The Wrangler Horse and Rodeo News

and crew, worked and worked on Lena, finally figuring out the problem with Lena…seven days or so before leaving for Pueblo!! Ash got back on Lena just five days before leaving without any speed practices! They were just so happy that she was going to be ok! All is well that ends well…Ash and Lena won seventh in the first go of the barrels, won first in the second go of the barrels and won the short go in the barrels cinching both her National titles!!! When asked how they all work together to accomplish keeping horses in shape, gear ready and organized, Jessica explains, "Matt and I have different ways of doing things and that's why he sticks to the goats and flag training and I handle the barrels and poles. We both give advice to each other with things that might help both Ash and her horses' perform to the best of their abilities…sharing a few laughs and giggles along the way…okay, and a few smirks and eye rolls, too! Both mine and Matt's employers are very supportive and getting time off work to hit the rodeo road has been no problem as they are great companies to work for. We are very lucky and blessed with their understanding and supportive attitudes. I usually keep the trailer partially packed so all we need to usually do is load up food for the weekend and a few extra clothes and of course the all-important hat (along with a brand new stampede string… story to follow!!) and boots! I usually do a once over check of everything the night before we leave making sure we have all the saddles, saddle pads, headstalls, bell boots and splint boots. And, of course, making sure we have plenty of hay and grain and any supplements they need. If possible we usually try to leave the night before ensuring both the horses and Ashlyn are well rested before competing. I think that makes the horses and Ashlyn both perform better." This winter "Mr. Paint" and "Lena" get some rest and relaxation while we, as a family, start our new project…back up "Stella" and the goal for four year old POA pony, "Stella" is to be the backup for all of Ashlyn's 2014! Watch out NLBRA, Team Goven has their goals set!!! Ashlyn's complete 2013 NLBRA Finals Rodeo Accomplishments and placings: National and World Champion Little Wrangler Barrel Racing Title. First round in the barrels Ash ended up seventh. First round in poles she received a no time because of a hat call at the gate. (She would of won the 1st round had there not been the hat call). Second round in barrels Ash was first place. Second round of poles Ash was third. She made it back to the short go in both events. She won the short go in barrels. She was third in the short go in poles. Ashlyn came home with seven belt buckles one trophy saddle for the barrels a boot rack and a certificate for a pair of boots and a $500 scholarship. GO VE N! Matt Goven is a diesel mechanic for Cyclone Drilling and Jessica Goven manages Thars' Feeds, both work full time…a plan was needed to keep horses fit, Ashlyn practiced and the trailer rodeo ready! A team formed and a strong one, with the goal of NLBRA Finals 2013…here they come!! Ashlyn Goven stirred up the National Little Britches Association with her petit presence…arriving mid spring, a new comer to the association and a newcomer to rodeos finishing her short season a veteran and both a 2013 National Champion Little Wrangler Barrel Racing Champion and 2013 World Champion Little Wrangler Barrel Racing Champion! Jessica, Ashlyn's Mom explained, "We joined the NLBRA in March 2013 with a goal of making the National Little Britches Finals in both events; barrels and poles. We had high hopes in poles as we had an older finished pole horse and one Ash had time and experience competing on. The barrels were a little different story. They bought Ash's barrel horse late spring 2013, Lena, as a solid jackpot barrel horse, one which hadn't been to rodeos nor had she been ridden by a young girl. Their expectations were reasonable hopes of getting Ash and Lena experience together, and at some time forming a competitive team looking to maybe run fast times sometime in the future. Ashlyn qualified for the NLBRA finals in poles with max points after her first five rodeos. Looking for more points in the barrels, they traveled to Rapid City for a few rodeos then to Torrington WY for the ELKS YOUTH LITTLE BRITCHES Rodeo. It didn't take Ashlyn long to get in the groove, winning her first little britches belt buckle, topping the pole average, in Torrington. They entered a few more rodeos in Rapid City and then as summer neared they traveled south to some COLORADO Little Britches Rodeos still in search of her last win in the barrels, allowing her to take to the finals, max points in both events. Her last rodeo, just before the LBRA finals was in Longmont, Colorado and Ash hit the jackpot, she got her last win in barrels. Unfortunately and very scary for Team Goven, the joy of her big win was short lived as they watched Lena leave the arena very lame. Lena was rushed to the vet in Greeley, Colorado. Her diagnoses was not good. Lena was medicated enough to get her home and on to their regular vets. Now, only four weeks left before the nationals in Pueblo started, Lena was not expected to recuperate and heal enough for competition. Many great friends offered barrel horses for Ashlyn to use but none could take the place of Lena for Ash. All the while the Veterinarians at Sheridan Equine Hospital, Dr. Ted Vlahos TEAM GOVEN! By Lynn Kohr The old adage, "It takes a village to raise a child" could easily be translated into "It takes a TEAM to get an eight year old to the National Little Britches Finals" and Team Goven did just that! Ashlyn Goven, eight years old, at National Little Britches Finals time, brought home two national titles: 2013 National Champion Little Wrangler Barrel Racing Champion and 2013 World Champion Little Wrangler Barrel Racing Champion! "We keep horses in shape as a family whether it's trotting through the ditches around our home, hauling to friends' arenas, driving to the CamPlex indoor Pavilion...we saddle up together. During the winter months we only practice at the indoor arenas after school. Ashlyn's father, Matt, joins us when he gets off work since he coaches Ashlyn's two new events, which are flags and goats, while I stick to my familiar events - barrels and poles," says, Jessica Goven, mother of Ashlyn Goven, now nine years old, currently a fourth grader at Rozet Elementary, Rozet Wyoming, a small town just 14 miles east of Gillette Wyoming. Ashlyn started riding "Slim", a horse they purchased from CJ and Kay Hodson, and competing at the local peewee barrel races when she was just four years old. As a five year old, she added pole bending to her events and from there the little cowgirl added horses and expanded her travels to the Campbell County Cowgirl Rodeos and the R Youth Rodeo. As Ashlyn progressed and won more, her parents, Jessica and Matt Goven, decided to invest in her two horses that took her to the NLBRA Finals: It's A Partee, a 22 year old Paint fondly known as "Mr. Paint" and "Sting Little Lena", 12, called "Lena".

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