story by Lily Weinacht
Just a few years ago, Madison Neal had little interest in becoming a rodeo athlete—but then she found her niche in the sport. Today, she is the 2017 AJRA World Champion Goat Tyer in the 13-15 division, and the 2017 TJHRA Champion Goat Tyer. “My younger sister Kameryn White has been rodeoing her whole life, and I just wasn’t really into it. Sports were my focus,” explains the 15-year-old from Stephenville, Texas—Cowboy Capital of the World. “I just started tying goats one day and I really liked it. I went to my first rodeo in 2015 in the CTYRA, and then I was hooked!”
Madison joined the AJRA in 2016 and also competes in breakaway roping and ribbon roping, but goat tying is her favorite. “I just like the competition. Having a great horse is super important, but the amount of hard work you put in at the practice pen is also very important. A girl named Corilynn Teller who was on the Tarleton rodeo team actually taught me how to tie. Cori really molded me and taught me the techniques I use today. We get together at least twice a month so she can critique and fine tune my tying. I also have to give a lot of credit to Lynn Smith, Better Basics Goat Tying, for polishing and tweaking any issues I come across.”
Madison also enters the breakaway roping and goat tying in the THSRA Region 3, where she finished second for the year-end in goat tying and advanced to the THSRA Finals. She won the second round and finished tenth in the nation in goat tying at the 2017 NJHFR. The horse that Madison won state on and rode at Nationals, Speedy, bowed two tendons, but after a lengthy rehab, she is back in competition as Kameryn’s number one goat horse. After trying out several new goat tying horses, Madison found Sweet Pea. The mare came from a good friend, and Madison is eager to see what the future holds for her and Sweet Pea. “We picked her up and practiced for two weeks, and the first rodeo we entered, we won the goat tying! My breakaway horse is Adele, and I’ve only had her a couple of months, but I love her and can’t wait to see what we can get done together.”
The family also has dogs, cats, and goats, which Madison and Kameryn help care for. They both attend White Horse Christian Academy, a school that gives them extra flexibility to practice every day. “We go to school two days a week and then do the rest at home,” says Madison. She’s a freshman and enjoys studying world history. “I like to practice in the morning on days I am home and then work out and do my school work in the afternoon.” Kameryn, 10, competes in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, and breakaway roping. She and Madison also have 18-month-old twin sisters, Teagan and Keagan, who love riding and are already trying to tie goats with them. “We all usually go down to the arena and make sure we have a good practice, and my mom (Corey White) or my sister holds goats,” says Madison. Westley White, her step-dad, is very supportive as well—he helped Madison get her start in the horse world when he bought her first pony.
“I’ve just really grown to like rodeo, and I think it’s my passion to rodeo and just have fun. I would love to rodeo for Texas Tech and study criminology when the time comes,” Madison adds. “The Sweetwater rodeo is definitely my favorite in the AJRA. There’s a lot of stuff to do there and it’s spread out throughout the week. Everyone that AJ rodeos is there, so you have more time with your friends. I would love to have back-to-back world champion titles in goat tying at the AJRA again this year, especially because it’s my last year in the 13-15 age group, and I am definitely trying to win state my freshman year of high school rodeo. Breaking the arena record at state would also be pretty sweet.”
