story by Siri Stevens
“Everything I’ve been able to do and have done is simply because of God’s grace and I want to project that,” said Kassandra Shoemaker. “I’ve been able to do amazing things because of Him.” One of the things that tops the list is steer roping. Kassandra is the first female steer roper to compete in the first-ever College Division of the National Finals Steer Roping, held in Clarendon, Texas, May 29, 2023. The senior at the University of Wyoming is following in her dad’s (Wade) footsteps. Wade has been tripping steers for at least 15 years all while starting and maintaining Countryside Large Animal Veterinary Services, in Greeley, Colorado.
“I just started tripping this past summer. I heard they were doing the college division and I wanted to be ready for it,” said the 22-year-old from northeastern Colorado. “I’ve always had the opportunity to do it with dad, but I’ve never prepared for myself to compete.” Kassandra grew up around horses, her dad is a large animal vet and she has shown both English and Western, on horses bred, raised, and trained on the family ranch. She was also involved in FFA, where she held an office, FBLA, 4H, and graduated Valedictorian from her class at Platte Valley High School. She was also team captain in volleyball and played basketball too.
She and her parents and younger brother Coy, moved from Gill, Colorado, to a ranch near Grover, Colo., in 2018. “I really enjoyed it. We’ve been able to run cows not far from home so we can check them. We are close to Wyoming, and I love it.” Now that both Coy and Kassandra have graduated from high school and are in college, Wade is able to enjoy ranch living and a little more roping.
Kassandra plans to apply for vet school once she graduates from UW in May. For now, she is working as a vet tech for her dad and plans to enter the Wyoming Steer Roping events, as well as Don King Days. “I’ll apply for at least five colleges between now and September. I’ve grown up around it (veterinary medicine) and have so much prior knowledge, I want to continue his legacy at Countryside. I really enjoy the processes of how animals and humans work. It makes me tic.”
Steer roping makes her tic too. “It’s an adrenaline rush … once the rope goes on, I set the trip, and keep watching. When I leave the corner, I keep my eyes on the steer. As soon as I see the hips come up from the rope, I turn and make the trip, staying on until the steer is flat, go attack, and make the tie.”
