story by Ruth Nicolaus
Brooklyn Leach is in her last few months of being a member of the Nebraska Junior High School Rodeo Association.
The fifteen year old cowgirl lives in between Dunning and Halsey, Neb., on a ranch, and competes in the goat tying, barrel racing, pole bending, and breakaway roping. Of all her events, barrels are her favorite.
For the barrels and poles, she rides an eighteen year old bay named Buzz, who is her favorite horse. For the breakaway, she rides Peppy, also a bay.
She just finished her eighth grade school year at Sandhills Public School in Dunning, where she is a member of her school’s FFA chapter (at her school, junior high students can be part of FFA), and played volleyball and basketball.
This summer, she will attend several Bible rodeo camps, basketball camps, and some 4D and 3D barrel races. She’ll also help her dad with ranch work, and a neighbor with some gardening. The neighbor pays her, and she uses her earnings to buy horse equipment and clothes.
Brooklyn’s family has a swimming pool, which makes her house a popular spot with friends, since the closest pool is in Broken Bow, 45 miles away. She and her friends like to ride, too.
The family has two dogs, seven horses, and eight cats: Ginger, Roxie, Elsa, Toad, Tux, Cedar, Concho, and Pepper. Ginger claims Brooklyn as her “person.”
One of the reasons behind Brooklyn’s motivation to rodeo is her grandpa, Dale Leach. Before he passed away two years ago, he came to many of her rodeos.
When she grows up, she’d like to specialize in equine rehabilitation. She likes riding and loves horses and would like to be involved with them throughout her life.
Brooklyn’s mom and dad, Monique and Carl, appreciate and love their oldest daughter very much. “She’s so responsible, and we are so proud of her. She’s a wonderful young lady. She loves the Lord, she’s a joy to be around, she’s happy, and she has a sense of humor,” her mom said.
Brooklyn is the oldest of four children, including Emily, who is ten, Colton, age seven, and Brody, who is a year old.
