story by Rachel Hummel
Stormi Pitman – photo by Chelsea Hoffman
“I was lucky to be born into a rodeo family. My dad rode bulls professionally and my mom used to compete in high school. I was pretty much born on a horse, and all of my earliest memories are of me riding in front of my mom or dad. I loved riding through the pastures and going with my mom to watch my dad ride. Rodeo is a very big part of our family,” says 17-year-old Stormi Pitman from Mancos, Colo.
She has been a member of the CSHSRA for three years. She competes in the pole bending, goat tying, breakaway roping, cutting, and barrel racing, which is her favorite event. “I love barrels mainly because it’s the event that has the most potential, and more than anything in the world, I want to compete at the professional level and make it to the NFR. Stormi also competes at the IFYR in Shawnee every year.
Outside of rodeo, Stormi still commits all of her time to her horses and spends several hours every day riding the horses that she is training. “I ride a couple horses for several different people and usually have around nine that I am riding and training at one time. It’s the greatest feeling in the world when a horse that I’ve been working with finally gets something or really goes out and does well. I absolutely love every minute of it.”
When Stormi does get some down time, she prefers to spend most of it outside. “I really love to dance, even though I’m terrible at it, and I make sure that I never miss a school dance,” she says with a laugh. “I also really enjoy working out and just being active in general.”
For this rodeo season, Stormi’s goals are to make it to the national finals in more than one event, and placing in the standings at nationals in at least one. Her goals for further down the road include going to college, possibly obtaining a job in the oil fields, and most definitely staying involved in the horse industry.
Stormi’s drive to get to the NFR is inspired greatly by those women who have already made the trip. “All of the those great women who have competed at the NFR are my role models. They all seem determined and eager to help others, and I hope to one day join their ranks.”
Others who Stormi counts as her role models are her coaches, Don Hager, Ross, Cooper Saiz, and Hipoleto Castillo. “I owe these guys everything. They are always helping me and are willing to do anything for anybody. I definitely wouldn’t be where I am today without them.”
Finally, Stormi would like to thank her family, which includes her parents, Bo and Tooie, and her older brother Rowdy. “They are my number one supporters and have encouraged me in anything I’ve done. They haul me to all of the rodeos and are always there to cheer me on regardless of how well I do. They’re the best family ever.”
