story by Ruth Nicolaus
There’s a new face shuffling papers for the Idaho Cowboys Association.
Gena Maxfield is the new secretary for the association.
The Nampa, Idaho resident grew up in the Burley and Rupert area, riding horses. The youngest of six children, she didn’t compete in rodeo and wasn’t involved in 4-H and FFA but she loved being horseback.
She and her husband Troy have four children: daughters Ainsley, 17, and Presley, 11, and sons Kelton, 15, and Easton, 13. Three of them have been or are involved in the EhCapa Bareback Riders Group, a PRCA-card holding specialty act made up of youth who ride bridle-less and bareback, doing drill maneuvers, jumping and liberty work.
She served for four years as secretary of the EhCapa group, and looks forward to working as secretary of the ICA. Part of her job responsibilities include processing membership applications, auditing the rodeo paperwork after each rodeo is completed, and turnout reports, which include assessing turnouts, if fees were already paid, and if the turnouts are ICA members. She’ll also communicate with committees and board members, preparing meeting agendas and taking minutes.
Gena works as a paraprofessional at Endeavor Elementary School in Nampa, which will allow her more free time in the summer, when the majority of the rodeo work will take place.
In her spare time, she loves to be outside, whether it’s with the family’s horses or dogs. Even menial work is good, when it’s done outside. “I enjoy even just mucking stalls,” she said, “because I’m outside and with my horses.”
She loves following her kids with their hobbies. Ainsley does show jumping and eventing; Kelton is a bareback rider who won the 2020 Jr World Finals bareback riding title in Ft. Worth, Texas last December (and is also an ICA member); Easton loves long boarding, and Presley, like Ainsley and Kelton, rode with the EcHapa for several years.
Gena appreciates what horses teach her kids. “I love it for the youth, that it gives them a good outlet. They’re not stuck in front of a screen. They get to work with their friends and support each other, even though they’re competing against each other.”
Having animals to be in charge of makes kids more responsible, she believes. “I personally think it makes them better people. They have to care for an animal and learn the right way to communicate with it. You can’t take your frustrations out on an animal and expect to have a partnership. You have to work together as a team.”
For the Maxfields, their horses are not pastured, so the kids have to feed them every day. “If they’re out of food or water, it’s on us. They’re totally dependent on us. That teaches kids responsibility, to look out for someone else other than yourself.”
Gena never competed, but is a big rodeo fan. “I’ve always loved to go and watch,” she said. “Now I’m on the other side of things” as secretary. She loves what rodeo represents, too, especially the patriotism. “I love that everybody stands for the flag and is respectful. That’s important, especially nowadays.”
She’s nervous but excited about her new role, but knows there are people to help. “I feel like I have a lot of support and help.”
