CSHSRA member Cassie Finley
– Chelsea Hoffman
story by Lily Weinacht
Cassie Finley of Cortez, Colo., comes from a family immersed in rodeo, and a community that is likewise dedicated to the sport. The 15-year-old began competing at a young age, inspired by her mom and aunt, who high school rodeoed, and her grandpa, Larry Mooney, who worked for the Beutler Brothers Rodeo Co., and hazed for steer wrestlers many years back. Larry also started the Ute Mountain High School Rodeo Team in Cortez, which Cassie and her two sisters compete in. She serves as the team’s reporter, while her sister Whitney is the team president. Cassie enjoys being a part of the team’s inner workings, but the time she spends in the arena competing is what she loves best.
In both the CSHSRA and the Ute Mountain rodeo team, Cassie competes in barrel racing and goat tying. “Goat tying is my favorite, because I feel like it is a more physical event, and you don’t rely just on your horse.” She adds, “I enjoy rodeo and seeing all my friends, and having that connection with my horse.” She is coached in her events by her mom, as well as Jenna and Trevor Duhon. “I really look up to my mom – she’s always been there for me, and pushes me to make sure I do my best,” says Cassie. “Jenna and Trevor helped me find my barrel horse, and Jenna has helped me out a lot this year.”
Cassie, her two sisters, Whitney (18), and Rylee (12), and their parents, Kelly and Lana Finley, make their home on the outskirts of Cortez. The family spends much of their time together at rodeos, along with Cassie’s dog, Paisley, who never misses riding along. The Finley’s home is surrounded by pasture for their horses and small herd of Angus beef cattle, so when the sisters want to practice, they go down the road a few miles to their grandparent’s arena. Cassie’s horses that she competes on are Chica and Jet. Chica, a gray Paint mare, is Cassie’s goat tying horse, who she just started competing on in the fall. Jet, a bay mare, is also new to Cassie, as they barrel race together. “It’s taking a while to get used to Jet,” admits Cassie, but rodeo has taught her that persistence pays off, especially with horses.
Outside of rodeo, Cassie is a diligent student at Montezuma – Cortez High School. She recently finished her sophomore year, and particularly enjoyed her science class. “I enjoy dissection, and I want to become a veterinarian,” she explains. She is already very knowledgeable in caring for her steers, which she shows in FFA with her sister Whitney. Cassie is the Cortez Chapter FFA parliamentarian, keeping order in the meetings and helping plan for fundraisers and other FFA activities.
Cassie and her sisters practice and ride every day, and Cassie also works with her FFA steers, preparing them for showing at the county fair. But rodeo is her greatest passion, and she has several major goals set for herself for the next year. She is working on qualifying for the NHSFR in goat tying, and plans to qualify for The American Semi-Finals in the near future. Her goals are supported wholeheartedly by her family, and Cassie would like to thank her mom and dad, Jenna and Trevor Duhon, and her grandparents for all their help and support to get her where she is today.”I most definitely want to rodeo after high school,” she finishes. “I don’t have a college picked out yet, but I definitely want to rodeo!”
