story by Skylar Wright
It’s 11:50 A.M. on a Thursday morning and Makayla just got done showing her pig at a local show. Now that she is done showing for the day, she is far from calling it quits. She will use the rest of today preparing for tomorrows show and taking care of her livestock at home.
The 17 year old from Elmo, Utah will be a senior this upcoming school year at Emery High School. When she is not in school, she helps her family run the ranch. “I didn’t get much of a 4th of July this year, my family and I headed down the mountain to fix fence,” she said. Makayla also has 30 head of cattle of her own plus a bull she cares for.
Cameron and Kaylene Jensen have high school rodeoed and have supported their two daughters in and outside the arena. She started rodeoing to follow in her mom and dads footsteps.
When starting out, she borrowed a horse, Hootie, from Kenzi Grange to breakaway off of. “When I first got him we did all but wrap him in bubble wrap, we were looking to buy but he just wasn’t for sale.” After borrowing him for two years Kenzi decided to no longer rodeo and offered him up for sale. The Jensen family jumped at the opportunity as Hootie was already part of the family.
The third generation cowgirl has a long list of goals. As her last year to high school rodeo is coming up she would like to make it to Nationals. She got a late start rodeoing when she was a kid. “I was so busy growing up on the ranch working cattle that I never had a chance to rodeo much but I always wanted to,” she said.
Her parents aren’t the only family members that have rodeoed. She has a long list of family members who have grown up on the rodeo road. Her aunt, Gaylene Buff, won the Canadian National Finals in barrel racing in 2009.
Makayla knows it take a village to rodeo and would like to thank those who have helped her along the way. She shares a rope saddle with her little sister, Kinlie Jensen, after one day borrowing it in the practice pen. “I roped out of her saddle so much better and decided to order my own.” Kinlie doesn’t let big sis forget whose saddle she’s borrowing though. “She always tells me I have to do whatever she says, I’m ready for my saddle to get here so she can have hers back,” she said.
She plans on going to a local college around home and wants to major in something Ag related. She doesn’t want to leave home but if there were a rodeo scholarship opportunity, she would take it.
