story by Lindsay King
“My mom has shown me the ropes for just about everything. She taught me a lot about starting horses from any age to finishing them out and hauling them consistently,” said Haley Huls. The Lennox, South Dakota, barrel racer has known few days when she was not mounted on a solid horse, this is thanks to her parents Jim and Shana. “We have had nice horses to work with from day one. We train everything ourselves, always have.” It started with Haley’s grandfather, a saddle bronc rider way back when, and trickled down to Shana and her sisters in the clover leaf pattern and now it’s Haley’s turn. “When I was little they bought me a pony we called Blackie and they had to tear me off him most days. I started in peewee at jackpots and then started adding rodeo events when I was about 8.”
Though she’s a barrel racer at heart, Haley also swings a quick loop in the breakaway roping. It’s the event she took to high school nationals her senior year in 2014. Many short go appearances decorate her college rodeo career with South Dakota State University. “My goal going into college was to rodeo all four years while in nursing school and I got it done. Though it wasn’t easy by any means.” A graduate of the December class of 2018 with a degree in nursing, Haley truly follows her heart in all walks of life. A shiny new job at Avera Heart Hospital in Sioux Falls will allow Haley to keep training and rodeoing all year. “My horses are at my parent’s house because they have an indoor arena. It just makes sense that I would stay close so the South Dakota weather doesn’t impact my ability to ride and rodeo in the winter.”
Since many MSRA events are co-sanctioned with the SDRA, Haley finally got her card for the Nebraska-based association in 2018. Though it wasn’t the season of her dreams, it was the most she’s ever traveled in a single season, experiencing new places and rodeos. “Though I didn’t rope calves this year, I watched the contractors and I was impressed by their stock. Not to mention the MSRA pays really well. It’s been a great association and I am excited for this next season.” After retiring her breakaway horse, Haley found out just how much she also loves to rope once she wasn’t able to compete in the event. “I have a six-year-old I am seasoning now and my goal is to start entering him this summer in the breakaway. My ultimate goal is to make the finals in the SDRA and MSRA.”
Involvement in so many associations presents Haley the unique opportunity to meet a plethora of new people at each rodeo. “Growing up I got to see a lot of places that my friends who did not rodeo didn’t have the opportunity to. I love having friends from different places. The friends I made throughout 4-H and high school rodeo I still keep in touch with today. And my circle just keeps growing.” As a regular competitor in the WPRA, Haley rarely gets nervous before a run. In fact, she doesn’t think much of it. “I just stay focused before and after my runs. I don’t have a routine for myself but each horse has their own. I just stay calm and don’t overthink the mental side of it, especially when I am going through a rough patch. I just go out and make a run.” Though the dry spells can be trying, making it hard to hit the road and spend the money, it’s these seasons of rodeo that reaffirms Haley’s undying love for the sport. “A tough season makes it hard to keep going but it is also such an addicting sport that you just always keep going.”
