By Lily Weinacht
Rickie Engesser won the SDHSRA All-Around Cowgirl title during state finals this summer. The 18-year-old high school senior from Spearfish, S.D., also placed second in the pole bending during state and went on to compete at the NHSFR, her fifth time to compete at the National level between junior high and high school. She is riding a new pole horse this year and they tipped several poles during the NHSFR, but Rickie’s positive attitude has her determined to return next summer and have a better competition. “I love rodeo,” says Rickie. “Without it, I definitely don’t know what I’d do with my life! When I compete, I don’t want to do a bad job, so that helps me push myself to be better.”
Rickie is the middle child of her family. Her older sister, Taylor, is rodeoing for Gillette College, and she has always been a role model to Rickie. “Taylor works so hard, and she never fails to make me see how practicing makes you so much better!” says Rickie. Her younger brother, Jace, is a sophomore, also competing in the SDHSRA. “Jace and I team roped together this last season – I’m the header – but I was super nervous since team roping is his main event and I really wanted to catch every time for him,” Rickie explains. Both she and Jace are roping with different partners now, but they continue to practice together at home. Rickie’s other events include barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, and breakaway roping.
Between Rickie and Jace, the Engessers haul no less than seven or eight horses to their high school rodeos. Rickie’s horses include Bucky, her half miniature half Quarter goat tying horse, Rowdy, her 21-year-old barrel horse, L.J., her new pole bending horse, Newt, her breakaway horse, and Mat, her mount in the team roping. The Engesser’s home outside of Spearfish is home to many more horses, dogs, cats, and roping calves and steers, which Rickie and Jace help their parents with. Their dad, Shorty, is a team roper, while their mom, Punky, is a dedicated driver and videographer.
A senior at Spearfish High School, Rickie plays volleyball on the all honor team, as well as basketball, and she especially enjoys her biology classes and mentorship, where she shadows a vet during check-ups and surgeries. The rest of Rickie’s time is spent riding in the hills near her house with friends, practicing, or spending time with her family. “My long-term goal is to make it to the NFR someday,” Rickie finishes, “but I also want to have a good final year of high school rodeo, and be successful in college and rodeo!”
