Had a great time and was so inspired talking with Kayla on the Podcast. She has overcome many challenges in her life and pursues her dreams with a relentless passion...

Kayla’s Story of Pro Rodeo Dreams

I would like to begin with my story and it all starts on June 16, 1994. This day is the day I was born. On this day I was born I came out weighing just 1 lb. 16 oz. and started fighting for my life as a child that was immediately put through a lot in just the first days I was born and it has continued through my life. I was put into the NICU right away since I was so small and lived there for 3 months which put me at coming home right around the time I was originally supposed to come into this world around September 30. I came home with oxygen and very little lung capacity living on monitors for quite awhile. As a child I was diagnosed with Cerebral Palsy which has really only affected my legs putting me in a wheelchair and the right side is my weaker side. I was put through many surgeries and therapy to try and help the condition and to help me maintain a normal life living with this condition. Even though I was diagnosed with this condition I grew up on a ranch south of my hometown 15 miles and we were ranchers so it was without a doubt that I was going to be horseback starting at just the young age of 3 years old I was put on a horse with someone because I didn’t have the muscles or strength to know how to hold on. The physical therapists even said it was great therapy for me so I continued and currently I’m waiting for my next horse to be ready for me to ride. Now lets go to the age of 7 years old where I was able to receive intensive therapy in Poland for one month. This trip was definitely a culture shock to me at such a young age but it was one that was truly life changing. To summarize this intensive therapy it was physical therapy that children were put through some rigorous therapy sessions that were 8 hours a day, 6 days a week with only Sundays off. In this therapy children are given many therapy sessions but the most intensive part of this therapy is when the children are put into what is called an Adeli Suit otherwise known as a space suit that the astronauts used in Russia to go into space. With this suit that children are put into its all connected with bungee cords that are able to be moved in different places to help the brain and body be able to communicate with what the legs and limbs are really supposed to do to be able to walk. It not only helps with the physical aspect but also helps the mental aspect. When we first arrived my first day of therapy we had shipped by current walker that I had been using at the time for physical therapy. The first thing one of the therapists told us was why do you have this? You aren’t going to need this when you are done with your therapy here and we will not be using that here in your therapy sessions at all you might as well get rid of it. Well by the time I left there at the end of the one month session I came home walking with arm crutches first time ever that I was able to walk with no help from anyone while walking. I could have went back for a second round which could have put me in the next phase of the therapy which is walking with canes and the third part of it is walking with no assistive devices at all. Unfortunately this is around the time that the war broke out and we didn’t go back again. I believe this is truly where I gained the mental confidence of you can do anything that you put your mind to. My parents even videoed the stuff that I did while on therapy there for guidance for the physical therapists back home and we tried to do as much as we could, even though I was going to school and still trying to live a normal life but nothing compared to that intensive therapy that I got while there. Fast forward to my middle school years I had a surgery done to lengthen my hamstring tendons which we thought at the time it would work well after the surgery I had a complete 180 turn around backwards. The surgery was a little bit successful for me but only temporarily which caused me to lose the muscle and strength I had built up while in Poland. Then fast forward to high school and I was able to live life what I have always known as normal just like any other kid. Let’s just say that I was able to get my drivers license and able to get an accessible car to live life just like everyone else. Then graduated high school and it was onto college. I was still living with my parents and don’t worry I still enjoyed the college life and I even completed my business degree in my hometown college in just three years. Then the real world started and I got a real job. Then I was able to move into accessible apartments in my hometown, so I no longer live at the ranch south of town full time. I live a normal life and do everything else does, and I’m still not used to the whole neighbors close to you. Let’s fast forward to now, I am still working a full time job and pay my own bills but I have recently developed and interest and drive to try to go rope with the pros. Like I have dealt with all my life there’s a curve in this part it’s that I’m left handed and most people rope right handed, which means that even though my brother and dad are team ropers and they can’t rope left handed. So I decided one day to buy me a dummy and just start watching what the pros do and videoing like I have heard on many podcasts as well as watching You Tube videos to develop a better skill level because I would get frustrated with my brother and dad trying to teach me how to rope at a young age because the rope wasn’t left handed. So here I sit with a big dream of taking the steps of achieving my dream of wanting to go to the NFR and attend The American. My dream truly took off when I was able to see our family friend achieve her dreams of running her own horses at the NFR as a barrel racer Kathy Grimes. Watching her achieve her dreams pushed me even more to achieve my goals and one of them is going with the professionals and living that life on the road. I know it will include many challenges even more so with my circumstances of being in a wheelchair but I know that it’s just like anything else I have done in my life which is I can do it but it might be a little different to get there and I might have to do things in a different way to get there but I will get there I don’t care how long it takes. I suppose you could say that’s another reason why I love horses and rodeo and everything about it is because it’s the chance that I get to look at it as everyone is all doing the same thing and I’m not doing anything different than anyone else. So here’s a short version of my beginning road of becoming a professional and I can’t wait to come back to my home town and be known as an NFR qualifier beings that I live in such a small town of Montana called Havre which is 40 miles to Canada and has been known to be one of the coldest places on earth in the winter. I just completed my Master’s Degree in Health Administration from the University of Phoenix in September 2021. During this pandemic has helped me want to pursue this dream that I have. I’m ready to physically as well to chase my dreams of going to the NFR and bringing back that Gold Buckle and nothing is going to stop me. I know I have the support of my family and friends to do it because they have supported me in everything I have done. So a huge Thank You goes out to my parents, brother, and his family and all of my extended family and friends! One day some people will be getting reserved seating at all the rodeos and NFR! I would also like to thank the Heckman family for the honorary buckle that I received in August of 2021 it was truly an honor to receive that buckle in honor of in honor of a man like Rocky Heckman to this day I still try to live my life like rocky but some days can be tougher than others especially since things have drastically changed in this world. That’s when I really have to remember what I have and the characteristics that Rocky lived by in his short time on earth and to live my life through perseverance hope character and faith. Before I received This award back in may 2021 um our hometown decided to have an extreme broncs and bulls event. At this event I didn’t even know but um Hannah’s husband sterling came and Casey field was here and so was Tim O’Connell and I had the opportunity to talk to Tim O’Connell at the event and meet him and got inside on to what'd you you know champions do um and what his life is like it was nice to also meet Hanna’s husband because I actually went to college with Hanna and little did I know just a couple months later I would be selected to receive Rockys award. My brother and his wife knew long before I did or the rest of my family before I did and I really was surprised when my sister in law said we have to go meet these people just like the video on the news showed. Thank you to all my family and friends for the support without them I’m not sure where I would be. But it is kinda fun knowing that people like Dustin Bird have made it to the NFR as well. Roping does keep me mentally sane when I put that rope in my hand I’m a better person knowing I have a chance just like everyone else to bring home all the money and prizes! So yes I still have a goal of going to The American either by invite or even better qualifying for the American and going to the NFR!

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