BHS Senior World Class Cowgirl
Author: mt43news staff reporter
BHS Senior World Class Cowgirl
MT43 News Staff Reporter
At age 3, Taylor Cartwright knew she wanted control of her life. Her Dad, Shawn, put her on a horse and tied the reins to the saddle horn. No, she wanted to hold the reins herself. At age 17, the Montana State High School Rodeo queen knows where she’s going and in what direction.
Taylor participated in the National-World High School Rodeo Queen contest in Rock Springs, Wyoming, this July. She placed fourteenth in the World Competition. The high school senior at Broadwater High School won the Montana State Title in Kalispell earlier, then decided to enter nationals on a whim. “I hesitated because a contestant must have a written speech, have modeling experience, take a written test and of course be good at horsemanship. I knew I could handle the last one, the others were going to be a challenge, but with my mom, Brie’s, and my grandma Kay’s encouragement, I decided to go for it,” she said.
Taylor has excelled in team roping – her dad and grandad, Shawn's and Harry’s, specialty in the arena, also. She works off her seven-year-old chestnut gelding, Houge. A true rodeo girl, she has done most events, including goat tying and, of course, barrel racing, which she started at age five with her dad’s help.
Both the state and nationals afforded Taylor the chance to make life-long friends: “It’s a great community of girls who become very good friends. The hardest thing at nationals was to make a really close friend, then beat her out in the competition. It was so hard to see how disappointed she was because she lost.”
Taylor expanded on her experience at both state and national competitions. "I feel what I learned and will use for the rest of my life is to never regret pushing myself and being out of my comfort zone. I had done rodeo events all my life, so I had confidence in myself in that area."
The rodeo queen and high school athlete portrayed the long view of her life. She is enrolled in the dual enrollment classes at BHS. With the help of school counselor Mike Schnittgen she is planning on graduating from college with a degree in psychology from either Oklahoma Northern College or Oklahoma State. Presently in high school, she is the student body president, plays on the varsity basketball team, subs as the manager of the football team and will be working on the school yearbook.
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PhotoCredit: Nancy Marks, MT43 News Photographer and photo provided
Image 1 Caption: A relaxed rodeo queen Taylor Cartwright at the park on Friday Taylor placed 14th overall in world competition for high school rodeo queen.
Nancy Marks, MT43 News Photographer
Image 2 Caption: National High School Rodeo Queen candidate Taylor Cartwright.
Photo Provided
Image 3 Caption: Taylor carries a sponsorship flag in the arena during the Rocky Springs, Wyoming high school rodeo queen competition.
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