story by BreAnne Benson
Muldrow, Oklahoma, is home to the talented cowgirl, Hazlee Mckenzie. The 16-year-old junior is a standout member of the Oklahoma High School Rodeo Association. On top of being successful in the arena, she’s already taking college classes while going to high school. Once she is old enough, her sights are set on carrying her momentum into the professional ranks of rodeo. As an eighth grader she won the Oklahoma state champion barrel racer title in the junior high association. However, her success didn’t end there. She continued to win the state champion barrel racer title as a freshman and again her sophomore year. For the past two years, she’s carried that momentum into the national finals and placed top ten in the world.
“Really good people and tough competition,” is how Hazlee described the OHSRA and is reason Hazlee has enjoyed her time with the association. “I feel like it makes me a better competitor,” she added.
She got her start as a young kid; her family has always had horses and she worked her way through showdeos and the junior ranks to where she is now. Both of her parents, Tera and Jason still ride and rope when they have time. Outside of rodeo, Hazlee spends her time working young horses. She takes pride in the fact that she has trained the horses she now competes on. She looks up to Kassie Mowery for her ability to succeed at the futurity level and in the WPRA. She admires her horsemanship and ability to ride, “she doesn’t have just a few horses that are good, she has a lot and shows that you can do both.” And Hazlee has indeed been doing both as well, she credited the OHSRA for making her a tough competitor which has helped her put together some great runs on big stages. This summer she won second at the Cinch World Championship Junior Rodeo and took home over $8000. Among all the other rodeos she traveled to, she notably won money in Corpus Christi, Texas, right alongside the pros.
Hazlee’s main horse right now is a 12-year-old gelding named “BB.” “He was just halter broke when we got him,” she said, “I’ve had him since he was four.” Originally her dad roped on the gelding in his younger years. Hazlee did the work and trained BB in barrels and transitioned into her main mount when she was ready for something different. The short and stout gelding has a “sweet personality and does his best at everything,” she added. Proving her-self as a trainer and a jockey, her goals are reflective of her obvious talents. Her short-term goals include making the national high school finals rodeo again and continuing her winning streak. She is also focused on making a few of her young horses solid in the arena. Much like her role model Kassie Mowery, her long-term goals include making the NFR while still training young horses. Being able to do both is a skill she admires and will put herself to the test this winter with her first futurity horse in Oklahoma City.
