story by Laurie Dineen
Quincy Segelke – photo by Chelsea Hoffman
You might say that Quincy Segelke was born to ride. She grew up knowing nothing different. Her parents, Tim and Vickie are rodeo bred, Tim steer wrestling and Vickie barrel racing. Her older sisters, Hayden and Paxton were already hitting the CJRA rodeo trail when she was born and her little brother Holden is following in their foot steps. Quincy loved to ride horses at home outside of Brush, Colo., but by the time she was 5 and old enough to compete in the CJRA she said she was plum scared to ride in the arena! “My first year, I had the most gentle pony ever and she would do anything I wanted her to do, but I was so afraid to do anything at the rodeo’s. Then I got this pony that was so ornery! She was fast and would buck all the time. After I rode her I figured I could go anywhere! And she did! It was then she won her 1st saddle on her at the Boulder County Fair Jr. Rodeo, and was the Pee Wee All around at the CJRA Finals back on “the gentle one” and it has been non-stop ever since.
Quincy has competed in all the events offered at CJRA in the various age divisions and says that as a Pee Wee she was all about barrel racing, as a Jr. she really liked the ribbon roping and now as a Sr. she enjoys roping the most – both breakaway and heading in the team roping. “I recently started heeling and have roped with my dad and that was a lot of fun.” At the 2014 CJRA Finals, Quincy won the breakaway title and placed 4th in goat tying and was 7th All Around girl. “In breakaway, I came into the finals in sixth place and didn’t think it was even possible for me to win the saddle. My mom said, ‘do what you need to do’. I really had to rope up, I drew good calves and placed 2nd in the average which was just enough to put me in the lead.”
A junior at Brush HS, Quincy will enjoy 3 more years competing at CJRA rodeos. “There are so many benefits of being a CJRA member,” Quincy said. “I love the “kid” parts and family oriented. Little kids look up to the older ones and the older ones like me get to help the younger ones. I have lots of memories and have built long lasting friendships. The scholarships are AMAZING, the competition is good and the stock is always good. It has made me a better competitor and I enjoy going out and seeing what I can do. I believe I learned more at CJRA’s than any other association both in and out of the arena. I would recommend it to anyone.” A member of WYHS, NLBRA and CPRA as well, keeps Quincy going down the road a good part of the year.
“I practice as much as I can,” Quincy said. “We try to keep some steers and calves at the house and Holden has started to rope and heels for me. That is really fun.” Quincy ropes steers with Charlie Luark quite a bit as well as Lance Allen and Chris Anderson. Dean and Heidi Geesen have been a great help on breakaway and Ricky Lambert has been coaching her on tying down calves. “That is a big rush,” she says.
“My parents and my sisters have also played a huge part in my success. Hayden has definitely been an inspiration for my goat tying, but she is way too focused! When I was younger, I didn’t really like it, but now things are starting to click. My mom pushed me this past year to make it to the NHSFR in goats, so I practiced harder than ever and qualified. I placed 6th at the finals and it was really fun and exciting.”
This young cowgirl also wanted to recognize Connie and Duff Meiers as some of her biggest supporters and also her grandparents, Gwen and Francis for never missing a rodeo. “They are the best rodeo grandparents ever!”
Quincy’s advice to others is: “If you want it, go for it! Take any advice you can and learn from it. There is always someone out there that has been there and done it!”
