Since the beginning of Summer 2023, Kimes Ranch has been on a hunt for a team of student athletes as high-quality as their apparel. This year’s process accumulated over 5,000 applications from junior high, high school, and college students from all over the country. Hopeful student-athletes had to submit a detailed questionnaire, photos, videos and letters of recommendations, determined to show they belong on this team. While Kimes Ranch is western to the core, those applying to be on the team were not required to be in the equine industry. This year’s team application caught the attention of 4-H participants, hockey players, and track stars, as well as performance horse athletes and rodeo competitors.
To be eligible for the Kimes Ranch Student Athlete Team, students must maintain a good academic standing and exemplify the integrity and work ethic that Kimes Ranch values. The team is selected through application review from the Kimes Ranch team, and online voting from the public. After review, the number is ultimately narrowed to the 20 Student Athlete members, as well as another 20 finalists that go to a final round of voting. Power to the people! From that final round of 20, the public gets to vote on the final five members of the team for the year.
Once selected and finalized, the Kimes Ranch Student Team helps promote the brand in a way that is unique to the very reasons they are chosen! “This opportunity means so much to me because I have watched the incredible success of the Kimes brand and all their support for the western community,” proclaims Aurora Nicolazzi, a member of the 2023-2024 team, who resides in the KR home state of Arizona.
A second-year finalist, Lilly Gilson, reflects on her first year as a Kimes Ranch Student Athlete, “Kimes Ranch is not just a company, it’s a community. I have grown in my leadership and learned the importance of the positive impact I can have on the people around me. It’s an honor to be a part of this team again, and can’t wait to see how we all grow!”
The members are:
MaryBeth Beam - Bryce Barkemeyer - Ellie Gomes - Madison Wigen - Rylie Edens - Ava Blyth - Shaye Abernathy - Aurora Nicolazzi - Kaydence Crawford - Cash Fuesz - Lauren Barton - Grace Gardiner - Lilly Gilson - Francie Heffernan - Isabella Sobral - Kate Flitton - Clay Helton - Rylee Christenson - Cadon Remington - Ryker Sarchett - Gracelyn Minic-Hayes - Clancy Glenn - Indigo Nogash - Kerstin Freeman - Brook Swaffield - Sammy Taylor
The student-athletes get to provide valuable product feedback, and since the members stretch out across the country, will participate in virtual “get-togethers” through video chat. The Student Team gains knowledge on the importance of mind power, benefitting from the partnership between Kimes Ranch and Mind Power Sports. The student athletes are promoted by Kimes Ranch right along with the brand’s professional endorsees!
The Kimes Ranch Student Athlete Team is a great example of how students can balance their athletic and academic commitments. These students are passionate about their sport and their education, and they are committed to achieving success in both areas. They have been hand-selected because they are the embodiment of the very virtues that the Kimes Ranch brand stands for.
-Shea Gilson
