Story by Ruth Nicolaus
The Mid States East Rodeo Association member lived in Texas for five years before moving back to her parents’ farm in Otisville, Michigan for the summer.
And now she’s staying for good.
A barrel racer, team roper and breakaway roper, Kali competed in NBHAs and IBRA events in her teens. In 2016, when she moved to Texas, she began competing in rodeos and became a Mid-States and International Pro Rodeo Association member.
For the past five years, while in Texas, she rode and trained horses through her business, Arrowkay Performane Horses, and raised Red Golden Retrievers through her other business, Arrowkay Goldens.
Her focus in Texas wasn’t solely on rodeo, but on riding and training and finding a good fit for the horses she sold.
“My passion was to train, ride and sell horses,” Kali said, “and find them a good home and the right matches for people.” She enjoys working with the younger horses. “I love to get in their heads, try to understand what they want and need from me, and how I can better their life.”
While in Texas, Kali earned a strong client base and prided herself on matching horses to the correct owners. “I found their forever homes, and I’ve enjoyed watching that.”
For the past several years, she’s had a little horse named Roanie who she rode for jackpots and who got her started in rodeo competition. “He seasoned me for the rodeo world,” she said. Rodeo “is a game of perseverance. You have good runs and you have bad runs, and you have to keep going.”
Recently Kali got a new barrel horse, I Do 123, “I Do.” A former race horse who was one of the fastest paints on the track as a three and four-year-old, Lue and Jay Hall, of Midland, Mich., trained him and won a lot of money with him on the track. Their daughter, Cami Cumper, then went on to train him in the barrels and had a very successful rodeo career with him.
When Cami decided to focus on her daughter’s softball career, she gave Kali the chance to buy him, and Kali jumped at it. “She was gracious enough to give me the opportunity to own him,” Kali said. “He’s the freakiest, fastest, most talented horse I’ve ever swung a leg over. I feel really blessed to have the opportunity to rodeo on him.
“It’s been neat for those two horses to combine for me. One I got to season and now I get to go with a seasoned horse.”
She raises Red Golden Retrievers. “I love their minds,” she said. “They are incredibly intelligent and athletic, very trainable, very willing.” Many of her clients purchase them for hunting but they make very good family dogs, and some families own two or three of her retrievers.
For Kali, her year spent back at home after five years away was excellent. “It was a neat summer for me. I hauled to every rodeo by myself and learned a lot about myself and those two horses. I had the opportunity to start my life over, so I did.”
And now she’s decided to stay in Michigan. “I didn’t come home with the intention of staying. I came home to regroup.” She met someone new and has decided to stick around. “I feel like my life has fallen together and this is where I’m supposed to be.”
One of the best things she’s enjoying about Michigan is the change of seasons. “I love having a true fall and winter, and the spring and summer are enjoyable, too.” This will be her first winter home in over six years, so she’s not sure how she’ll react to it, “but I’m going to give it a go.”
In addition to her horses, she loves to hunt and fish.
Kali’s dad, Chris, has traveled with her and pushed her to live her dreams for as long as she can remember, especially this summer, and her mom, Michele, is her biggest fan and greatest blessing. She’s glad to be home to spend time with them.
“I feel really blessed and I know why God put me on this earth. I love the horses, I love the dogs, and I would like to continue the life that I love.
“I’ve spent days missing home and my parents and family, and the place that raised me, so it was time for me to come back.”
