The WRANGLER Horse and Rodeo News is an equine and rodeo publication with circulation in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Nebraska, North Dakota, and South Dakota, Utah and Idaho.
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4 The WRANGLER, Horse and Rodeo News • May 20 - June 4, 2020 Wri en by Kris e Freudenburg Cassie Christensen has achieved success both in and out of the rodeo arena throughout her life. Growing up on a dairy farm in Twin Falls, ID, Cassie knew more about cows than horses. That changed though, when her mom, who had always wanted a horse, finally got one. "My family didn't know a lot about horses. I used to go to the Champions Rodeo Camp in the summer and learned a lot there. It was a church camp that invited champions from different events to help the kids. I was able to rope with Daniel Green and Allen Bach among others. Every year they had different people. My family also got help from Lana and Kali Jo Parker." Throughout high school, Cassie competed in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, and breakaway roping, qualifying for the Na onal High School Finals Rodeo mul ple years before heading to Texas for college. She began at South Plains College and then transferred to Tarleton State University where she completed her bachelor's and master's degree. She con nued to college rodeo and qualified for the College Na onal Finals Rodeo in goat tying and/or breakaway roping all five years. While in Texas, Cassie met her husband Tyler, a team roper from Connec cut. The couple moved to Connec cut for a while and con nued to rodeo together, before moving back to Cassie's hometown of Twin Falls. Tyler established a nursery, called Back at the Homestead, and Cassie started her own business, The Tail Boot. She also teaches goat tying and breakaway clinics. "I really like doing clinics. I just keep doing it every year, and people keep coming, so I'm just glad they enjoy it." They also train horses, give lessons, and of course, con nue to rodeo. "It's a very diversified income. Not many days are the same." Cassie and Tyler train all their horses, whether they are ones they've bred themselves or young ones they've purchased. "Right now, I've got a good head horse and a good breakaway horse, and a couple young ones I'm training in the breakaway. My current breakaway horse is one that we bred and raised. We started on good horses, so it helped us learn what they should be like." Cassie competes in the Intermountain Professional Rodeo Associa on (IMPRA) and some mes the Idaho Cowboys Associa on (ICA) and Rocky Mountain Professional Rodeo Associa on (RMPRA) as well as many local jackpots. Last year she competed at the Fort Worth Cassie Christensen ImPRA Member Feature Rodeo and The American. While Tyler was in Las Vegas to rope at the World Series of Team Roping, Cassie was breakaway roping at the ALL IN and represen ng the IMPRA at Rope for the Crown. She was the IMPRA's Ladies All-Around and Breakaway Champion in 2019. "It was a lot of fun last year to win the IMPRA. It was super ght between three girls. Everyone in the top had roped before me, and I was only like a tenth faster." Cassie and Tyler have three children: six-year-old son River, four-year-old daughter Laiklee, and one-year-old son Stone. While the kids ride and love to travel with their mom and dad, they haven't started to rodeo yet. "Tyler's dad roped but he never pushed it on to Tyler. Neither of us were ever pushed into it, so we'll let the kids rodeo if and when they want. They do love to travel with us though. My daughter has been wondering when we get to go on a long trip to rodeo again." The Christensen's just purchased a new place outside of Jerome, ID where they will be moving to. "My husband can set up his nursery, and it has a small indoor arena so hopefully I can put on some small breakaways." Photos by Hayseed Photography