story by Michele Toberer
As a junior at the University of West Alabama, Sebrena McAnally is enjoying her first year as a college rodeo competitor. She is also in her rookie season with the Southeastern Professional Rodeo Association and looking forward to the season finals in February where she will compete with the top-15 barrel racers in the association and is vying for the champion rookie cowgirl of the year title.
Born and raised in Auburn, Alabama, Sebrena is in her junior year of college where she is majoring in business with a minor in accounting. Auburn is on the Georgia side of Alabama, and UWA on the Mississippi line, so Sebrena lives at school during the year and comes back home for the summers. She was excited to join the rodeo team this season and has enjoyed transitioning from being a jackpot barrel racer to a rodeo competitor. “I have loved going to the SPRA rodeos and really enjoy the excitement and atmosphere of rodeo. I like the entertainment, the crowd and the thrill of performing in front of an audience.”
Sebrena’s grandma, Ann Jackson, and aunt, Donna Davis had horses and spent time trail riding while Sebrena was growing up, so although her parents, Selena Jackson and Brett McAnally were very supportive of her horse obsession, it was her grandma and aunt that really got her riding at a young age. When she noticed barrel racing as a 4th grader, they took her to Kim Smith for training, and Sebrena was hooked on barrel racing from the start. “Kim has helped me throughout my entire barrel racing career. I’ve purchased several horses from her, and even though she doesn’t train me as much anymore, I still enjoy riding with her when I can, and she is always someone I can rely on.” Sebrena’s mom has a childcare business, and her dad owns a trucking business, M & M Trucking. She has an 18-year-old brother, Mac, but he has always been far more interested in the horsepower of motorcycles and 4-wheelers, than the power of horses.
For the past year, Sebrena has been running a special chestnut gelding named Crank who she purchased from Cady Hensley in northern Alabama. “Crank is 13 and so far, I have done so well with him. He has put me where I needed to be with college and professional rodeo. He is an amazing horse and I’ve learned so much riding him.” Crank was trained as a reiner before his barrel racing career, so Sebrena has enjoyed learning many of his fancy moves that go along with a well-broke reining horse. “His style was so different than I what I was used to riding. He loves his job and gives his whole heart every run, I’m so grateful to Cady for allowing me to own him.”
Sebrena is almost 21 years old, and now that her sights have been set on rodeo, she looks forward to achieving some big goals in her future. “I definitely want to continue competing in the SPRA, and I’d like to try to qualify for the RFD-TV American Rodeo one day. She enjoys watching her favorite barrel racing team, Hailey Lockwood and Sister, “She’s so good and I love watching her at the NFR.”
Sebrena is especially grateful to her dad, “He’s been my biggest supporter, bought me the horses I needed, and paid my entry fees. He has been a huge pare of my career and put me through it all.” Sebrena looks forward to completing her college degrees so that she can help her dad run his trucking business. For now, she studies and rides fast horses and is loving the rodeo life.
