story by Michele Toberer
Her parents used to joke that she was born into the wrong family, because other than her grandpa growing up with horses in the pasture for pleasure riding, rodeo was never a big part of Kamryn Adent’s family history. The 13-year-old Lucille Erwin Middle Schooler’s mom, Sara, is a nurse at Harmony Cancer Center, and her dad, Jeremy, is a firefighter in the Loveland Fire and Rescue Authority in their hometown of Loveland, Colorado. Kamryn’s 18-year-old sister Baylee spent her high school years in cheerleading and dance; and Kamryn’s younger brother Rylan, 10, spends his time playing baseball. It just took one trip with her grandpa to a barrel race when she two, to ignite a fire for horses and rodeo in young Kamryn’s heart. “I started riding English when I was close to 3, and then started riding western when I was about 6; I began barrel racing at 8 and haven’t stopped.”
As an 8th grader with the Colorado Junior High School Rodeo Association, Kamryn’s main event is barrel racing, but she also competes in pole bending and ribbon roping. “Barrel racing is my main passion, but since we sometimes travel a long distance for the junior high rodeos, it’s nice to do more events at the rodeos.” Kamryn has been riding her special barrel horse, Martini, since the now-10-year-old bay mare was just 4. “I was planning to enter a big race and my horse came up lame. Martini’s owners let me ride her at the Buckles and Barrels for Bayley event, and I just loved her. At first, she was a pain and bucked sometimes when she was mad and wouldn’t stand still to pick her hooves. But after a year, we bought her and worked on her ground manners, and now she’s just amazing. We have a great connection, she’s like my best friend. She loves her job and I don’t have to push her, she works as hard as she can, especially for cookies! She is a cookie monster but loves peppermints and Taco Bell cinnamon twists too!”
Kamryn has been riding with Kelly Kennedy Joseph since she purchased Martini and is extremely grateful for the lessons and opportunities that she’s gained from her. “Kelly told me I had potential if I worked really hard, and I’ve been working with her for 4 years now. She motivates me, keeps me humble, and has taught me how to lose with grace plus so many other lessons inside and outside of the arena.” Kamryn boards Martini at Kelly’s ranch and spends many hours there after school and on weekends. “I help with barn chores and Kelly lets me ride some amazing horses with a lot of talent.” Kelly’s ranch is often a pitstop for many professional barrel racers on the rodeo trail, and Kamryn is appreciative of the opportunities she’s had to meet and work with several of them. “I’ve learned a lot from Kim Schultz and Tasha Welsh when they’ve stayed here; and was able to go to New Mexico to Sydni Blanchard’s and ride with her. She’s an amazing barrel racer and I learned lots of tricks on taking great care of your horses from her. I also spent a day with Hailey Kinsel at her ranch in Texas last February. She was so kind, and it was such a great day of learning with her.”
Although barrel racing takes the majority of her time, when she isn’t riding, she loves to bake with her grandma, and make dinner for her family. She loves social studies and science classes and considered becoming a veterinarian until realizing the workload would prevent her from riding and training much; so, she has goals of breeding and training horses in the future. “I’m really thankful to my family, and my papa and grandma; my family gives up a lot for me to ride. I especially appreciate the CSJHRA for putting on rodeos so I can grow as a rider competing in new arenas. God has blessed me with an amazing horse that is an amazing athlete who loves her job as much as a person could love their sport.” Kamryn also appreciates her sponsors: Greeley Hat Works, Joseph Feeds, Vans Cleaners, Coluson Excavating, and Team Fearless.
