From the moment she approached the alley in Reno, Nev., barrel racer Summer Kosel made a decision. The Glenham, S.D., cowgirl wasn’t going to get worked up over the next two weeks. No matter what happened, she was going to enjoy the experience and let everything sort itself out after the Fourth of July schedule was done.
No stress. No worries. End result – big paydays.
“Honestly, I just was super relaxed. I just kind of figured I would give it to God and (my horse) Apollo and if I knew I was prepared there was nothing I could do but go make my runs and wherever it landed it landed,” Kosel said.
Over a span of seven rodeos, Kosel blazed her way to more than $22,600 in earnings with a pair of championships at Mandan (N.D.) Rodeo Days and the Sitting Bull Stampede in Mobridge, S.D. The success vaulted her from just outside the top 20 in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Barrel Racer Standings to 11th with more than $55,100 in prize money collected this season.
It was the perfect return to action as Kosel essentially stepped away from competing at PRORODEO events starting in May. Every year, the mother of four generally limits her schedule from May through the majority of June to be with her children as they take part in their own youth competitions.
Her girls – Hope (19), Serenity (16) and Victory (14) – all do barrels, pole bending and breakaway, while her son, Courage (10), is currently doing timed events but has an interest in riding steers next season.
“I am trying to avoid that as much as I can,” Kosel joked.
Making the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo for a second time is certainly a focus, but helping her children develop their love for the sport will always be the priority. After her run at the Guymon (Okla.) Pioneer Days Rodeo in early May, Kosel competed at just three events, all of which were close to home in the Dakotas.
Aside from that, it was all about her kids.
“Apollo gets kicked out into a pasture with all my other good horses. I may pony him once or twice a week during that time, but I don’t even ride him unless I have to use him to round up some cattle or something,” Kosel said. “The rodeo season in South Dakota is very short because of the weather. So for that couple of months, that is my priority, making sure my children feel like they are prepared and their stuff comes first.”
That’s what makes her July 4th success so impressive and important. She made eight total runs at seven different rodeos during that time, with money earned on seven runs. The only blemish was a self-described “oopsie” in the second go at Reno that prevented her from being in contention for the average title.
Moving forward, it’s all about sustaining that success through the summer and into the fall. Do that and a second trip to Las Vegas this December will undoubtedly be in her future.
“We’re going to give it a go and give it a real try and kind of just do it one run at a time like I always do. We’re on a wing in a prayer still,” Kosel said with laugh.
File photo by Click Thompson/For PRCA