story by Lily Weinacht
Madison Camozzi qualified for her first Junior World Finals this year at the KKRFV qualifier in Red Bluff, California. Astride her 6-year-old gelding, Goodwins Reflect, Madison’s goal was simply to make a smooth run, and the pair went beyond that to stop the clock at 20.580 and won it. “I was pretty calm, and I hoped my horse was going to work good. He’s pretty young so I wanted to make a smooth run. I knew as long as I made a smooth run, it would be good,” the 17-year-old from Petaluma, California, explains. “I’ve been to that arena quite a bit for barrel races and I was pretty comfortable with it. It was a cool setup and my horse really liked it.”
A member of the California High School Rodeo Association, Madison also competes in barrel racing and breakaway roping, and she’s been to Las Vegas five times to run at the NBHA Super Show. “State finals is also around that time, so it’s hard to make the horses go that much,” says Madison. She’s chosen to focus more on high school rodeos, which will also keep Goodwin in shape this fall as they prepare for the Junior World Finals. Madison was the CHSRA reserve state pole bending champion on Goodwin last year and competed at the National High School Finals Rodeo, while she was the state champion in pole bending her freshman year. Her high school rodeo District 4 holds one of Madison’s favorite rodeos at the California Rodeo Salinas grounds, and she also competed in the California Cowboys Professional Rodeo Association this year. She finished 9th in the barrel racing for her rookie season and competed in their finals in September.
“I love competing, and it’s everything I do. I can’t imagine doing anything else,” says Madison. “I love everything I’ve learned from it, and it’s definitely helped make me the person I am.” She attributes her opportunities in the rodeo world to her family. “It’s unbelievable how much my mom and dad (Norene and Bob) help me out and I don’t think I could ever thank them enough. They drive me to rodeos, and my mom will come practice with me.” Madison also has a younger sister, Karly, and two older brothers and a sister, Bobby, Blayke, and Stephanie. She and her sisters all ride and the siblings pitch in where they’re needed on their dad’s dairy farms.
Madison also stays busy with her other horses, three mares named Firewater Sassy, Missin Nitas, and Flash Cadillacs Lace. “Firewater Sassy is my favorite horse in the whole world and she’s super important to me,” says Madison. “We’re starting a breeding program with her, so I want to work towards that and run her babies someday.” She plans to take her other two horses with her to college, and she has her choice of schools narrowed down to five, from colleges in California and Texas, to Nevada. “My ultimate goal in life is to make the NFR and be a world champion someday, so I’ll work towards that. For college I want to hopefully make Nationals in barrel racing, and I definitely want to do something with Ag. business.”
Meanwhile, Madison is enjoying finishing her senior year at Petaluma High School, and she’s taking school on the road with her to the Junior World Finals so she can be ready for her school’s finals when she comes home. As soon as she turns 18, Madison plans to purchase her WPRA permit and hopes to qualify for the California Circuit Finals by her freshman year of college. “I want to hopefully make it to state and nationals in barrel racing and pole bending this year, and to make the NFR someday is my biggest goal.”
