story by Riata Cummings
Brylee Allan is the daughter of Josh and Mandee Allan of small-town Nephi, Utah. The middle child of 5, Brylee’s older siblings are Preston and Chaylee, and her younger sisters are Oaklee and Hayzlee. Her father Josh will serve as the Utah High School Rodeo Association President this year. Brylee will begin her junior year this fall, attending Juab High School. She plays libero or outside hitter for the Juab Volleyball Team and pitches for the varsity Juab Softball Team.
Brylee has been rodeoing for as long as she can remember, following in the footsteps of her dad and older brother. She currently competes in the barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, and breakaway roping. She especially loves the breakaway roping and goat tying because they are less about expensive horsepower and more about an individual’s effort. Brylee uses a horse named Skip, a 19-year-old bay mare, for the breakaway roping and goat tying. Her other horse is Dunny, a dun gelding borrowed from the Wittwer family of southern Utah.
Last summer, Brylee was diagnosed with Chiari malformation, a structural brain defect that was causing intense, debilitating headaches. She had a brain surgery shortly after diagnosis and had to limit some of her rodeo involvement. This spring she started goat tying again, making swift improvements. So far, Brylee has qualified for the Silver State International Rodeo every year of her career, coming up just short of nationals a few times. This year she would like to hone her skills and qualify for the National High School Finals Rodeo.
Brylee was elected the Utah High School Rodeo Student Secretary at this year’s state finals, and this is her message to the members:
“Hey everyone! It’s Brylee Allan, your 2019-2020 UHSRA Student Secretary! The love that I have for the sport of rodeo and the people involved is indescribable! I am looking forward to helping the UHSRA grow in as many ways as possible. I am excited to represent Utah at the National Mid-Winter Meetings with Kamryn and Korby and having the opportunity to meet all the different officers from all around the country! I can’t wait to be the voice for each and every one of the UHSRA contestants! Good luck and safe travels to all of you! Let’s make this the BEST year ever!”
“If you end when you get it right once, you will have to fail that many more times tomorrow before you get the results you want. Go until you can’t get it wrong and you will find the consistency and success you want.”
“You can’t just show up on the weekends and expect to walk away the winner. You must be as competitive in the practice pen as you are at the rodeo.”
Brylee’s hero is her father, who provides an example of hard work for Brylee. She is grateful for his effort to show his children how to go after the things they want, and for his willingness to push her to improve. She would like to thank her family for their support of her rodeo dreams. She would also like to thank McKenna Coronado for being a friend and supporter, as well as the Wittwer family for letting her borrow their horse.
