story by Lily Weinacht
“Rodeo is my thing. It’s just a lot of fun for me, and I love being able to compete with my friends and have a good time. I love the competition of it,” says Ainslee Morris. The 16-year-old from Belton, Texas, started rodeoing before she was 5, introduced to the sport by her parents, Tim and Julie Morris. She competes in the THSRA, CPRA, and CTYRA, and finished her rookie season in the AJRA in 2018 by winning the year-end ribbon roping title in the girls 16–19 age division. “I didn’t start picking up rodeo crazy hard until a few years ago when I got my black horse and I started picking up new things,” she explains. “I had a friend who did the AJs the year before and she convinced me to come out to them. Almost all my friends go to them, and they’re a lot of fun.”
Presently, Ainslee is sitting 11th in the AJRA goat tying and breakaway roping standings, and she continues to ribbon rope, and enter barrel racing or team roping occasionally. “I like breakaway the most. I’m really good at goats, but it’s not my favorite event,” says Ainslee. “I’m the only roper in my family. My dad did roughstock and my mom barrel raced.” When Ainslee’s parents arranged for her to have riding lessons growing up, she was coached by Jim Bob Clayman, who also taught her how to rope. “Chris Carpenter helped me a lot with breakaway and is the main guy I practice with. He’s my neighbor, and a lot of my neighbors around here support me and practice with me. We have an arena at the house where everyone comes to hang out and practice. We have all our own cattle, and I’m sponsored by Heel-O-Matic and I have a bunch of their dummies that I use to practice on.”
Her horsepower includes a 17-year-old black gelding, Bubba, whom her family purchased from Justin Moss. “He is by far the sweetest, most consistent breakaway horse I’ve ever had. My goat tying horse, Lola, was given to me. She’s by Traffic Guy, and she was given to me at a young age, so we broke her and trained her. This last year was her first year goat tying, and we won the goats in Region 10. We’re really proud of her.” Ainslee’s family also runs a small cattle operation, along with raising goats and growing hay. “Everyone has a job and helps out. I like checking cows and looking over the babies.”
A sophomore, Ainslee started homeschooling through Alpha Omega Academy three years ago, and particularly enjoys studying technology and business. “I’m learning the major points of starting a business and running one.” Her dad, Tim, has run his own leather company, Four Shoes Leather Work, for 17 years. “He travels to eight or nine different Western trade shows a year, like the NFR, and his shop is here at the house. I enjoy helping him. He mostly builds belts and custom wallets, and he has me draw out a lot of things and paint.
“In school, I hope to work ahead and finish early. I’m doing dual credit, and I’m looking to college rodeo. I also want to get my license to fly helicopters. My grandpa flew planes for the Air Force and he’d always take me flying in his plane,” says Ainslee. One of her latest rodeo goals is competing in The American. Her calf ran through her loop at the Jr American to advance to The American this year. She also enjoys competing in the IFYR, and aims to do her best there again this summer, along with the Best of the Best Timed Event Rodeo.
