Miranda Hammer, a 12-year-old from Burns, Colo., is a young girl who will be using her upcoming Christmas break to recuperate from a recent ACL surgery in order to be back in fighting form for the second half of the CJHSRA rodeo season. This is her first year as a member of junior high rodeo, and she plans to end the year with a bang, by qualifying for the national finals in as many events as she can. However, she is focusing on poles, which is not only her favorite event, but her best event as well. “I just love running full out and being so close to your horse, but also having to navigate through so many obstacles at the same time.”
In addition to junior high rodeo, Miranda is also a member of the National Little Britches Rodeo Association and the National Barrel Horse Association. While pole bending may be her favorite event, Miranda also competes in the barrel racing and the goat tying, for which she will definitely need her ACL to be in full working order. She isn’t worried though, and plans to be giving all the girls a run for their money come spring.
Her ACL was first injured when Miranda was engaged in her other main sport of basketball, about a year and half ago, but recently re-injured it while she was visiting her older sister Marley at college in Oklahoma over Thanksgiving break. It was Marley who Miranda credits with getting her started in rodeo in the first place, and says is her greatest role model. “I owe her a lot, since she trained both of my horses and has really helped me when it comes to rodeo and improving over the years. She just always keeps me going.”
Outside of rodeo and basketball, Miranda is involved in 4-H, showing steers that are raised on her family’s ranch. “We run mainly Black Angus, but also have a small number of Red Angus. Working with the cattle can be fun sometimes, but I would much rather spend time with my two horses, Dixie and Domino, or playing with my corgi, Tater Tot.”
Always though, Miranda’s main focus is rodeo. “I plan to rodeo for a long time, and one day make it all the way to the NFR, so I know that I have to work hard in order to make it.” So far, Miranda’s greatest achievement in rodeo came this past summer when she made three 19-second runs in a row.
Miranda would like to say thank you for every member of her family, which also includes her parents, Steve and Melinda, as well as her brother Taylor. “My mom hauls me down the road to the rodeos every weekend and always makes sure that my horses and I are always ok. My dad and brother stay home and run the ranch, which allows me to rodeo in the first place and are always very interested in how I do at the rodeos.” Miranda is also grateful for, and looks up to, her cousins, the Schlegels, who she says have always been willing to give her help in any way they could.
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