Written by: Lindsay Whelchel

< Back to Articles

For Timber Allenbrand, the sport of rodeo has been ideal preparation for a successful future.

She has been competing in the sport, and leading with several association service positions, in the Kansas High School Rodeo Association in her young, yet accomplished life so far.

Timber’s mother Trisha barrel raced some in her thirties, but Timber quickly picked up the sport of rodeo as the first person in her family to pursue it as a career.

Trisha had bought a barrel horse when she wanted to try her hand at the sport and still had the horse by the time Timber could climb into the saddle.

“She just took to it. Since she was little tiny I had her on the back of a horse, and by the time she was 3 she was doing the lead class out there she and I, and that’s really how we got started,” Trisha describes of her daughter’s beginnings into rodeo.

“I was fortunate enough to get involved with close friends who were involved in rodeo, so I was exposed more to what rodeo was really about, and those people have been very influential in our lives and have been so gracious to include Timber and teach her things,” Trisha says. From the lead line class, Timber took the reins herself with help from her mother and her rodeo family.

The KHSRA cowgirl went through the ranks of the Kansas Junior High School Association, all the way to nationals in Gallup, N.M. every year, was a Reserve World Champion her 7th grade year and won a National Championship in 8th grade.

Through the years she’s also served as an event director, held offices like that of Secretary in the KHSRA last year. Now Timber is the student president of KHSRA.

 

“It’s really built my network for my future, and you don’t find the people that you do in rodeo anywhere else. The family circle is amazing,” Timber says and adds of the responsibilities of her role as president. “I love setting up community service activities for the contestants of Kansas High School Rodeo. It’s been a lot of fun to do that.”

One of Timber’s fondest memories was seeing the kids from a nonprofit initiative called Real Men, Real Leaders benefit. The kids were given contestant jackets and cowboy hats and were able to come watch one of the KHSRA rodeos.

“It just makes my heart happy to see everybody that doesn’t get the opportunity to do what we do be able to watch and have the joy through another perspective,” Timber explains.

In the arena, Timber’s competitive focus is on the All-Around. She competes in five events, barrels, goat tying, breakaway roping, pole bending and cutting.

“I just have learned from many people along the way, and [I’m] very blessed to have everybody that’s came along to help me get where I am,” Timber says.

She especially credits her mother for her endless support.

“My mom is a big impact in my life. She travels with me and works long hours. We have a team. She is the one out there working chutes late at night and holding the goat and being my coach, best friend and everything you do to be a single mom, but we have many people that help us out, so that’s awesome,” Timber says, adding that her Aunt Vicki is a big help as well, by caring for their home and animals when she’s out chasing her rodeo dreams.

Trisha too has benefitted from sharing this rodeo experience with her daughter on the road.

“I don’t know of many other things that let you go down the road with your kids and spend that much time together most weekends of the year, and live life and overcome obstacles, work through things and have the typical mother-daughter ups and downs as well, but at the same time not trade it for the world,” Trisha credits.

Trisha has two businesses, and she and Timber have developed a system to work together to accomplish the tasks that need done as the mother and daughter travel for Timber to pursue her goals.
“We just work together, a team, whether it’s feeding the horses or exercising [horses], cleaning the barn, doing the laundry, cleaning the house, or taking care of school work, it is just, from the minute we get up to the minute we go to bed, a team effort, because we knew that, and we knew what she wanted to be,” Trisha describes.
Trisha’s career allows her flexibility when it comes to helping Timber with horses or practice. Timber may be roping and tying goats at 7 a.m., or doing school obligations after hours in the evenings, but the aspiring cowgirl makes it work.
Outside of the arena, Trisha’s career in business has inspired Timber too. Timber plans to go on to college rodeo and major in marketing and business.
“Business, I’m very interested in, and marketing as technology grows is very important,” she says.

Beyond rodeo, Timber likes to work with young horses and develop their athleticism. “I love to train on young horses and work with them and grow them, their mind and try to find their best abilities,” she says.

Trisha agrees this work suits her daughter. “We tease her about being a horse whisperer, because she truly has a relationship with [the horses]. She loves working with them and finding out what makes them work and bringing out the best in them, and that’s her sincere passion. She’s fundamentally learned so many things that I believe that’s part of why she’s successful in the competitive [arena].”

Trisha goes on to credit rodeo with helping allow Timber to grow into the young woman she has become. “Rodeo has given her the ability to see the world from many different lifestyles, perspectives, attitudes, beliefs, and it’s let her realize it takes a lot of hard work, but it takes a lot of people relationships to make your world complete,” Trisha explains and adds that Timber has become able to see people for who they are, and that she tries to pay it forward with all of the help she’s been given from the rodeo community. “I think [rodeo] has just given her this whole way to see life and appreciate it and be part of something bigger, and it’s taken lots of miles and lots of wonderful people that have allowed her, and us, to have this kind of life together.”

Timber likes to have a plan when it comes to big steps in life, but overall, prefers to go with the flow day to day, and these days, she’s soaking up all that her last year in the KHSRA has to offer. “Senior year has been great to me. I’ve had a blast, and I’m excited for the future.”

Trisha is confident in her daughter’s ability to succeed.

“She’s a very insightful person, and I have full faith that she has great things ahead of her, a lot to experience and a lot to give back for what she has been able to experience so far in her life as well. She will continue living God’s plan for her purpose.”

Timber has signed on with the rodeo team Tarleton State University in Texas. She has been accepted into the Tarleton Honors College program as well.

And it’s clear no matter where that road takes her, Timber will go prepared because of her involvement in rodeo and the Kansas High School Rodeo Association.