Kimmie Wall WNFR 2016
After 53 rodeos and $107,795.53 in the bank, Roosevelt, UT barrel racer Kimmie Wall is South bound for Las Vegas, Nevada!
Wall and her mare Foxy battled it out against the best and won Gooding, ID for $2,009.53, Burely, ID for $1,695.66, Hermiston, OR for $4,492.26, Herber City, UT $2,361.28, won just over $6000 in San Antonio, won $6500 in Logandale NV Silver Tour, won Redding CA Wrangler Champ Challenge $3,944.00, won $6530 in Reno during the Gold Tour, was 2nd at both Kennewick and Cody for $3,016 at their Champions Challenge, and cashed in at many more.
Kimmie grew up with three older brothers on a cattle ranch where they were always horse back and all roped. She competed in various horse events her whole life. This will be her first Wrangler N.F.R qualification. She has been close to qualifying before, but we all know close only counts in horse shoes and hand grenades. In 2014 she finished 20th, and 2015 was 19th. This year she made a huge leap and found herself in 5th position.
Kimmies bay mare is TKW Bullysfamous Fox by Bully Bullion and a Dash Ta Fame mare named Gateway Ta Love. Each of the horses that Kimmie and her husband Travis raise have the TKW in front of their name as it stands for Travis/Kimmie Wall.
Does she have any quirks?Foxy is full of quirks!!! She pins her ears. Stomps her feet. Paces the fence. Kicks the trailer. Occasionally might bite. She is kind of a stinker.
How would you describe her style?
I think she runs hard and turns hard. The harder I can run to the first barrel the better she turns it.
What are your favorite bloodlines for barrel racing?
If I could have 10 more of Foxy I would! I like ‘turny’ horses.
With all the miles made, varying ground conditions, and expenses, what kept the NFR dream alive for you?
It is literally the hardest thing I have ever done. And it is so easy to get down. Foxy just had a few years of growing up to do. She was really pretty green when she started competed. I guess I knew deep in my heart we could do it. I knew Foxy deserved to be there and with all the support from my family I wanted them to be there to.
We all know that being competitive takes mental strength. What do you do to keep a sharp mental edge in the game of rodeo?
I am a total positive thinker. I don’t allow negative thoughts of any kind to creep into my thoughts. I always look for the positive in every situation. If things don’t go the way I want I just find a way to fix it not worry about it.
Do you do anything before a run to keep your nerves in check?
I always just try and stay calm. I have a small routine of stretching and warming up. Then I will let Foxy just sit still for a while and relax. It always helps to find a friend and just visit.
What is your go to product for keeping your horse sound for the season?
I cannot live without my Platinum Performance CJ. I really feel like it has kept all my horses happy and healthy on the road. It has also kept their joints happy and healthy.
What is the best advice you’ve ever been given regarding barrel racing?
Correctness is Key! When working your horse on the pattern and it even funnels into your run.
What would you like to see be done in the industry to better rodeo as a sport?
I would love to see every rodeo be educated on how to care for the ground. A lot of rodeos that are known for having bad ground actually try to work the ground they just work it wrong- maybe without proper amount of water or improper equipment. An open mind goes a long ways.
Shout Out to Kimmie’s sponsors! Cactus Saddlery, Platinum performance, Ranchdress’n, Cactus Gear, Dynamic Edge, Sore No More, Glam & Grit, Purina, & Three Wise Chicks.
