story by Lily Weinacht
Lauryn Motley of Fort Morgan, Colorado, and her trusty barrel horse Yellow Abby went into the CJHSRA state finals sitting seventh in the barrel racing and chased their cans to win the finals with a score of 54.136 in three runs. This is the 13-year-old’s first full season competing in the CJHSRA, while the finals buckle is the first she’s won in the association. “I love my horses and the connection that we have, and when I go to a rodeo, I love the adrenaline rush,” says Lauryn. “It’s just really fun to do, and I have a lot of good friends there too. I cheer them on and we help each other out.”
State finals became one of Lauryn’s favorite rodeos of the season, from spending extra time with friends to finishing fifth in the state in barrel racing and pole bending. She also competed in goat tying, and ribbon roping with roper Seth Anderson from Larkspur, Colorado. Until junior high rodeos start up again in the fall, Lauryn is competing in the CJRA and entering several amateur rodeos with her dad, along with competing in the Best of the Best Timed Event Rodeo Competition in Gallup, New Mexico, for the first time this summer. She competed in barrel racing, pole bending, and ribbon roping with her dad, Josh Motley, who also tie-down ropes in the CPRA and NSPRA. He was the 2014 NSPRA World Champion Tie-Down Roper, and owns Great West Trailer and Truck in Fort Morgan.
“All of my family has helped me out a lot. One person who really helps me out a lot is my Poppy, Dale Motley. Every day, he goes out with me and tells me what I need to work on, and he knows a lot about horses and what to work on and how to fix it. My dad and I drove to Arizona last winter and stayed for three weeks so he could compete at some of his rodeos. I took my barrel horses along and got to go to some barrel races, and rode and practiced every day with Christy Fullen. It helped me so much. She and my aunt Laura Lambert help me a lot with my riding,” says Lauryn. “I’m outside every day with my horses, and I’m really working on tying my goats and getting a smooth tie. We’re working on breakaway a lot, and getting my horse’s nose through the barrels and poles. I rope the dummy a lot, and when my parents get home from work, we go out and rope calves.”
Along with her main barrel horse, Yellow Abby, Lauryn rides Red Abby in any of her events when she needs a backup horse. Gizmo is her main mount in the goat tying and pole bending, while she rides her dad’s calf horse, Pooch, in the breakaway roping. “My dad and Poppy trained Pooch, and he is the rock star. He can do everything, and he does it well and has a lot of try. Last year he ran barrels and poles and goats for me when my horse got hurt, and we ended up being reserve champion for pole bending in the CJRA.”
Lauryn travels to rodeos with her dad and mom, Jeane Schoemaker-Motley, and her older brother and sister come to cheer her on whenever they can. She’s entering eighth grade at Wiggins Junior Senior High School this fall, but loves spending her summer break rodeoing and spending time with her grandpa. “We go run errands and work on horse stuff, and I like to jump on the trampoline and go to the lake or the pool sometimes,” says Lauryn. “In the future, I want to make it to Nationals in all my events. I want to keep working at it, and be the best that I can be and showcase my horses.”
