There Is A First Time For Everything

I think the old saying ‘There is a first time for everything’ goes well with the sport of rodeo. I have had many of first times including my first buckle, my first saddle, the first time I made an associations finals, the first horse I started, the first blog I have wrote and most recently the first barrel racing clinic I gave. Now, I never thought someone like me would be giving other people advice about barrel racing.

When I think back about were I got the bug for rodeo, it goes all the way back to 4-H. I could not wait to be old enough to do 4-H, I had to watch my sister for 2 years before I was old enough! After about 5 years I could not wait to be done 4-H. I had a big dream in mind.. High School Rodeo. And after that I was hooked and had nothing else on my mind. Now, more to the point of my story. When I got the call asking if I wanted to give a little barrel clinic to the 4-H club, I could not say no because 4-H was where everything started for me.

Days leading up to the clinic I was nervous and excited at the same time. Nervous that I would say the wrong thing or things would go the wrong way. Excited because I was able to help others do the thing that i spend days and nights thinking about. With putting lots of thought into what I should say or what I should do, I realized that talking about the sport you love really isn't that hard!

I think there is one more saying that I suitable for this story, ‘Ive told you a millions times!’ I know my parents have said that to me more then I can count on my two hands. As the clinic went on I found myself repeating the same thing over and over. I would say it in a different way or try to make it as simple as possible. But, yet there I was.. still repeating myself. If I said it a million times or just once I had hope that one of those little girls would find something useful that would help them. Giving this clinic was definitely a first for me and one that I would never forget. Not only did I help a group of up and coming rodeo competitors, I got to grow as a rodeo competitor myself.

Weeks after the clinic I went to watch one of the junior rodeos. It was joyful to watch this group of 4-H members compete but one girl stuck out to me! She had explained to me at the clinic that she was having a hard time keeping her barrels up. I gave her my advice and got to watch her win the rodeo that day. Some people came up to me at the junior rodeo and told me she has not hit a barrel since and has been doing awesome! There was another first for me. It was an accomplishment for this girl but an even bigger accomplishment for me!

Eryn Coy

Rodeo

February 11, 2017