story by Lindsay King
Not many 12-year-olds get to say they competed against Brittany Pozzi, but Evann Segura from Stanley, New Mexico, can do exactly that. The American qualifier in Loveland, Colorado, where Evann ran against Brittany is easily one of her favorites so far. “I only had that mare I ran on for a few months but we were able to get along really well. It was an amazing atmosphere and I learned a lot from that experience.” Evann is looking forward to one-day running on the turf at Pendleton.
Evann’s favorite events are barrel racing and roping, she competes in breakaway roping, goat tying, ribbon roping and heels. “My grandparents and my aunts have trained almost all of my barrel horses. It is fun to be on a horse my family trained for me.” Rodeo is a family tradition for the Segura and Wright, her mom’s side, families. “I started when I was four, trotting around the barrels and roping the dummy. I have loved it ever since then.” Evann’s grandpa, Lonnie Wright, has been her rodeo coach since day one. “Everyday that I come out to practice he teaches me something new: how to ride my barrel horse better and to be a better competitor.”
Evann keeps her horses at her grandpa’s boarding facility where he hosts barrel races once a Month. “My grandpa has had a big influence on my rodeo career so far.” Her other role model is her aunt, Tona Wright Andrade. “I have watched her for a long time but I am just now understanding the meaning of it. I watch her NFR tapes from 1999-2001 to see how she handles herself and her horse.” Life is one big adventure for Evann with rodeo being the biggest of all. “I love going to so many new places, meeting people and experiencing new things. Nationals this year in Tennessee is one of the coolest places I have been.”
Winning the barrel racing title in the NMJHSRA this past summer was Evann’s proudest moment in rodeo. “It was huge for me because my barrel horse was trained by my grandpa and aunt, Koell Rios.” Her goal for her seventh grade season is to make another appearance at nationals and the semi-finals for The American. “I want to go to the NFR just like everyone else. My goal is to always have good horses. Later in life I want to possibly train barrel horses so I can continue to be in rodeo when I get older.” The NMJHSRA is setting Evann up for success simply because of the level of competition and sportsmanship she cites as her favorite aspects of competing in the association.
A blue tongue signifies Evann is eating her favorite flavor of Jolly Rancher, her go-to road-trip food. Kyle and Leona, her parents, along with Macen, 9, her brother, are on the road almost every weekend for her junior high rodeos and jackpots. “Rodeo is my hobby and my sport, it is hard to fit anything else in.” Somehow Evann finds time to play both volleyball and basketball at Edgewood Middle School. Though a torn ACL from last rodeo season will keep Evann out of sports and goat tying for this year.
Evann likes both math and life science at school, leading her to a career as a veterinarian. “I love being around my horses and dogs. I want to help and be around animals as much as I possibly can, now and when I grow up.” She spends as much time as possible with her horses. “I am with my horses almost 24/7 during the summer and would be during school too if I could. I would definitely say I am the horse-crazy girl at school and I like that.”
