story by Lindsay King
Harsh northern New Mexico winters make Codi Reed’s job of legging horses up in the spring for the NMJHSRA that much harder. The Aztec, New Mexico, cowgirl finds herself with only a few weeks before the first spring rodeo able to mount up. “It snows a lot up and the ground stays frozen, so it is hard to be able to ride everyday during the winter,” said the 13-year-old. However, this does not deter Codi from competing in barrels, poles, breakaway roping and goat tying. “I also have some very special horses that I could not do this sport without. They are part of my family.” With a need for a thrill and challenge, barrels and goat tying are her favorite events. “I love how fast paced barrels are, but I also like how you really have to work at goat tying. You cannot just get a horse that does it well, you have to work hard on your end also.”
The daughter of Tami and Clay and sister Cami, 17, knows nothing but rodeo as all members of the family competed their whole lives. “My whole family supports my rodeo career, including my grandparents. My mom and grandpa, Ed Blancett, are always in the practice pen with me, pushing calves or just supporting me in general.” The family ranch is a place where Codi enjoys unwinding, helping her granddad and great granddad, Richard and Ed Blancett, move and doctor cattle on the weekends.
Making the short go in both barrels and goats but just shy of a trip to nationals this year, Codi has set her bar much higher for next year and the future. “I plan to make it to the short go in all my events next year and to go to nationals in at least two of them. And one day I plan to be a national champion, competing at the NFR.” Watching every round religiously for years, Codi got to experience it in person this past December. “My dad surprised us while we were at the trade show with tickets to the round. Seeing it in person makes it ten times cooler than it ever was just on tv.” Other dreams from the screen include the Calgary Stampede, Rodeo Houston and Reno. Three rodeos Codi dreams of competing in one day.
The one rodeo she has grown up with is only 45 minutes from her house: the Durango Fiesta Days. “It is an amateur rodeo I have been competing at since I was little. It is a five-day rodeo the last week of July that everyone around here competes in. It is fun to go every single year.” Traveling to new places to see familiar faces and build new friendships is what keeps Codi craving rodeo all winter long. “One of my best friends I met just this past October. Teagan Miller is from Artesia. I would not have met her if it was not for rodeo.” The friendships in rodeo also led to one of her proudest accomplishments in the sport so far.
“I actually won a barrel round at one of the NMJHSA rodeos this year on a horse I borrowed. It was pretty exciting, I had never won a round until then.” To top it off, Codi won the average in the poles at the Best of the Best last year. “That was pretty big. I ended up sixth in the average against the high school girls and then won against all the junior high girls. There were over 100 runners.” Sometimes letting the nerves get the best of her, Codi has been known to turn purple before a run. “I get really bad nerves, so I just make sure I breath before a run. I have no idea if I am breathing or not during a run because it is all happening so fast.”
