story by Lillian Landreth
For Michaela McCormick, rodeo went from one of many sports out there to the sport—and lifestyle—for her in a matter of moments. The 16-year-old from Salem, South Dakota, experienced rodeo from an early age while tagging along with her dad, Matt McCormick, to team ropings and SDRA rodeos. By age eight, she decided it was time to forge her own path on the rodeo trail. Michaela entered junior rodeos and eventually cinched her first state title at the junior high finals in 2019 when she won the goat tying. She entered the ranks of high school rodeo in 2020 and was the reserve state champion in goat tying, and qualified for the NHSFR again in 2021 in her favorite event. “It’s definitely the event I’ve put a lot of work into and seen a lot of successes in,” says Michaela, who also won the goat tying at the 2020 4-H State Finals. She enjoys breakaway roping and team roping as a header in the SDHSRA as well.
Her motivation for the sport is trifold. “It’s the family you build from it and seeing all your hard work pay off. It’s just so much fun,” Michaela explains. But the time rodeo gives her with family is even more valuable than her accolades. “My parents put in so much time to get me where I am today. My dad is with me all the time and my mom, Lori, is with me most of the time. Sometimes we go different ways on weekends since my brothers play baseball.” Michaela and her dad load up horses several times a week and drive to a nearby arena to practice roping, while she can tie goats every day in her backyard. Her parents also video her runs so she can go back and critique her work.
Michaela’s three horses are another part of the team. “Riley is my main goat horse— he’ll be 17 this year. We really clicked in the goats and it all came along.” Ziggy, also 17, has lived with the McCormicks all his life. Michaela says she was struggling with breakaway roping and decided to try Ziggy, who made a great difference in her roping. His brother, Sonic, 9, is Michaela’s team roping and backup goat horse.
A junior at McCook Central, Michaela particularly enjoys playing basketball and volleyball. Her basketball team went to state in 2020. “I definitely think the mental game with rodeo has helped me with sports,” says Michaela. She and her brothers, Zane, 14, Burke, 11, and Coy, 8, like to play basketball at home, and she goes to watch their baseball games. In turn, they travel with Michaela to many of her rodeos. “I take naps when we drive. It’s sometimes hard to sleep when you have three boys sitting next to you,” she says with a laugh. “State finals is my favorite rodeo because it’s all of us together and I get to see my friends from every other region.” Michaela and the other members of the 2021 Cinch Team also put on a special needs rodeo at state finals this year. Competing in the NHSFR in Lincoln, Nebraska, was a highlight of her summer, where Michaela tied for 16th in the second round of the goat tying. She further enjoyed playing volleyball with her friends and doing several team potlucks throughout the week.
“I would like to keep pushing and make Nationals all four years of high school, and win another state title for sure. And I plan on college rodeoing,” she finishes. “I think I’ve found where I want to be in life, and it’s something I definitely want to keep doing. The sport has brought me so much more than I can ever imagine.”
