story by Riata Cummings
Isabelle Cummings is a 17-year-old rodeo athlete from Kamas, Utah, a small town in southeastern Summit County. She is the daughter of Jennifer and David Cummings, and has two older brothers, Jesse and Devon. Isabelle’s father owns a herd of sheep, and as a family they spend time running the sheep ranch. Isabelle is a senior attending South Summit High School where she enjoys her math and veterinary assistant classes. During the winter, she serves as the wrestling team manager, traveling with the team and assisting the coaches. Isabelle is a member of her school’s chapter of the National FFA Organization and participates in the horse judging career development event. After high school, Izzy plans to attend Broadview University and study to become a veterinary technician.
At a young age, Isabelle started competing in the local kid rodeos and in the horse 4-H. As a freshman she joined the Utah High School Rodeo Association and began competing in the barrel racing and pole bending, both of which she still does today. Pole bending is her favorite of the two events, and she enjoys the added challenge of more obstacles and heightened horsemanship. She uses a bay roan gelding, Badger, for both of her events. The horse loves receiving handfuls of treats and will carry Izzy wherever she asks.
Isabelle’s favorite rodeos are the Dixie 6, a three-weekend run hosted in Southern Utah every fall. For Isabelle, one of the most important parts of rodeo is having fun, regardless of performance. Rodeo has taught her that there is always going to be a challenge to overcome or a person to face. The only way to achieve your goals is to battle through those challenges and outwork those people. Rodeo has helped her develop diligence, one of her greatest strengths. When confronted by opposing viewpoints or difficult circumstances, Izzy stands up for her beliefs and fights for the things she wants.
She lives by the saying, “goals are dreams with deadlines”. She knows that when there is something you want you must make it a priority, or you will never get it. Giving yourself a deadline to work for often makes dreams become a reality. Isabelle’s hero is her dad, whose hard work and love for his family has shown Izzy the way she wants to live. She would like to leave a legacy of believing in her true self and inspiring others to do the same.
Isabelle is grateful for her family, her happy home, hard working parents, and inspiring friends. She would like to thank her parents for hauling her to the rodeos and supporting her through all the ups and downs of the challenging sport. She would like to thank her friends for cheering her on and her boyfriend, Weston, for being a constant support through the last year of rodeo. Isabelle is grateful for the opportunity to compete in the sport she loves and for the people who have made her rodeo experience so great.
