story by Siri Stevens
Bella Kate (BK) is no stranger to the rodeo lifestyle. She started competing in her local riding club in Sulphur, Louisiana at the age of three. She currently competes in barrels, poles and break a way roping. BK is about to begin her second year in Louisiana Junior High Rodeo. She is also working her way up the queen ladder, starting in the National Little Britches pageants, and hoping to be the Louisiana High School Rodeo queen when she gets into high school. “ My mom (Trudi Waite Buckley) was the Louisiana High School Rodeo queen in 1993 and I’d like to follow that.” Bella Kate was the National Little Britches Little Wrangler Princess in 2020 and is hoping to be the Junior Princess. She is preparing to run for that title this summer.
The sixth grader splits her time with cheer practice at LeBlanc Middle School, rodeo practice, and homework as part of the Citgo Innovation STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) Academy. “We leave one practice and go to another. I don’t have many off days, but I still have something to practice even on the off days,” she said. “I’m also in 4-H and I show pigs. During show season, they need to be walked and require lots of attention.” Bella’s school activities require practice too, “I just joined band at school. I’m learning to play the flute.” Bella leads a very busy life, but she juggles her responsibilities well with the help of her family and friends.
BK has two brothers, Payton, 21, and Trevor, 17. She also has an older sister, Grace, 20. Although none of her siblings rodeoed, BK became interested in riding horses after being gifted her first pony from the Izard family. After hearing her mom’s stories about rodeo and being a queen. BK states, “I thought it was interesting and then I fell in love with it. My mom teaches me a lot and so do my roping coaches Maverick and Cheyenne Harper. Ms. Caroline Melanson helps me with my horsemanship and my horses. My Nana is one of my biggest fans. She helps me so much with everything I do, not just rodeo. I couldn’t rodeo without the help I receive from so many people.”
She has three horses, including one special horse that was given to her by Ms. Mary Ann Clay. “I was blessed with Twister, who runs barrels and poles,” she said. “I’ve had him for three years now.” She also has two other horses, Vinny, a palomino barrel horse, and BK, her breakaway horse that shares her nickname, BK.
Bella Kate has big goals for this year’s rodeo season, “I qualified for the Junior Patriot this year in break a way. I really enjoy going to ropings. It’s different than rodeos.” She’s been working hard preparing for Louisiana’s Junior High rodeo season to kick off. “My goal is to qualify to the Jr. High finals in Perry, Georgia this summer.”
She has her future mapped out. “When I grow up, I want to be a marine biologist and go to Texas A&M to prepare for that.” She has attended Sea Camp there and has gotten a taste of what marine biology would be like. She thinks it’s the perfect job since she lives so close to the gulf coast. Her family is finally getting back into their home and barns after the destruction of hurricanes Laura and Delta two years ago. “We have been staying at our Nana’s house across the pasture,” she said. “Everything is rebuilt now, and we are ready to roll.”
