story by Lindsay King
It’s not over until it’s over. This is the lesson Kayleah Hurst from Slick, Oklahoma, took away from the state finals last year. She also left with the championship title in the goat tying and her very first ticket to nationals. “I came into state in the goat tying 20 points away from making nationals. All I wanted was to make it, I didn’t think I had a shot at winning state,” said the now 14-year-old eighth grader. She managed to take second place in both the first and second round. She was third to last in the short round and she can remember coming out after her run when a friend told her she had won the average. “I didn’t believe her but she was right. I was so happy, we were all screaming with excitement. It was so much fun.”
Though it was Kayleah’s first trip to nationals, she took a longtime veteran with her. “I think my goat mare has been to nationals more than anybody. Socks is ancient, but she is amazing.” Socks is only in her early 20s, but she has carried many Oklahoma cowgirls to buckles and saddles, all in the goat tying. “When I was 9, I watched a high school girl ride Socks and I told my dad that one day I would own her. Four years later and I ended up getting her, which is really cool.” Socks and Kayleah ended up placing in the top thirty at nationals.
Making her dream of owning Socks come true are Kayleah’s parents Jerry and Laurie. Both competed in rodeo and came from rodeo parents also. “My first memory of rodeo was when I really started competing when I was 7. I remember the first time I won the goat undecorating, that’s what got me hooked on goat tying.” Though she has a strong affinity for the goat tying, Kayleah is also a breakaway roper and runs for the ribbon roping. “I just like the speed and intensity of goat tying. I like everything about it probably,” Kayleah said with a laugh as she remembered the first time she jumped off her pony barreling down the arena.
Spending at least five hours a day taking care of horses and practicing is Kayleah, her parents and her 12-year-old brother Trace. “My mom helps me ride everything and dad helps with my roping, but they both help me practice goats. My brother is really helpful, he holds my goats.” Since the family travels so often for rodeos, both sets of grandparents take turns feeding the animals left at home and traveling to watch the rodeos. Even while she was still in the goat undecorating, Kayleah was preparing for the goat tying. She would tie almost every single day, and still does. “This year I am just trying to take each rodeo one by one and do my best at each one. I try not to look too far ahead into the future, but obviously my goal is to make it back to nationals.”
In her final year of junior high rodeos, it is hard to pick a favorite. However, if she has to then it would be Woodward. “That is where I won state. The atmosphere is great and the people that work the arena are nice.” It’s this same atmosphere carried throughout all the OKJHSRA events and the rock-solid competitive nature of the contestants that Kayleah loves about the association. “Before I started in the junior high association I was really shy, but it has brought me out of my shell a lot. The people are nice and everyone tries hard and encourages each other.”
