For graduate barrel racer and Rock Springs native Makenzi Scott, qualifying for the College National Rodeo Finals (CNFR) was always something that felt like a possibility, but short of reality. She had been close to qualifying several times but always seemed to narrowly miss out on a CNFR bid, year after year.
Scott suited up for the Laramie River Rendezvous Rodeo in late April assuming it would be her last time doing so for her home state and university. However, a first-place finish at the event's barrel race helped Scott to achieve second overall in barrel racing in the region, punching her ticket to her first ever CNFR.
Naturally, the first person—or equine, rather—that Scott chose to celebrate with was the horse she qualified with, Tess.
"It was initially shock, relief and then just overwhelming gratefulness for the amazing horses I've had over the years," Scott said of the moment she was told she was qualified for the CNFR.
"When they told me, I was holding something—I dropped it and immediately ran over and gave my horse a hug, so that was a pretty special moment."
Scott's relationship with the horses she competes with is one of the main reasons for her first CNFR qualification. Keeping the horses in pristine racing condition is not only a major commitment, but something Scott absolutely prides herself on, as her horses are not only her racing partners, but her best friends.
"I've learned the more I get into this and the better my horses get, the less it is about training and the more it is about technique and just keeping your horses at the top of their game," Scott said.
After spending much of her early career racing with her oldest horse, Raspberry, Scott eventually had to find another horse to race with after finding Raspberry was suffering from arthritis in her neck. Her new horse would be Tess, the one she would qualify for the CNFR with.
Though Tess was undoubtedly an excellent barrel racing horse, it took Scott some time to adjust to the wildly different personality she had when compared to Raspberry. However, building that relationship would prove to be a huge difference maker in qualifying for the CNFR.
"She thinks she knows what's best," Scott said of Tess. "So, the challenge with her is learning how to work with her and not trying to tell her what to do, because if you try to tell her what to do, she's going to win that battle every time."
Tess is the horse Scott is set to race with at the CNFR, with Raspberry possibly serving as the backup.
Though Scott's relationship with and absolute trust in her horses have played a major role in her CNFR qualification, her own dedication to the sport has been equally as important.
Head rodeo coach Seth Glause has had a front-row seat to Scott's development over the years—so it came as no surprise to him that Scott delivered when the pressure was highest during the last rodeo of the season.
"I watched her the last four years be close to making the college finals, so to see her punch her ticket was just a culmination of all her hard work and dedication to her horses and her craft," Glause said.
Glause also knows that just simply qualifying for the CNFR isn't the limit for Scott, either. With the CNFR barrel racing course closely resembling UW's rodeo arena, the Cliff and Martha Hansen Livestock Teaching Arena, Glause likes Scott's odds of finishing well at her first ever CNFR.
"I think with her horse, the setup will work very well for her. It's real similar to what we have here," Glause said. "I'm excited to see her compete and see how she does."
Scott begins her first go-round on June 15, with her subsequent go-rounds on June 16 and June 18. If Scott is to qualify, the finals will be on June 20.
Though a national title is the ultimate goal for Scott, enjoying the moment with her horses and taking one last ride for her home state is something she will always appreciate as she heads into the final competition of her collegiate rodeo career.
"Just stay present and stay focused," Scott said. "That's what I did for the Laramie Rodeo, and that's my strategy going into the CNFR."
