story by Lindsay Humphrey
Even though Ginalee Sinner attended her first rodeo at just 4 years old, she hasn’t always been a full-fledged rodeo gal. “I went to some junior rodeos and when I was 8, I started in 4-H. I did a lot of horse showing from then on and through high school, everything from pleasure and horsemanship to reining and cutting. I guess I didn’t just rodeo, I did everything,” said the Sargent, Nebraska, cowgirl. Ginalee didn’t high school rodeo as a freshman, but she did the three following years. And then attended Northwestern Oklahoma State University before transferring to Southwestern Oklahoma State University. She competed on both rodeo teams and then went to Oklahoma University to become a physical therapist.
Now a full-time physical therapist at Broken Bow Team Physical Therapy, Ginalee came back to her home county in central Nebraska. “Other than a couple years when I lived in North Platte, I’ve worked here. I’m very lucky to have bosses that are very flexible with me.” Ginalee works from 7 to 3 every day and doesn’t take a lunch break so she can head home right at 3. “That helps me get home at a decent time and I can get quite a bit done in the late afternoon or evening. A lot of times I won’t have to take off early to get to a rodeo that evening.” Rodeo is a huge part of Ginalee’s life and her early experiences with it alluded to that fact. “My mom said the first time I competed I was pretty nervous, but when I got done my first question was: when is the next rodeo?”
Despite a limited number of rodeos in 2020, the season was definitely in Ginalee’s favor. For the last four years, she’s been the NSRA all around champion. “The all around is definitely what I strive for, but what makes it even better is that I’m riding horses that my family has raised and trained.” As a three-event athlete–barrels, breakaway and mixed team roping–horsepower is a huge part of Ginalee’s rodeo career. “I don’t think there would be as much satisfaction, for me at least, in winning if I wasn’t riding horses that were born at our house, we raised and trained. That’s the best part of it all for me.” Ginalee’s family stands three studs at Tierney Quarter Horses, Hot Mr Perfect just might be her favorite.
“I team rope on that stud and he’s actually the daddy of the horse I run barrels and breakaway rope on. That makes it pretty cool. And I’m about to start hauling one of his daughter’s as my primary breakaway horse.” It’s safe to say it’s quite the family affair for Ginalee. That goes one step further as Ginalee’s own dad is oftentimes her lone travel companion. “When Spencer (Ginalee’s husband) isn’t entered at a rodeo, my dad will go with me. Sometimes I get home super late and that makes it hard to get to work at 7 the next morning, so my dad will usually drive the graveyard shift for me.” Ginalee’s dad might not be a super high-tech guy, but he does know how to video on his iPhone. “Without the support of my husband and my parents, there’s no way I could go to a lot of the rodeos that I do.”
As a long time rodeo competitor in the state of Nebraska, Ginalee has made her rounds on the amateur circuit for both the NSRA and M-SRA. Both associations have worked hard to grow their membership, event opportunities and payouts over the years. “Mixed team roping is a good example for the growth both associations have seen in the last five years. I attribute that to the association’s committee for getting out there and promoting the event. It’s definitely increased our numbers.”
