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Members
Meet the Member Ace Reese
December 20, 2019
story by Rhonda Sedgwick Stearns Long range planning is a proven adjunct to success. Twelve-year-old Ace Reese, his brother Denton, mom Codi Seeley Reese and dad Carey Reese, moved in July 2018 from Lone Tree Ranch southwest of Upton, Wyoming, to their present home near Aquilla, Texas, just southwest of Hillsboro. The family horses went along, as well as an avid affinity for rodeo. Ace, a devout calf roper, soon noticed all the top ropers…
Read MoreMeet the Member Hagan Hale
October 24, 2019
story by Laramie Dearing There’s a lot more than meets the eye of this sweet smiling cowboy from Huckabay, Texas. Son of Tyson and Lindsay Hale; this nine-year-old competes in barrel racing, goat tying, pole bending, double mugging, and team roping at the American Junior Rodeo Association. This cowboy has five equine teammates: Jose, Rawhide, Duney, and Teaspoon who was stolen from his dad. Jose is owned by Baili Collins Nettleship who they can’t thank…
Read MoreMeet the Member Will LeMay
September 19, 2019
story by Lily Weinacht Will LeMay concluded his second season in the AJRA with four saddles and five buckles to his name. The 12-year-old from Albany, Texas, lead the standings in all of his events throughout the season, and he was neck and neck with his fellow competitors when the AJRA NFR rolled around. “I don’t think there was ever more than two points between us the whole year,” says Will, who competed in tie-down…
Read MoreMeet the Member Laramie Dearing
August 22, 2019
story by Lily Weinacht Laramie Dearing of Paradise, Texas, is the 2019 Miss AJRA. The 16-year-old and her family have been involved in the AJRA since 2015, and her love for rodeo and the organization inspired her to try out for the title this year. “I’ve always been a part of the rodeo queen world since I was 8 and it brings me joy to interact with the contestants and people interested in rodeo,” says…
Read MoreMeet the Member Ava Loesch
July 18, 2019
story by Lily Weinacht Ava Loesch of Big Spring, Texas, is leading the pole bending in the AJRA 9–12 division. The 9-year-old cowgirl is also sitting in the top five of the breakaway roping and barrel racing, and sixth in the goat tying and ribbon roping. “I started rodeoing when I was 5. My family introduced me to it, and I said I would like to do it,” says Ava. “My mom does barrels and…
Read MoreMeet the Member Dalton Walker
July 3, 2019
story by Lily Weinacht “It’s just the joy of winning and doing good, and your horses working good,” says Dalton Walker of rodeo. “That helps motivate you to want to win and do even more than what you’re doing now.” The 19-year-old from Bertram, Texas, is currently leading the steer wrestling and boys all around in the AJRA, as well as sitting third in the team roping heeling, competing often with Kylee Fenn. He joined…
Read MoreMeet the Member Hegan Burton
June 20, 2019
story by Lily Weinacht Hegan Burton is the third generation of his family to compete in the AJRA. A native of Sweetwater, Texas—home of the AJRA NFR—Hegan finished his fourth season in the AJRA last summer by winning the all-around and pole bending in the 8 and Under division. He was also reserve champion in the calf riding, and finished in the top five in the goat tying and breakaway roping. “I won two saddles,…
Read MoreMeet the Member Wimberlee Elliott
June 6, 2019
story by Lily Weinacht Chasing cans and chasing dreams are one and the same for 8-year-old Wimberlee Elliott. The AJRA competitor from Paradise, Texas, is also becoming an avid roper, working to add to her buckle shelf, which holds numerous barrel racing buckles. She was the 2018 AJRA Reserve Barrel Racing Champion in the 8 & Under division, while she took third at the Ogden 8 & Under World Champion Barrel Race in 2018. When…
Read MoreMeet the Member Rylee Hardin
May 16, 2019
story by Lily Weinacht “What makes me want to rodeo is the competition. I feed off of competition and off of everyone, and I don’t like getting easy money,” says Rylee Hardin. “I get to see all my friends that I hardly see, and I have some great horses that just make everything fun.” Her competitiveness paid off when the 16-year-old from Graham, Texas, won the year-end pole bending title in the AJRA last year.…
Read MoreMeet the Member Ainslee Morris
April 18, 2019
story by Lily Weinacht “Rodeo is my thing. It’s just a lot of fun for me, and I love being able to compete with my friends and have a good time. I love the competition of it,” says Ainslee Morris. The 16-year-old from Belton, Texas, started rodeoing before she was 5, introduced to the sport by her parents, Tim and Julie Morris. She competes in the THSRA, CPRA, and CTYRA, and finished her rookie season…
Read MoreMeet the Member Hadley Hubble
March 21, 2019
story by Lily Weinacht Hadley Hubble is the 2018 AJRA Goat Tying Champion in the 8 and Under division. The 9-year-old from Stephenville, Texas, finished her rookie year in the AJRA with high stakes as she led the barrel racing going into the finals. She hit a barrel to win the year-end and qualify for The American Semi-Finals, which doubled her resolve to qualify this year. With the 2019 season underway, Hadley is sitting third…
Read MoreMeet the Member Brooklyn Balch
February 14, 2019
story by Lily Weinacht Brooklyn Balch finished the 2018 rodeo season as the first girl from Texas to qualify for the NJHFR in three events. The 15-year-old from Cameron, Texas, was the state goat tying champion and all-around cowgirl, while also winning reserve in ribbon roping with Jett Barrett and placing third in poles. With her first Nationals under her belt, Brooklyn went on to the AJRA Finals in July, where she won the finals…
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