story by Ruth Nicolaus
resley Smith competing at the 2014 LHSFR
– RodeoBum
Presley Smith loves her horses.
The thirteen year old, a member of the Louisiana Junior High School Rodeo Association, loves riding, loves to buy tack and pads for them, and loves to compete in rodeo.
She is a pole bender, barrel racer, and ribbon roper, with barrels as her favorite event. Her barrel horse is a nine year old sorrel named Grandman, who is coming off an injury from last year. Her backup barrel horse is a seven year old sorrel named Deuce, with whom Presley has a “love-hate relationship. Some days we get along, some days we don’t.”
Her pole horse is a nine year old sorrel named Lad who is new to her, and she is just getting her bearings with him. In the ribbon roping, she is the runner for Payton Doyle.
The Denham, La. resident is home schooled, which she enjoys, because “it’s a lot quicker and I can stay on the road, so we can travel.” Math is her favorite class, but her least favorite is social studies. “It’s about the past, so I get bored,” she says.
Presley loves to watch movie series, especially the Vampire Diaries.
She is the 2013 Louisiana Junior High Barrel Racing Champion and the 2014 Louisiana Junior High Pole Bending Reserve Champion. She has competed at the National Junior High Finals both years as well.
In addition to junior high rodeo, she also competes in the Cajun Rodeo Association, the Professional Cowboys Association, and in NBHA shows. She is the 2015 NBHA Reserve State champion in the 1D.
When Presley grows up, she’d like to be a veterinarian and specialize in equine cold water therapy. When Grandman was hurt last year, he went through the water therapy and she enjoyed watching the procedure.
She has an older sister, Alexis, who is a senior in college, and an older brother, Coleman, who is also in college.
She is the daughter of Rick and Christy Smith.
