story by Lily Weinacht
Alyssa Isaman at the 2014 NLBFR – JenningsRodeoPhotography.com
Alyssa Isaman, a 19-year-old from Cedaredge, Colo., is savoring her final year with the NLBRA, much like a person would savor their final horseback ride before winter sets in. Alyssa began competing in gymkhanas when she was four, and was a Little Britches competitor by the time she was nine. Her grandmother, Connie Frost, competed in Little Britches during the 1960s, winning three saddles in a row at the Cedaredge Little Britches rodeo 1965-1967, and a world championship with the association in 1967.
“It’s awesome to have the opportunity to rodeo,” says Alyssa, a member of the NLBRA TopHand Team, who travels to all her rodeos with her grandma, Connie, and grandpa, Vern. “So many people wish they had a horse, and I have three! I watched the older girls do awesome all the time, and I wanted to be like that,” Alyssa remembers. “Throughout the years I’ve gotten more consistent, and knowing I made it to where I wanted to be when I first started rodeoing is amazing. I really love rodeo, and I always will!”
Alyssa gives all the credit of her rodeo success to her family, particularly her grandparents. “They take me everywhere and pay for my entries in exchange for me working on their ranch. They have always helped me push myself to do better, especially my grandpa. I used to get really upset with myself when I messed up, and he was always the one to come talk to me and calm me down. My grandma taught me everything I know about rodeo and horses.”
Alyssa competes in all of the senior girl events, choosing to focus on goat tying and trail course for the NLBFR. “Trail course is my favorite event. You don’t just rely on your horse – you have to have a lot of patience, keep your hands calm, and make it through smoothly. It takes a lot of focus!” Alyssa’s two rodeo horses are a pair of palomino Paints. Squirt, a pony, is her mount in the trail course and goat tying, and occasionally breakaway roping, while her barrel and pole horse is Apache. “They’re both really sassy, with their own personalities,” says Alyssa. She is also training a six-year-old gelding named Brownie for breakaway roping.
Although Alyssa lives in an apartment in Cedaredge, she visits her grandparents’ ranch frequently. It takes only ten minutes to reach the peacefulness of their country home, where Alyssa’s horses live. She also loves to spend time with her mom, Mindy, and be outdoors. Most of her time, however, is devoted to her online college classes with Colorado Mesa University. She is working towards a nursing degree, and is already a CNA, working the night shift at a skilled nursing facility in Cedaredge. Her goal is to become an RN and work in surgery.
Meanwhile, Alyssa is giving her final year of Little Britches her very best, with hopes of at least placing in the top five in the average of an event, or winning a go-round like she did in trail course in 2011. In 2012, she made the short-go in both goat tying and trail course, winning the world average in goat tying. Following Little Britches she plans to rodeo locally, and Alyssa concludes, “I want to thank my family and especially my grandparents for sticking with me through the hard times and good times. and letting me have the chance to compete. I also want to thank my best friend and boyfriend, Tylor, for supporting me and helping me out on the long days of rodeo. And to everyone else in Little Britches, enjoy it while you can. This is a pretty awesome opportunity we have!”
