“I’ve always wanted to be a veterinarian,” said 15-year-old Shayda Lesmeister, from Rozet, Wyoming. She’s leaning toward large animal and that could be because her dad, Shawn, is good friends with Dr. Wade Shoemaker DVM, owner of Countryside Large Animal in Greeley, Colorado.
She qualified for both barrels and poles at the KK for Vegas, Junior NFR Qualifier, held in Eaton, Colorado. She won the pole bending on her mare Sister, who she has tried to get in sync with for more than a year. It finally happened this year, as they grabbed another gear between state and nationals. “I always thought I could get a 20 or better, and I did with the help of others and not being so conservative in my runs.”
She finished second in the Wyoming High School in poles and third in the barrels last year. Obtaining two NHSRF Short Round Qualifications put her in strong contention for the Rookie All-Around. “I kept it to myself and just let Shayda keep doing her thing, taking care of business one run at a time,” said her dad, Shawn. The late-night stay at the awards ceremony paid off when they announced that Shayda had won the Rookie All-Around for the NHSRF in 2023.
The great news also came with some sadness. She lost her prospect barrel racing horse during the National High School Finals, forced to put him down after an injury to his leg couldn’t be repaired. She lost some forward motion and was unsure how the rest of the summer was going to go as she transitioned from Stryker to PeeWee. “He is a horse that we found from a close friend of my mom’s” Shayda stated. It was a match from the beginning, they only had two completion runs prior to qualifying for the KK for Vegas. Peewee is an amazing barrel horse in his own right but Shayda fits him well. “My mom (Kachena) said, with a laugh “You better make sure this is the horse, and he fits you because Stryker goes back in my string after the High School Finals.”
“Now we’re off to Vegas.” she says joyfully. Shayda has never been to the city of bright lights before and she’s excited about it. Shayda tried to qualify for the KK for Vegas in 2016 when she was 8, but was one hole out of getting to make the trip on her horse Rocket. While the desire to qualify has never faded, the timing just wasn’t right to accomplish this goal.
The family own and operate a ranch North of Moorcroft that Shawn focuses on running, a daily 45-mile trek, and they also own the trucking company Kachena’s dad started, which Kachena focuses on operating and driving for. It’s typically all hands-on deck when the workload of either entity requires. They hauled 1,500 head into the National High School finals in 10 days, hauling all the reined cow horse and cutting horse cattle. Shayda enjoys aspects and helps in both areas but loves trucks, especially hauling cows which is her favorite. She helps load and can unload the trailer by herself. She also enjoys going out to the ranches and visiting with them. Both Shawn and Kachena have followed the rodeo trail thru most of their life. “My mom (Kachena), followed the high school rodeo through the college ranks and on to PRCA and Amateur rodeos running barrels mostly. My dad (Shawn) tie down roped and started tripping steers when I was 9.”
The Lesmeister’s live in Rozet, which is halfway between Moorcroft and Gillette with a population of 25 people. She goes to school at Campbell County High School in Gillette. “It takes 25 minutes to get there, and I drive unless the weather is bad, then I ride the bus or my mom takes me.” Goals have been a big part of Shayda’s career since she started competing in the barrels in 2010 when she was just shy of 3 years old. Some of her future goals include more success in the arena throughout her remaining high school and college career.
by Siri Stevens
