ProFile: Cassidy Brown

Cassidy Brown from Montgomery, Alabama, made NBHA history. For the first time, a run off happened to crown the 1D Champion at the 2020 NBHA Youth World Champion Teen Division. Cassidy and Caleb Cline stopped the clock at 14.686 in the short round. They came back and Cassidy won it with a 14.682. “I’m over the moon – I did not go into this past week thinking this would happen; I really didn’t,” said the 19 year old.
Cassidey began her clover leaf career at a very young age, learning the art of three barrels from her mom Tracey. She attended a Martha Josey Clinic when she was nine. “Chuck and Linda Gail Steward helped me a lot as well,” she said. “The morning of the finals, we received the news that Mrs. Linda Gail lost her battle to cancer that night. I told myself the day of the finals that I’d be running for her and Mr. Chuck. One other thing that really helped my nerves is I knew she’d be riding with me the whole time and I know I had made her smile from heaven.”
She also handles her nerves by having a huge support system around her. “They stayed in the back talking to me; people come and pray with me – it was sweet of everyone to be there with me – it helped my nerves. I love having people there with me – if I was there by myself, I’d overthink everything and get too nervous.”
Cassidy gives all the credit to Tito, a nine-year-old gelding that she’s been riding for five years. “His name is Chasin’ Memories, and he’s pretty cool,” she said. “It takes a whole lot of heart to run a 14.68 twice and he did it.” Tito was clocking like he should for a four year old, but it wasn’t consistent. “Buying him as a four year old – there’s a lot of unknowns. Now he’s consistent and I think taking him to Craig Brooks – who we bought him from – helped us a lot.”
Cassidy is a sophomore studying finance at the University of Alabama. “I enjoy the business aspect of things and I’m good with numbers and finance.” Since her classes will be online only, she is looking forward to being on the road more. Her next big race is the Good Times Barrel race over Labor Day weekend, where she will race to qualify for the Junior American. “I’m excited to take a shot at it.” Throughout the week she keeps Tito in shape by working circles keeping him bending and loose and good in the face and mouth. “Whenever I get to the event, I’ll do the same thing. I might put him on the barrels for muscle memory, mostly for me. He’s got a good mind and heart so when it’s on barrels it’s me.”
Cassidy is well on her way to her degree having completed several of her undergraduate classes in high school. After that, she plans on hitting the barrel racing road. “The futurity side of things seems like a really good place to be – maybe someday I can do that.” For now, ”I hope to do good and see others do good. I hope I can do my horse justice – he’s awesome.”