story by Lindsay Whelchel
Angelle Mitchell’s horse experience is about as far ranging as it can get. She grew up doing 4-H and All Around horse shows from halter classes to pleasure, English jumping and eventually timed events as she got older. And she did it all on one horse to start out with. Finally she moved into three-day eventing.
“That wasn’t adventurous enough, so I changed to rodeo,” she laughs. Angelle likes things pitted against the clock and second-by-second fast.
“I like everything at high speed, fast and now. I don’t have patience,” she jokes and adds that that is why both rodeo and her fast-paced and critical job as a nurse practitioner fit her so well.
Angelle barrel races and breakaway ropes in the Tri State Rodeo Association. She is the event director for the TSRA in the breakaway. She and her husband Mike also team rope together.
Though her work in rodeo and the medical fields, and not to mention her 6-year-old son Eli, keep Angelle plenty busy, she enjoys hunting in the winter and fishing in the summer.
But it is rodeo that is particularly special to Angelle as a hobby and lifestyle.
“It’s very important to be a team with my horse, and I have to strive the hardest I ever have. It’s a huge responsibility. The horse is an athlete. He has to be in top condition and me as well, so I strive very hard to be at the top of my game, top of my level, and rodeo makes you do that,” she says and adds earnestly, “it’s just a drive down deep in you.”
Working with the TSRA is also very important to Angelle.
“Tri State is a very good rodeo association. This year is our 50th anniversary. We’re trying to make Tri State the biggest and best it’s ever been this year.”
Angelle cites the family atmosphere as a big draw of the association.
“We have a very good family environment. Most of the competitors are married with small children. Some of course have grown children, but there are a lot of small children around. We try to make events there at the rodeos for the children and make it an all-around family event. This year we have something special, we have $75,000 plus added to our finals, which we’ve never done before in the 50 years of Tri State, so our grand prize is going to be an unbelievable finals this year.”
And Angelle will no doubt relish in the heightened stakes and high speed of the season this year as a competitor.
