story by Riata Cummings
Based out of small town Monticello, Utah, 17-year-old Shelly Lewis is the daughter of Kurt and Tamra Lewis. Shelly is the middle child, her siblings being Sheldon, LaShay, Amy and Alise. Her father runs a farm with his brothers, and the family spends a lot of time together working their small herd of cows. Shelly also enjoys spending time with her family while hunting, fishing or camping. Shelly is a senior at Monticello High School, and has around 40 kids in her graduating class. Her favorite class is medical anatomy, and her favorite subject is science because she enjoys the challenge of finding reason and answers in an ever expanding subject. Shelly has been working hard in her classes, and will graduate next spring with her associate’s degree from Utah State University. It has been challenging for her to balance both her high school and college classes, but her hard work will enable her to obtain her bachelors in two years and begin work as a dental hygienist.
Thanks to the ranch, Shelly has been riding horses for as long as she can remember. When a friend of hers told her about barrel racing, it wasn’t long before she got into the sport. Now, she competes in the breakaway roping, pole bending and barrel racing. Her favorite is the breakaway roping and she feels that the added complexity of the event has pushed her to form a tighter partnership with her horses. She competes on three; Pal her barrel horse, Allie her pole horse, and Nip her rope horse. Shelly tries to practice everyday except Sunday, consistently riding and roping the dummy.
Rodeo has taught Shelly the importance of hard work and dedication. The time consuming nature of the sport has required her to push herself constantly, and she recognizes that it is only through that effort that success is found. Rodeo has proved to Shelly that she can do hard things, defeating the odds and overcoming doubt. The sport has brought to light both her strengths and weaknesses as she has battled self-doubt and found a resilient and determined heart. Some of her favorite rodeos have been the Dixie 6 high school rodeos and the Utah High School State Finals Rodeo. It was at a Dixie rodeo on a borrowed horse that Shelly first qualified for state in the breakaway roping. This year, Shelly hopes to qualify in all three of her events, and is working hard to finish in the top 20 in the breakaway roping.
Shelly lives by the quote, “Be 1% better everyday”, and knows that constant improvement is only found in self reflection. Her heroes are her family members who constantly support her and help her improve. She wishes she could express how important they are to her, and hopes one day to convey the gratitude she feels for them. Shelly knows that those around her are her greatest blessings.
