story by Lindsay Whelchel
For 17-year-old Tri State Rodeo Association barrel racer, Kelcie May, being involved in the sport has not only become a fixture in her life, it’s had an impact on every aspect. “It’s what I always wanted to do ever since I was little. I started when I was probably 10 or 12,” she explains and adds that she doesn’t really come from a barrel racing family. Her cousins roped, and her sister, Kylie who is also in nursing school, competes some in the TSRA, but she’s taken the barrel racing to a fulltime passion. This past season was Kelcie’s rookie year in the association, and its benefits are far reaching.
“I love being around everybody and all the good people I’ve met doing it. Everybody is family,” she says.
Kelcie is dedicated to the sport and has focused all of her extracurricular involvement on it. She goes to the TSRA events, as well as other large barrel races as a member of NBHA. She’s gone to run somewhere just about every weekend.
She credits her parents, Misty and Anthony, for their support.
“They support us and go everywhere we go,” Kelcie says.
And of the many other people who have helped her along her rodeo path, Kelcie cites the support and guidance she received from Paul Cooper, who has sadly passed away, with helping her come this far.
“That’s who I got the horse I run now that got me to Tri State Finals.” she explains, saying that it was Paul who helped her the most with her barrel racing.
Through her involvement in the sport, Kelcie has learned an important lesson.
“Stay positive, because you’re not going to have the best run every time,” she advises.
Being that she’s a senior in high school this year, Kelcie is thinking about her future and plans to go on to dental school after graduation. This spring and summer, she’ll no doubt be running at the TSRA rodeos as well.
