story by Riata Cummings
Herriman, Utah, is the home of Emery Evans, a rodeo athlete and the daughter of Brian and Lisa Adams. Her younger siblings are Stella and Brecken, and the family enjoys playing board games, going on bike rides and supporting one another’s sporting events.
Emery just finished her senior year at Herriman High School, and she enjoyed her college English class and her art class. She was selected as the school’s visual arts sterling scholar, and she loved that her favorite classes allowed her to exercise her creativity. She previously competed in the veterinary technician and floriculture career development events through the Herriman FFA Chapter, and she enjoys the fun activities and service opportunities of the art club.
Emery wasn’t raised riding horses, but she started riding at her grandmother’s house when she was in the sixth grade. She reined for a few years, and competed in the Horse 4-H program. A couple years ago she bought a barrel horse, and this is her first season as a competitor in the Utah High School Rodeo Association. She competes in the barrel racing and pole bending, and she loves the adrenaline of “running home, pushing as hard as you can and hearing your time over the speakers. Even if you aren’t the greatest, it feels great to push for your personal goals. That feeling makes it all worth it.”
She competes on a horse named Pepto’s Pretty Boon, called Boon for short, who is a 9-year-old gray gelding who “is usually calm and relaxed but can perk right up when it’s time to run.” Emery rides Boon 5 or 6 times a week, working slow drills and fundamentals.
So far, her season has had its ups and downs, and she has learned that “its easy to get discouraged and forget the right mental space. But if you focus on what needs to happen and you make sure that you are thinking straight and in the right place, your horse will be able to do his thing.” She has set goals to “stay consistent, keep improving, and hit the up part of the ups and downs.”
Emery has found that the highs and lows of rodeo are comparable to life’s riotous patterns. “It’s what you do with those ups and downs that will determine your future. Don’t dwell on the lows or compare yourself to others or you will never get better. Focus on your goals and push through the hard times.”
She lives by the saying, “There are things you can’t control and others that you can. Don’t focus on the things that are beyond your control or you’ll never control anything.” This mantra reminds her that “sometimes things don’t go according to plan. If you set your mind on the negative, you’ll get more negative. Remember the things you still get to do and the choices you get to make.”
Some of Emery’s heroes are her parents. “They have taught me that the best people don’t give up. They remind me that I don’t have to be the best to be happy, as long as I’m striving to be better every time.” Emery would like to thank her parents for supporting her rodeo dreams. She would also like to thank her trainer, Kelsey Larsen, and her friend, Chelsea Pierson, for encouraging her in an out of the arena. She would also like to thank her grandparents, Steve and Kathy Postma, for their support. “Thank you for encouraging me and helping me stick with it. I couldn’t do it without you.”
