Misty Matthews loves rodeo. A rodeo mom, wife, competitor, and rodeo secretary, she is no stranger to the fastest sport on dirt.
Growing up in Franklin, Tennessee, Misty enjoyed a rural lifestyle. Her father rode bulls when he was younger and their family always had horses. They also kept busy with their farm and side burley tobacco operation.
When she was around 18 years old, Misty started running barrels in some rodeos. A few years later, she met her now husband Daryl Matthews (at a rodeo), and after getting married moved to Athens, TN, where they live today.
While she always had the love for rodeo, Misty wasn’t involved with roping until she began spending time with Daryl. A hardcore calf roper, his passion was infectious, and she developed an interest in calf roping as well. At the time, if women wanted to be involved in the local rodeos, barrels were the main option, and most local events didn’t have breakaway.
Because of this, Misty didn’t start roping til later in life, and roped for three years (making the finals in both breakaway roping and barrel racing) before turning her attention back to helping their two daughters, Bailey and Kyla, pursue their rodeo dreams. Not to mention, there was always something to be done around the farm. A true partner, Misty remembers when they were younger and Daryl had lots of outside horses coming in to be trained. She would lope circles on them and then he would get them trained–teamwork in all things.
She still maintains a tremendous amount of respect for the skill and practice it takes to rope well, and for the level of competition in the barrel horse world today. She also continues to give to the rodeo community as a rodeo secretary and rodeo mom to Bailey and Kyla. And of course, she still spends plenty of time horse back. In fact, one horse in particular has held a special place in her heart: a gelding named Cinch. Misty began riding Cinch when she and Daryl got married and rode him for over 15 years before his passing.
This level of devotion to their animals and commitment to the sport is also true in their respect for each other and gratefulness for time together. While Misty works with Daryl at his dumpster business during the week, she also serves as the secretary for the National Cowboy Association (NCA) and for several stock contractors at weekend rodeos. The paperwork and details are endless, from Monday call-ins to Friday entry fees, and then follow up payoffs.
Daryl, Bailey, and Kyla are all active rodeo competitors as well, with all three roping. With the girls four years apart, when one was finishing junior high rodeo and moving into high school or college rodeo the other was just starting, so the rodeo travel never stopped and still continues today. This past year, the Matthews family went to Vegas for the first time when Kyla qualified for Rope for the Crown, building on the memories they’ve made and adding new friends to their circle.
While their family stays busy pursuing these passions, and Misty jokes they wouldn’t know what to do with a vacation or a bunch of free weekends, it is obvious they wouldn’t have it any other way. In fact, every family member individually shared how much it meant to them to spend time with each other on these outings.
Misty may be more behind the scenes than in the box at the rodeo these days, but her contribution to the sport and to her family is invaluable.
You can learn more about the Matthews family through reading the stories on Daryl, Kyla, and Bailey.
All photo credit to the respective photographers.
