story by Siri Stevens
Stephanie Rodrigue was selected as the 2016 Person of the Year for the National High School Rodeo Association. She has dedicated the past 20 years to rodeo, starting out as a secretary at the Louisiana High School rodeos and local amateur events. “She was married to me, and that’s what I did,” said her husband, Nicky. “She’s serious about anything she does.”
Stephanie was born in Crowley, Louisiana. She grew up reading books and studying to become a teacher. She worked her way up to Special Ed Supervisor, Elementary Supervisor, and then retiring two years ago as Parish School Superintendent. Her involvement in rodeo came through her husband. “I was teaching ag, and I had kids that rodeoed that I taught and that’s how we got started,” said Nicky. “She figured if she was going to them, she would do something.” She is the secretary for the Louisiana High School Rodeo Association and secretaries more than half of their rodeos.
“She is one of the hardest working, most dedicated people to high school rodeo that I know,” said Theresa Carpenter, who has worked with Stephanie for thirteen years through rodeo. “She volunteers for the Corbin Foundation as secretary for every event that we have. If you want to know something about the junior high or high school rodeo, ask her – she knows.”
Stephanie has served as the office secretary for the National High School Finals for ten years. Her days start real early in the morning and last late into the night. “Then she got involved in the foundation and is the current secretary of the foundation,” shared Nicky. “She puts out the minutes and she writes an article for the Times about the Foundation. She does all the correspondence for it. She was an English teacher and speech teacher, so she fell into it.” Stephanie has been married to Nicky for 25 years, and even though the couple have no children of their own, they consider all the kids they work with to be “their kids.” She volunteers for the Catholic Diocese of Lake Charles, which involves different fund raisers, and is president of the Lions Club. “She never relaxes,” says Nicky.
Stephanie and Nicky attend the WNFR every year … to work. Stephanie works with Kent Sturman and the PRCA at the Gold Card room. Along with the Gold Card Room, she helps with the other events produced by Hall of Fame, including the golf tournament and the Gala. “She’s our hostess,” said Kent. “This will be her third year doing this. She’s courteous and takes care of all the little details with the caterers, door prizes, and all the needs of the 200 plus that eat there every night.” The Gold Card room has been a part of the WNFR for at least 30 years. Sponsored by Boyd Gaming, it is a place for Gold Card Members and one guest to go before the performance for dinner, trivia from prior years, and door prizes. The rodeo is available live stream for those that don’t have tickets and Stephanie stays there the entire time. Nicky helps Jennings Rodeo Photography at the World Series Finale at the South Point identify photos.
For Stephanie, her work is her passion and her passion is volunteering and helping others, she never thinks about herself first. Her plans for the future will be much of the same as it the past 30 years, volunteering, helping at any and all functions that involve her family, friends, and friends of family or friends.
