by Ruth Nicolaus
Peyton Glenn is the student director for the goat tying in the Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association.
The eighteen year old cowgirl, a resident of Edmond, competes in the barrel racing and pole bending.
For the barrels, she rides an eleven year old black mare named D.D., who was raised by her grandparents. D.D. was given to her brother, but they didn’t get along. Peyton’s papa tried to talk her into riding D.D., but she refused. Finally, she gave in and “we started winning everywhere, and it clicked,” she said.
Her pole horse is a sorrel named Peso, who was purchased two years ago. Of her two horses, D.D. is her favorite. “I’m attached to her,” she said. “I’ve had to work with her a lot, constantly giving her treats and loving on her, and finally I can go and catch her and she won’t run off from me.”
She is a senior at Deer Creek High School in Edmond, where the best part of the school day is coming home. She enjoys English class, especially the writing. When the teacher asks students to write essays or about a favorite subject, Peyton has no trouble filling up a page or two.
In addition to her membership in the Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association, she competes in the Better Barrel Races, the Barrel Futurities of America, the Old Fort Days Futurity, and many 4D barrel races.
For fun, she loves to go to drive-in movies with her friends, go to high school football games, church, and dinner, or to a friend’s house. She loves to rope and often ropes the dummy, but doesn’t compete in the breakaway.
She has served her high school association as a student director for all four years of high school. As a freshman and sophomore, she worked as the breakaway director. Her junior and senior years, she is the goat tying director. As the event director, she must watch every run at every rodeo. She enjoys the work, although it carries some responsibility with it. “You have to be paying attention,” she said. “I’m there to be an extra set of eyes.” She’s also learned that, as a student director, honesty is the best policy. “Whether they’re your best friend or not, you have to make the right call. Sometimes it’s hard to make that call when they’re your friends. But you have to stand up for what’s right and follow the rules.”
This fall, she will attend Southeastern Oklahoma State University in Durant on a rodeo scholarship.
She has competed at Nationals all three years of junior high and three years of high school, and is on track to make it again this year. She was the state barrel racing champion in eighth grade and her freshman and sophomore years. She was reserve champion in seventh grade and as a junior. For the poles, she was the champion in sixth grade.
Her parents, Diane and Rodney Glenn, appreciate their daughter’s responsibility and her dedication to her horses. “We have never had to say, ‘go to the barn and ride,’” Diane said. “She’s always done it. It’s her thing to do.”
Peyton has a younger brother, Parker, who is a sophomore in high school.
