story by Lindsay King
“The first time I entered a rodeo was in the mutton busting. I was ready and excited, but I remember really hating the mouth full of dirt I got when I fell off. I could not talk with it in there,” said Brooke Crenshaw, a five-event athlete in the OKJHSRA from Colbert, Oklahoma. Though she competes in poles, barrels, breakaway roping, goat tying and ribbon roping, she got started by running barrels. She simply loves each event equally, which means she cannot pick her favorite out of the group. Though her first memories of rodeo stem back to barrels. “My mom was teaching me about barrels and poles, and how to get the right spacing when I go around them. That is easily my first memory of really taking rodeo serious.”
In fact, the 13-year-old is coached by her mom Jamie and her aunt and uncle, TW and Caryn Snyder. “My uncle helps me out a lot with my roping, but my mom and my aunt coach me in everything else.” Brooke’s dad Burney is the professional videographer at rodeos, but also does a lot of the same things Jamie does before a run. “My mom always checks on me, makes sure my saddle is tight and that my boots are on right. My parents support me in every way possible and I am thankful for them.” Her siblings, Parker, 10, and Jemma, 1, are also part of the rodeo package when Brooke competes. “My brother rides steers and mini bulls. He’s supportive of me and I support him.”
Brooke’s biggest fear in rodeo is making a mistake, it is something she has learned the hard way. “When I hit a barrel or make a mistake, sometimes I freeze up. But I have had to learn to let it go and focus on something other than the one mistake.” With so many events on her plate, Brooke has to keep pressing forward to each event despite what might have happened in the last one. “Rodeo has taught me to keep my head up and that there is always another day or event to look forward to.” This is also why Brooke sends a prayer up before every run. “I usually pray that I will be safe and that I can use all my talents that the lords has blessed me with for this sport. Then I just keep running that through my head.”
She has set lofty goals for 2019, working hard every day to make nationals in all five of her events. Though Brooke has her sights set on winning nationals if she qualifies, her main goal is to secure her ticket to South Dakota. “I have accomplished a lot this year, but I just want to keep having fun and making memories with my family and friends.” Even though she plays three sports – rodeo, softball and basketball – Brooke’s undeniable favorite is the one she gets to do from the back of a horse. “The competition in the OKJHSRA is really tough, they are challenging. It is harder than any other junior rodeo association I have ever competed in. There are so many good people and good horses from all over the state.”
The Rock Creek Middle School seventh grader is still figuring out her pole horse Reva. “I love her to death, but sometimes she can act goofy. We get through it though. Both my rope and barrel horse I have ridden for a long time.” Little Bit, her barrel horse, is a completely different horse at home than when she gets to an arena, but her rope horse Spanky is the same no matter the circumstances. “Spanky is my rope and goat horse, he is really cool. He has been a blessing for me.”
