story by Kami Freeman
Growing up in Brighton, Colorado, Tori Cooper is passionate about her job at Platte Valley Medical Center. At 30 years old, she is head of her department and claims her father’s, Kelly Cooper, death inspired her career. Passing away in her first year of college, Tori said his cancer diagnosis fueled her drive to go into the medical field at Front Range Community College and obtain her phlebotomy certificate. She is also in the testing stages to get her Laboratory Tech MLA certificate. “No one in the rodeo world knows what I do for a living. And when I tell them, I have to explain it because no one knows what it means!” Her heart truly lies in the medical field. As a pathology tech, she gathers specimens and helps diagnose diseases and cancers. “I want to help people get their diagnosis fast so they can get their treatment in a timely manner.
“I have had my Wyoming card for about ten years,” said the Barrel Racing Director for the Wyoming Rodeo Association. “I knew I wanted to help grow the association and make sure it is thriving. I want to help in any way I can.” Tori did not always have a passion for rodeo. But when she was 16, some friends encouraged her to try it out. She borrowed a horse and began attending weekend and evening rodeos, competing in barrels and poles. She bought her first horse at 18 years old. That same horse went with her to college rodeos at NJC Community College and beyond. As she reminisced on her first rodeo in 2007 at Kiowa, Colorado, she feels she got a later start than most, but that did not stop her from enjoying the sport. Although her main event is barrels, she likes to dabble in breakaway. “The only reason I took an interest in breakaway is because of my good friend and neighbor Crista Johnson/Sack.” If pole bending were an option, Tori would enter that too. She attributes her success to her horse Louie, a buckskin gelding trained by Laura Lambert from Wiggins, Colo. She has qualified for the Wyoming finals multiple times, won numerous rodeos, and even won two rodeos back-to-back in the same weekend. “It was a fun weekend, and I just really want to continue rodeoing and eventually start a family. That’s the dream.
“My boyfriend’s family has a small farm and ranch, and that takes up a lot of my time outside of work. But I also like to hang out with my friends and have drinks.” She has a passion for hunting anything from elk to turkey to help fill their freezer.
“Just never give up because you never know what tomorrow will bring.” “I want to thank my mom and boyfriend, Jake Sterkel, for being my biggest supporter. And Laura for all her help with Louie. Without them, I would not be where I am today” “Jake has gone to every association meeting with me, and his long successful rodeo career helps counsel me in decisions. I would not be here if it were not for these people, so thank you.”
