When Tana Trosper talks about her rodeo life, it’s easy to hear the energy and gratitude in her voice. The 18-year-old barrel racer from Texas said she has spent nearly her entire life in the arena, following in the footsteps of her parents while carving her own path as a member of Team Cavender’s.
“I had a pony before I could even walk,” Trosper said. “My parents bought me one for my first birthday, and my dad would lead-line me around while I held on to the saddle horn. That’s really where it all started.”
From those early days, rodeo quickly became central to her life. She said she began entering at local play-days, eventually moving into youth rodeo associations like Winnsboro Youth Rodeo Association (WYRA) and Little Britches, before stepping up to Texas High School Rodeo Association events. Barrel racing became her primary focus, though she also competes in pole bending.
Photo Courtesy of Team Cavender’s
Her family’s rodeo roots run deep. Trosper’s father, Jason, once team roped as a heeler. Her mother, Melinda, grew up competing in barrels and poles in eastern Oklahoma and was crowned Miss Rodeo Oklahoma in 1994. That second-generation influence provided Trosper and her sister, Jada, with a strong foundation.
It was a family friend, world champion tie-down roper Riley Webb, who Trosper said first encouraged the sisters to join Team Cavender’s.
“Riley was like, ‘Y’all need to apply. They’re a great company to represent, very family-oriented,” Trosper said. “So my sister and I both applied, and we were so excited when we got it. Team Cavender’s has been amazing to us.”
Summit Camp, the annual Team Cavender’s gathering, has been her favorite experience so far. But for Trosper, the lessons she learned extend beyond the arena.
“I definitely believe that connections are more significant than I realized,” she said. “The people you meet and the relationships you build matter just as much as what you accomplish in competition.”
Today, Trosper campaigns two horses: Shiny Cartel – or “Shiner,” a tall mare with both Quarter Horse and Thoroughbred bloodlines – and Joker, her steady pole horse. Shiner’s racetrack background means she can be high-spirited, but Trosper calls her “a blessing” and a powerful athlete. Joker, though older, still plays like a colt.
“He’s my trouble child,” she said, smiling. “But you’d never know he’s 20 or 21.”
While barrel racing is her passion, Trosper has not ruled out roping. She began practicing during the COVID-19 pandemic with Webb and other friends, but never found the right horse to compete on. “It wasn’t that I didn’t like roping — I just didn’t have the right mount to keep going,” she said.
Outside of rodeo, Trosper lives a busy life as a senior in public school. She has spent four years on her school’s bass fishing team, pairing with a classmate to compete in statewide tournaments. What started as a self-taught hobby in middle school grew into another competitive outlet.
“I learned how to fish by watching YouTube videos in eighth grade,” she said. “Then my best friend and I joined the team once we got to high school, and it’s been such a fun experience.”
She also hunts and fishes recreationally, and works odd jobs for local farmers to save money for college. That’s because she has another passion outside of the arena: aviation.
“I’m going to apply to flight school,” Trosper said. “Within four years, I hope to have my commercial license. Then I plan on trying to pro rodeo after that.”
She said she is considering programs close to home, though Oklahoma State University (OSU) is also on her list. Her sister, Jada, who is two years older, is currently on the rodeo team at OSU.
Trosper’s long-term dream is to balance both aviation and rodeo, but she doesn’t underestimate the challenge. Still, the mentors she admires in the sport, like professional barrel racers Lisa Lockhart and Emily Beisel, remind her that humility and persistence go a long way.
“They’re both so humble, and I love the way they compose themselves,” she said. “That’s the kind of presence I want to have in rodeo.”
