Rodeo Life

Category Archives: 5 Star Champion

5 Star Champion: Jessica Routier

Written on March 11, 2024 at 12:00 am, by

Jessica Routier hit a momentous $1 million in career earnings in the summer of 2023. But the barrel racer from Buffalo, South Dakota, was paying much closer attention to the career earnings of her gritty palomino mare, Missy, who has carried Jessica to many of her pro rodeo checks. “My goal the last couple of  Continue Reading »

5 Star Champion: Randy Britton

Written on November 29, 2023 at 12:00 am, by

Pickup man Randy Britton has 154 performances under his belt and thousands of miles on his odometer from the 2023 rodeo season alone. Working for Cervi Championship Rodeo since 2012 has kept the Kiowa, Colorado cowboy involved in the sport that hooked him from boyhood. “I started rodeoing when I was 12 or so. Me  Continue Reading »

5 Star Champion: Kim Thomas

Written on November 6, 2023 at 12:00 am, by

Kim Thomas has been a horse trainer most of her life. Her business savvy and horsemanship skills have carried her to compete in the Barrel Futurities of America World Championship, the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo, serve on the WPRA board, and teach clinics in the United States and abroad. While she now calls Noble,  Continue Reading »

I’m just taking it week by week right now. Whatever doesn’t kill you makes you stronger!

Written on August 31, 2023 at 12:00 am, by

Pro barrel racer Shelley Morgan is no stranger to the ebbs and flows of life on the rodeo trail. The 50-year-old from Eustace, Texas, who’s won more than a million in career earnings, has experienced the exhilaration of winning The American in 2022, and knows the sting of losing her beloved horse Short Go in  Continue Reading »

5 Star Champion Rylie Smith

Written on June 22, 2023 at 12:00 am, by

Team ropers Rylie Smith and Hope Thompson walked out of AT&T Stadium in 2020 as the first female team roping champions in the WCRA. They each pocketed $90,000. The team repeated, winning the Challenger in 2022. “I bought a couple horses with the money,” said the 21-year-old from South Texas. “We live where my mom  Continue Reading »

5 Star Featured Partner Southern Junior Rodeo Association

Written on May 2, 2023 at 12:00 am, by

This was the biggest year we’ve had,” said Sam Dixon, past president of the SJRA, Southern Junior Rodeo Association. “It’s given the girls a great start on life in general, and not just rodeo. They learn responsibility by taking care of animals and the life lessons are the best in rodeo.” Hadlie Dixon and Reiny  Continue Reading »

5 Star Champion JJ Hampton

Written on March 24, 2023 at 12:00 am, by

A decorated career didn’t make JJ Hampton’s return to the toughest sport on dirt any easier after taking off a year from breakaway roping in the early 2000s. After losing a few good horses, JJ just needed some time at home to regroup. And that she did, because when she started chasing the rodeo trail  Continue Reading »

5 Star Champion Sissy Winn

Written on March 1, 2023 at 12:00 am, by

  [ I’ve been using 5 Star pads forever; I’ve tried them all and I love the way they fit.” Sissy has a horse that’s 16.2 hands and she doesn’t have to cinch her saddle up to prevent it from rolling. “I’ve got one horse that’s 16 2, and my saddle doesn’t roll, it has  Continue Reading »

5 Star Featured Athlete Rylie Smith

Written on January 19, 2023 at 12:00 am, by

While Rylie Smith is the definition of self-made, she’s quick to credit her parents – Ricky and Misty Smith – and everyone else who’s had a hand in her roping career so far. Perhaps one of the most important people on that list is Hope Thompson. “I believe my best year of all is still  Continue Reading »