Amy Stoltzfus and 2013 mare Sierra De Tres (Tres Seis x Startini x Stoli) won La Fiesta De Los Vaqueros — The Tucson Rodeo — taking home $9,182.
Originally bought as a broodmare, Sierra De Tres rejected her baby so Amy Stoltzfus started riding her.
“She is very arrogant and very much a business woman,” Stoltzfus said. “It’s her way or no way. When l get on her before a run she has a feel about her that makes me feel so small. I respect her talent so much.”
While spending most of their time at home in Pennsylvania, Stoltzfus and her family spend the winters in Arizona, and Stoltzfus started taking “Hepburn,” named in memory of their daughter, Audrey, to the Arizona winter rodeos about four years ago.
“I have been just building her up slowly and getting experience,” Stoltzfus said. “Last winter she really got confident and started firing harder with crowds and she won Lake Havasu.”
After finding their groove, Stoltzfus went to Oklahoma to rodeo some during the summer with Hepburn. Hepburn sustained a spider bite that would cause her to be off for the rest of the year and threatened her performance career.
“I ventured out this summer to Oklahoma to rodeo some and her leg blew up in a matter of an hour,” Stoltzfus said. “I took her to the vet as she was very sick. The venom ate a huge hole in her leg. We went home and spent the whole fall getting it healed up. I started back to legging her up beginning of this year. She still has some scar tissue but is healed up pretty good now but it was very scary.”
After bringing Hepburn up at her own pace and seasoning her, Stoltzfus saw success in Tucson, Arizona in February. She placed second in the long go behind six-time NFR qualifier Emily Beisel.
“Honestly l had rode her all wrong the year before and was just focused on getting a good start on her,” Stolzfus explained. “I wanted her to wait on me going up the pen so l literally was saying 2 Timothy 1:7 out loud to me and her, I’m not kidding. I get very nervous competing because l work at this so dang hard. I knew l needed to just relax and let her work.”
They ran a 17.32 to earn $3,549, behind Beisel’s 17.29, giving her another shot in the short go.
“Her second run is always so hard on her because she is very turn-y,” she said. “Once she knows right where those barrels are l got to ride her very aggressively. I knew the average pays so good and I’ve rode her with an outside rein in a pinch to get around the barrels. I know it’s not professional but l after l felt her move in on me halfway to the second barrel I just decided, ‘Nope I’m not changing hands.’”
A clean pattern put the pair in second place with a 17.29 behind Anita Ellis’s 17.24, earning $1,197. It also secured the average win and an additional $4,436.
“I’d just like to thank the Lord for these opportunities and Tucson rodeo for the good rodeo and payouts,” Stoltzfus said. “I have so many people that help me, with kids and horses and riding. It takes a village and it’s a great industry to be a part of.”
Stoltzfus has a few babies at home out of Hepburn through embryo transfer that she is excited to start on the barrels.
“Like every other barrel racer in America, I’d love the opportunity to get to the NFR someday but that’s up to the Lord,” she added. “I’m just going to keep entering her where l know she likes and keep raising my girls. I love this sport because you just never know when it’s your turn. You do everything right and keep showing up. Sometimes you win, and more often you don’t.”
First round: 1. Emily Beisel, 17.29 seconds, $4,436; 2. Amy Stoltzfus, 17.32, $3,549; 3. Doskie Edwards, 17.54, $2,884; 4. Whitley Sharp, 17.65, $2,218; 5. Brylee Banning, 17.66, $1,775; 6. (tie) Kailee Murdock and Tara Seaton, 17.68, $1,220 each; 8. Anita Ellis, 17.69, $998; 9. Krystal Dillman, 17.72, $887; 10. Makala Pierce, 17.76, $776; 11. Kynzie McNeill, 17.79, $665; 12. Lake Mehalic, 17.80, $555; 13. Teri Bangart, 17.83, $444; 14. Paige Jones, 17.84, $333; 15. (tie) Lisa Groves and Acey Pinkston, 17.85, $111 each.
Finals: 1. Anita Ellis, 17.24 seconds, $1,596; 2. Amy Stoltzfus, 17.29, $1,197; 3. Krystal Dillman, 17.34, $798; 4. Emily Beisel, 17.64, $399.
Average: 1. Amy Stoltzfus, 34.61 seconds on two head, $4,436; 2. (tie) Emily Beisel and Anita Ellis, 34.93, $3,216 each; 4. Krystal Dillman, 35.06, $2,218; 5. Doskie Edwards, 35.39, $1,775; 6. Lake Mehalic, 35.54, $1,331; 7. Tara Seaton, 35.60, $1,109; 8. Brylee Banning, 35.63, $998; 9. Whitley Sharp, 35.64, $887; 10. Makala Pierce, 35.68, $776; 11. Kailee Murdock, 40.14, $665; 12. Kynzie Rae McNeill, 40.73, $555; 13. Teri Bangart, 17.83 on one head, $444; 14. Paige Jones, 17.84, $333; 15. (tie) Lisa Groves and Acey Pinkston, 17.85, $111 each.
