By Lily Weinacht
Reins draped in her hands, earphones resonating with her favorite country music, Kaylee Heimer has been preparing herself to rodeo in much the same way for the last six years. Nothing makes her blood pump faster than the high-speed turns around barrels, but the 15 year old from Assaria, Kan., also enjoys goat tying and pole bending, with plans to start breakaway roping this summer.
The first of her family to turn her boots toward the rodeo trail, Kaylee was originally exposed to the sport through 4-H. Today, she’s competing in the KJRA and KHSRA, recently winning her first buckle for all-around cowgirl at the 2015 Canton Junior Rodeo. “Rodeo is one of my favorite things to do – I like being with my friends and competing,” says Kaylee. She met one of her friends, Prairie Rose Robbins, through rodeo, and it’s been Prairie Rose who’s helped Kaylee with her events. “After I’m done making my run, Prairie and I will ride around the arena to cool our horses off and talk about how our runs went.” Kaylee also looks up to 2014 WNFR World Champion Barrel Racer, Fallon Taylor. “She’s been doing really good in the rodeos this year, and I’d like to learn some of the new tricks that she has,” Kaylee explains.
Although Kaylee gave her horses a break this winter, her saddles had little time to gather dust. She’s back to riding and ready to enter the first KJRA rodeo of the season in Lyons, Kan., with hopes of qualifying for the KJRA finals for the second and final time. “My main horse that does all my events is Scooter – I’ve been competing on him for four years,” says Kaylee. “I also have a show horse, Maggie, that I ride in 4-H. We do showmanship, western pleasure, English pleasure, and halter.” In addition to showing her horse at fair, Kaylee also shows sheep, dairy cows, and several of her family’s cattle. “My family raises beef cattle, so we choose several from the herd to show.” Her sister, Kristin (13), doesn’t rodeo, but enjoys cheerleading and showing sheep and cattle in 4-H, while their brother, Kirk (ten), hopes to start rodeoing soon.
The siblings and their parents, Doug and Rebecca Heimer, make their home about 20 minutes from Salina. They grow hay, wheat, corn, and soybeans on the Kansas plains, and Kaylee has long been one of the farm hands. “My favorite job is cutting alfalfa hay – I like driving the swather and the round baler – and I also like gathering cattle on horseback,” she says.
Not surprisingly, Ag. is Kaylee’s favorite class as a freshman at Southeast of Saline High School. She and her classmates have primarily been working on FFA competitions, including leadership and speech competitions, but she especially likes animal judging. In January she went to a beef expo, where she took first place in judging. She’s also been playing the saxophone in band since fifth grade, and as an avid athlete, Kaylee runs cross-country, plays basketball, and runs track, though rodeo comes first on her schedule. What time remains in her day is often dedicated to 4-H, which she serves in as the secretary and the sheep and knitting leader. “If anyone has questions, they call me and I help them,” says Kaylee. “One of my favorite projects was making a bag out of trash bags, which I cut into strips to look like yarn before crocheting with them.”
When it comes to the weaving of her future, Kaylee’s goals all surround horses and rodeo. “I’d like to keep rodeoing after high school and possibly college rodeo. I’m interested in being an equine vet, but right now I hope to make it to Nationals in Kansas high school rodeo.”
