story by Laurie Dineen
This year has been a whirl-wind full of accomplishments, sadness, and excitement for Missy Allen. She graduated high school, competed in her last year as a CJRA member, started her nursing degree at Otero Jr. College, competed in the college rodeo’s, and recently became engaged to be married.
Missy, a 19-year-old from La Junta, CO grew up in a ranching family. Her parents, Gail and Millie raised their 5 children on the plains of Colorado running cattle, horses and preaching the word of God. “My parents rodeo’d some while growing up, and all us kids have competed in rodeo,” said Missy. “Between my siblings and their kids, there are 20+ Allen’s that all ride and are involved in agriculture at some degree.”
Missy began competing in the CJRA when she was 6 yrs. old and there was only 1 year she didn’t compete due to an injury. “This year was my 12th year competing in CJRA and it is so special in many ways. My nephew, Waitley Sharon, started competing as a Jr. and it was so fun to be able to watch him and help him in his events,” Missy exclaimed. “I had an incredible summer of rodeoing, making it to the CJRA finals in all my events – barrels, poles, breakaway, mixed team roping and ribbon roping. The most exciting part was getting to run against my closest friends, Ashley Terrell and Alex Odel, in the barrels at finals. I went into the finals second in barrels, moved to third in the second round, and had a great third go moving me into first, but not by much! The neat thing is that we all were so supportive and excited for each other it really didn’t matter where we ended up. That is just how the CJRA is. Not to sound cliché’, but it is like a big, happy family. Everyone wants to see you succeed. Everyone wants to help. There is good fellowship and good times with family and friends.” To bring this point home, Missy remembered a year when she was a junior girl when her pole horse was injured right before CJRA finals. Hope Holder offered Missy her #1 horse to run while Hope ran her #2 horse. “I ended up winning the pole bending saddle that year and I won’t ever forget the generosity, support and encouragement from the Holder family,” Missy said.
At the end of the 2015 CJRA finals, Missy won 1st in barrels taking home the barrel racing saddle, placed 3rd overall in poles, 5th overall in breakaway and was in the top ten for mixed team roping (heading for Yancie McCuistion) and ribbon runner for Drew Neuerberg, and ended the year 4th in the Sr. Girls Div. All-Around. “I have great memories of my years as a CJRA member,” said Missy, “and I will miss everyone that has helped to make it such a great organization and experience. Mitch Hickey, CJRA secretary, is a jewel. She makes the CJRA an easy organization to work with and really cares about the kids and making it work for all the members. “
In addition to CJRA, Missy has competed in the CJHRA, CSHRA, Little Britches, Mile Hi Barrel Racing Assoc, and NIRA. “Of all the rodeo associations, I really feel that CJRA offers a good pay out, great incentives with the day prizes along with the overall family atmosphere,” Allen stated.
Mitch Hickey who has watched Missy grow over the past 12 years, commented that Missy always had a smile on her face and a helping hand for the younger members. “She would help her dad, Gail, with cowboy church and always did the singing,” said Hickey. In 2014, Missy received the Wrangler Award – which recognizes the outstanding cowboy or cowgirl in and out of the rodeo arena.
As far as her plans for the future, Missy looks forward to graduating next year and becoming a registered nurse as well as getting married to Austin Kuhn. They plan to stay in the valley near family and friends. After things have slowed down a bit, Missy hopes to continue to ride and train a few horses and compete at some amateur rodeos.
The only time I can feel free is when I give God everything.
“Give all your worries and cares to God, for he cares about you” 1 Peter 5:7
