Cowgirl’s success leads to big dreams: Loni Kay Lester plans college, pro rodeo career

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If rodeo were an easy sport, everybody would do it.

That was one of the first things Loni Kay Lester mentioned after a rough day of competition at the TYRA finals. Although her time at the finals wasn’t great, she wouldn’t want to be doing anything else.

Lester is a rising senior with one year left of high school rodeo before heading off to college. She has been in rodeos since age seven, though it wasn’t until her time in junior high where Lester realized that she was good.

“I didn’t rope until my junior high year,” Lester began, “but my parents and other people told me I can ride, so I guess they got me better horses and we went from there.”

This year proved to be a successful one for Lester. After winning the goat-tying event in the Texas High School Rodeo Association finals, Lester went on to compete in the national tournament in Wyoming where she mentioned it was “probably the farthest” she’s had to travel for rodeo.

Although traveling can be fun for those looking for adventure, it takes a lot of commitment from not only Lester but her parents as well.

“My parents go with me,” Lester mentioned. “And if it’s a really long trip, we try to get horses out every three hours because it’s a lot on the horses…a lot of pressure standing up. So we try to get them out so they can walk around, graze and drink some water.”

Kelly Lester, Loni’s mother, also talked about the commitment it takes to travel and attend these rodeos.

“We have to put a lot of time in it,” Mrs. Lester claimed. “My husband, thank goodness he’s self-employed, but he’s still away from what we do for a living… We rely on our son who kind of watches things while we’re gone.”

Even though most of rodeo is individual, it actually takes a “support team” to help maintain the successes of the athlete.

“You can’t do this yourself, you need a very good support team,” Lester said.

Lester’s support team is her parents.

“I’m thankful for my parents for buying the horses they do, raising the horses they do, putting up with [rodeo] every weekend and I’m very blessed.”

As it was mentioned earlier, not everyone can do rodeo. Time commitment is one thing, but having to put money in for the sport is another.

“It’s very expensive,” Lester said, “paying for diesel [fuel], food, horse bills…it puts a lot of pressure on my parents.”

The expenses for rodeo are year-round as well, since there is usually a rodeo event every weekend.

“There are so many different associations,” Lester claimed. “I pretty much [go to rodeo] every single weekend with the exception of maybe six weeks. There’s no offseason for me for rodeo, not at all.”

Being out on the road constantly while competing almost every weekend can be stressful, but Lester loves to travel and hopes to compete around the world in the professional circuit.

“[After high school] I can college rodeo, finish college and then hopefully if I have three good enough horses by then, I’ll go and try to hit the pros and try to travel the world.”

Lester has her eyes set on Vegas, where she wants to “make Vegas” in barrels.

“I know how to train a barrel horse, so it’s my favorite [event] and it’s the only thing a girl can make Vegas in… I would say barrels is my absolute favorite.”

The Gonzales-native still has a ways to go before hitting the pro circuit. Although it takes a significant amount of time and money, Lester is committed and willing to go through the stresses.

“[Rodeo] teaches you to be humble. One minute you’ll do really good and the next you can’t,” Lester said. “I’m very blessed, God has put a lot in my life, and he’s given me great horses. Awesome things have worked out.”

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