Tell us about your horse(s) (age, personality, running style, where you got them, etc). Sweet Heart Special, aka “Tweety,” is a 7-year-old AQHA sorrel. Tweety has a great personality, She’s the boss mare and she has lots of try. Her one hangup is if you take her travel buddies away and leave her tied to the trailer she really acts up. Tweety is one of the harder horses I’ve had to ride in that she’s small, about 14 and a half hands, narrow in front and super quick. She’s a free runner, aggressive but is very responsive. She cues off her rider more than her barrels and can swap ends so fast, you better be ready. We bought her from race horse breeder/trainer Ron Cook in Casper, Wyoming.

What horse(s) are you going to be riding at the circuit finals? I will be riding Sweet Heart Special at the circuit finals.

Tell us about your rig and traveling partners. We have a Freightliner SportChassis and pull a 4-horse Sundowner. Traveling partners, husband Dave (when he can get away), daughter Danielle, and Jill Miller.

What do you like most about being on the rodeo road? It’s great getting to see new places, catching up with friends.

What do you like least about the rodeo road? I don’t like some of the roads we end up on especially with the big trailer. I’m a bit of a wimp when it comes to that!

What was your best rodeo moment of 2010? Realizing we were going to be competitive in our first season.

What was your favorite 2010 Montana rodeo/committee (what special things did the committee do)? I would have to say Livingston for the food and the chiropractor!!

Besides pro rodeos do you compete in other rodeo or barrel racing organizations? NWRA (2010 Finals Qualifier), NBHA , and some Futurities and Derbies.

What are your rodeo plans in 2011? Pro Rodeo, NWRA, and if things go well I’d like to venture out of state a bit.

What kind of tack and bits do you use on your horse? I use a Dave Elliott (magic bit) outside and the wonder gag for inside. I ride in a barrel saddle I won made by Cowboy Classic Saddlery in Canada. I use Classic Equine sport boots and a Classic Equine saddle pad provided by Town and Country, one of my sponsors.

What do you feed your horse? I feed Triple Crown complete, 14% performance and their 30% supplement, supplied by my sponsor Triple Crown.

What do you do for a warm-up and do you have any superstitions or rituals before a run? My warm up is pretty normal, trot and lope circles. I also like to walk tight circles at an extended walk to supple up the front end, and then to reinforce a quick response if I lift a rein. I don’t really have any superstitions except NEVER put your hat on the bed in our house (from husband, Dave, former saddle bronc rider), somehow it just stuck, and why not just in case?

What do you do during the week to keep your horse in shape? During the week I do a lot of long trotting, occasionally some arena work. I sometimes run poles on Tweety. She’s a wicked pole horse. It gives her something fresh to work on but has the same physical requirements as barrel work.

Tell us about your family. We are a rodeo family. We moved to the U.S. from New Zealand in 2002. My husband Dave (3-time New Zealand saddle bronc riding champion), myself (5-time New Zealand barrel racing champion), son Lane (20) saddle bronc rider rodeoing for South Plains College in Texas, daughter Danielle (17) senior at Roy High School, accomplished barrel racer.

What’s your occupation, besides barrel racing? Dave manages a ranch in Roy and trains ranch and performance horses. I train barrel horses and help on the ranch, I’m also an artist in my spare time (ha ha).