Simpsonville, South Carolina’s Rhegan Greene has always been a go-getter with a love for horses. Her Nana rode English her whole life and as soon …
East Coast Calf Ropers: Rhegan Greene
Passion and Perseverance: Caroline Bowen
An eastern North Carolina cowgirl, Caroline grew up in LaGrange, NC as a second-generation horsewoman and cowgirl. As a little girl, all she wanted to do was be a cowgirl, and her fascination with the Western way of life continues today. She speaks of this lifestyle in terms of devotion to animals, willingness to be up at all night hours to ensure an animal is okay and taken care of and staying connected with the land and one’s livestock.
Georgia’s Calf Roping Couple: Ashlee Freels
Breakaway roper Ashlee Freels and her husband calf roper Glen Freels have covered the continent pursuing their love for calf roping together. Today, they continue the family tradition of rodeo with their own children at their Georgia home.
For Ashlee, her journey with rodeo began during her childhood in east Tennessee. Her brother, Steve Miller, is a good bit older than her, and he and her uncle were heavily involved in the horse world. Both men roped and steer wrestled; while also clowning at some rodeos, working the Dixie Stampede, and working at Dollywood in the days it was Silver Dollar City.
Georgia’s Calf Roping Couple: Glen Freels
Glen Freels may have grown up near the city, but there was no keeping the cowboy inside him from emerging.
Glen grew up in a suburb of Atlanta but found himself spending every break from school with his uncle Mickey Freels in Tennessee. Although his dad roped a little, Glen had no horse experience, but his uncle Mickey was a calf roper and began to show Glen the ropes. Glen quickly became hooked.
Capturing Moments in Time
Haley Johnson is recognized as a talented breakaway roper and western lifestyle photographer but few people realize how much perseverance and determination brought her to where she is today. Despite the various obstacles that have happened in her journey, she credits God with guiding her and putting kindhearted people on her path to help her along the way.
Roping Her Way Through Senior Year: Carmen Oates
Chester, South Carolina is home to roughly 5,000 people—and one of them is high school senior Carmen Oates. Carmen has put her name on the map as a powerful breakaway roper and a young lady whose drive and determination are sure to take her far in the rodeo world.
Roping in a Field of Dreams: Jamie Ellsworth
For Jamie Ellsworth, rodeo has always been about relationships. She devotes herself to her horses, her family (especially her nieces and nephews), and her friends. As a third-generation competitor, she carries on a family tradition while also forging her own path in a new location with her own family and friends.
Access to Outdoor Education: BOW
A few years ago, I had the privilege of participating in a unique program sponsored by the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission. Known as BOW, Becoming an Outdoors-Woman, this program is an annual weekend long opportunity for women to gather with other women and take classes of their choosing related to the outdoors. Everything from driving boats, backing boat trailers, fishing, bowfishing, canoeing, kayaking, firearms (classes for every kind), bird watching, archery, hunting, tracking, trapping, plant identification, orienteering, and much more was offered for an
Living With Passion: Jenny Lindsey-Wetterstrom
Jenny Lindsey-Wetterstrom is a woman who has found her joy in the world and multiplied it through pursuit of her hobbies. Her life is an inspiring blend of learning and living fully, and every day brings new adventures, from racehorses to sled dogs to bird dogs.
The Family That Ropes Together: Misty Matthews
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.
