“It is my passion, and is a great feeling to go from raising a baby horse and training it, then riding them in competitions,” she said. “It’s cool to compete professionally at the local rodeo grounds.”
Last year, she won the barrel race at the Prescott Fourth of July rodeo, and also competed in the Turquoise Rodeo Circuit.
“On my bucket list is to race in the Cheyenne (Frontier Days) Rodeo,” Hunter says. “I’ve got some competitive blood in me, and like to test my skills.”
Her horse Dottie is as obsessed with barrel racing as much as she is, and is “super naughty” when she is not in the arena.
“On the ranch, ‘snottie’ Dottie bucks and is not fun to ride, but when she gets up to the arena, she gets quiet, and loves to run barrels really fast. She has tons of heart,” Hunter said.
“At 13, she has the experience to race, so at this point it is more about fitness.”
Hunter said rodeo improvements at the Montezuma County Fairgrounds in recent years have made the event more popular nationwide. She competes on Friday.