story by Claire Vincent
“I’m very thankful God has given me such an amazing family that has allowed me to compete in this wonderful sport.”, says the 13-year-old -eighth grader from Cloutierville, Louisiana. Allie Grace Pierce has grown up in the rodeo arena and has rode horses for as long as she can remember. Allie Grace’s mom, Jennifer, didn’t have anything to do with rodeo growing up, but Allie Grace’s dad, Steve, was a team roper on the heel side. She is the youngest and has two sisters, Logan and Anna Marie. Logan high schooled rodeoed and barrel races a little, now. Anna Marie is a junior this year and runs barrels, breakaway ropes, and goat ties. Taking after her big sisters, Allie Grace is a barrel racer, pole bender, breakaway roper, and goat tier. This year at the Louisiana junior high rodeos Allie Grace will be competing in ribbon roping as well.
Although, Allie Grace is an all-around cowgirl, breakaway roping is her favorite event because, it’s the one she has the most fun doing. Breakaway roping is the fastest event in rodeo and Studly is the 16-year-old breakaway horse that helps Allie Grace get her job done quick. She has only owned Studly for about six months. Allie Grace says Studly is so special to her, because “He has the biggest heart and the best personality.”
Allie Grace looks up to her Dad and her sister, Anna Marie the most. “My Dad always makes sure we are prepared and have everything we need for a weekend of rodeoing.” If you have been to any LHSRA rodeo this year, you know Anna Marie has made quite the name for herself in the goat tying, so it’s only right that Allie Grace looks up to her big sister for her “hard work and dedication.” Allie Grace and Anna Marie have always had a very close bond and they have always pushed each other to be the best they can be. Allie Grace says when they were little, her dad would tie her pony to Anna Marie’s pony’s tail, and she would follow Anna Marie around.
This is her third year to be a member of the Louisiana High School Rodeo Association and she enjoys it so much because of the “good friends and rodeo family.” Rodeo takes up most of Allie Grace’s time, but when she isn’t at a rodeo or in the practice pen, she is tending to her rabbits or hanging out with friends. She says she treats a rodeo just like the practice pen and goes with the flow.
Even though the National Junior High Finals Rodeo wasn’t able to be held this year due to COVID-19, Allie Grace is very proud that she would have been going and representing Louisiana. She says that is one of her biggest rodeo accomplishments alongside winning the year end All-Around Cowgirl title at the Deep South Little Britches Rodeo Association. Allie Grace’s main goal is to win a LHSRA state championship and a national junior high and high school championship.
While this young cowgirl is dreaming big and working hard to accomplish her goals, Hurricane Laura came in and wiped-out South West Louisiana. Luckily, Allie Grace and her family live farther north so their damage wasn’t as extensive as others, but it still took things from them. The roof ripped off of their house, the back porch is gone, trees fell on all of their fences, a tree fell on their RV and it is most likely totaled, and their pecan orchard is completely ruined. They were without power for about ten days. The Pierce family had all of this damage to their home, it’s bizarre to think that some people had it worse. Hurricanes don’t care about your family, your house, or your livestock. They just come in and destroy, especially when you live in Louisiana. Allie Grace may have lost a lot, but she is still remaining thankful and looking on the bright side of things. She says “I’m just thankful that we still have a house that is livable, and that my family and animals are safe.”
