, she was on her way. This year Kolbie added team roping to her events and is heading for Dre Swain a the LHSRA rodeos. Kolbie is very determined to win the breakaway roping championship and be a 2018 national finals qualifier this year when the LHSRA season is done, and if she reaches her goal, she will be making the honorable trip to Wyoming for the first time during her high school rodeo years. Kolbie has been breakaway roping on a 15-year-old, bay gelding named JP since she was a freshman. “He always tries and is always ready to give 110 percent. He has a bit of a hyper personality, always herding the other horses in the pasture.” Last year, Kolbie bought a grey gelding, that she calls Si, to use for heading, and so far she has been very pleased with him.
Besides the LHSRA, Kolbie also competes in the Louisiana Rodeo Association, CPRA and UPRA as a breakaway roper. She plans to continue to rodeo in those associations once she is in college. She loves to watch many of the pros and feels that there is something you can learn from each one of them. However, if she could spend a weekend with one professional roper, she would definitely choose Jackie Hobbs. “She just seems like she’s ready to help all the time, no matter what, like even if she didn’t know you, she would do her best to help you and be someone good to talk to.”
Having a good attitude in rodeo is so important, and Kolbie has worked to focus on the positives. “If I get mad about a run, I tell myself I only have 5 minutes to be mad about it and then I have to move on. No matter how bad it is, there’s always another weekend and there is always another rodeo.”
Kolbie has truly enjoyed competing in the LHSRA throughout her high school years and loves that everyone knows each other and cooks out together. “We’re all really close and willing to help each other, like a big family.” Tre, Marge and Katy Fogleman have become like a second family to Kolbie as well. “I can’t thank the Fogleman family enough for all they do for me. When my parents can’t be there, they’ll let me go with them whenever, no matte what, to rodeos, vacations, anything. I appreciate them very much.”
