story by Lindsay King
Imagine standing in the alley and hearing your name called in French, this is something Tiffany Teehee from Claremore, Oklahoma, has experienced numerous times in her rodeo career. Attending the St. Tite rodeo in Canada is definitely a highlight of Tiffany’s decorated barrel racing travels. “It is a whole different world up there. All you can really understand is ‘ride cowboy ride.’ And since nobody speaks any English, I usually leave with a bit of a French accent,” said the longtime ACRA and IPRA competitor. The horse bug bite Tiffany early and hard, when she was five her mom gave her the choice between a pool or horses. She chose the latter without hesitation. “We joined Rogers County 4-H and every day of the week I was going somewhere to rodeo. Mom took me to every play day within about a 60-mile radius.”
She did every event possible, even if her horse did not know how to do it. That is what she claims truly taught her how to ride. Though barrel racing is her one true love, breakaway is a close second. “I like riding different horses and figuring them out. You get a lot of opportunities as a barrel racer and because of that I have traveled all over the world representing the sport of rodeo and Oklahoma.” In fact, her first world traveler experience was down to the IFR at just 17 years old. “My parents hauled me back and forth from Georgia and South Carolina trying to make the IFR. I won the average and was the high money earner that year, I won my first and only trailer too.”
Making ten appearances at the IFR, Tiffany has attended just as many ACRA finals. “I started traveling the four-state area when I was 15. And I’ve been running the same horse ever since I made my first ACRA finals in 2007.” The now 20-year-old AQHA gelding has also ran in the high school and college finals in his time. Making the Prairie Circuit finals and garnering AQHA world championships in barrels and poles, Dinkys Honor Bound loves his job. “I would not have a decent career without him. I can put him in any situation, I have ran him in everything and he simply adjusts. The mud is actually his favorite. He stands up and takes care of himself.” The last IFR Tiffany made was in 2014, building her career has slowed her down in the past few years.
“I am in the process of becoming a real estate appraiser, getting my General Certified Residential License. I became an office manager for WS Watson and they just pulled me into it. I started editing reports and they were training me in the field.” It did not take long for Tiffany to realize she had an expensive hobby once she was done with college rodeo, first at NEO and then Rogers State University. “I studied education for a little bit and then decided I was not meant to be a teacher. I am now getting a degree in organizational leadership.” Though she has slowed down traveling for rodeo, once she gets her appraiser license Tiffany will be able to travel for rodeo more. It is something she is looking forward to.
Her goals for this year were simply to make the ACRA finals and Indian National Finals, she achieved both. “I have qualified for Vegas the last eight years. Running in the Indian Tour rodeos is totally new to me. Going to small town rodeos that people never really get to see is neat. These rodeos go to reservations and rodeo there, it is totally new to me. It is different to see how things are compared to where I am from.”
