Shaya Biever CFR 2022

Oct 23

It took Shaya Biever 34 rodeos, and $9,699.34 to have her CFR dream come true, in 2022. Biever is on route to her very first CFR after her first season competing in the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association. She won the Grande Prairie Stampede, as well as Regina, finished second at Dawson Creek, Strathmore, and the SMS Pro Tour Finale, and placed a numerous other rodeos that included the breakaway roping this season.

What is your background with horses? How did you get started roping?
I’ve been around horses since I was born. My dad and mom used to run 120 mares with a PMU barn, along with that my dad also roped and trained horses. I’ve been roping and riding since I was young, and I’ve always had a passion for it. I learned how to rope and train horses from my dad. I grew up mostly team roping, but my parents took me to Joe Lucas’s calf roping schools for years, eventually in my grade 6 year of Junior High School Rodeo I started breakaway roping.

What is your main mounts registered name, bloodlines, and does he have any quirks?
CQ Badgers Thor, by JBS Badges Patric and out of a Chics In The Male mare.

He is a very high energy horse, making sure he stays rode down is essential to have him work his best. He also isn’t a big fan of loud noises, so I plug him just about everywhere I compete on him. His other weird quirk is that he is known to stretch out and pee before I ride in the box.

What is your horse’s story?
My dad found and bought him when he was a 3-year-old for himself. I knew he was going to be great from when I first started roping on him, he was so fast, athletic and it was always easy for me to rope off him. My dad and I both trained him, my dad ranched off him a lot then trained him as a heel horse. Right about the time he got good as a heel horse, I stole him and started making him into a head horse because I needed another one. My last year of high school rodeo my good head/breakaway horse got hurt and that’s when I started breakaway roping off him. He picked up on the event pretty fast, the only issue I’ve mainly had to deal with him was he got a little hot in the box and wouldn’t stand very good. I took him down to school with me in Texas and I was fortunate enough to have a great coach that helped me finish him in the breakaway roping.

What is your go to saddle, pad, and bit on your main mount?
My saddle is a Tyler Magnus Reinsmen Series Saddle, it has a Dale Martin tree in it, and that is the main reason ride it. The tree fits a variety of horses and especially fits my good horse well. As well I find the seat is very comfortable. I’m using the 5 star 11/8 inch saddle pad, I really like these pads because they are 100% wool and do an excellent job at wicking sweat away. I also like the thickness of this pad for my horse and not having to double blanket. I have used different bits throughout the year, but currently my top two bits I’ve been bouncing between are an Al Dunning correction by Kerry Kelly and a hinge port by Les Vogt. I really like the feel of both of these bits during my run, they keep my horse square and sharp in the box.

What do you do to keep a sharp mental edge in the game of rodeo? How do you stay motivated throughout the season?
I read a lot of mental books to keep my mind sharp throughout the season, and often listen to mindset/breakaway podcasts on the way to the rodeos. This year the book “With Winning in Mind” helped me a lot, and it has become one of my favorite books. The best way I have learned to stay motivated throughout the season is always reminding myself for all the things I’m grateful for. Remembering that I love this sport, and that I’m grateful to be able to get to go down the road. Another thing that helps me a lot is having the right support system. I am fortunate enough to have an amazing group of friends that want me to get better and will help me throughout the season with the highs and lows that come with it.

What does your feed program consist of, and how do you keep your horses in shape? What is your riding routine usually like?
My horse gets fed Tribute Equine Resolve, Equinety, milled flax seed and he gets NeutraBac when he is being hauled down the road. My horses routine mainly consists of walking 10 minutes and long trotting for 20 minutes then loping from 4-8 minutes. Depending on how the week sets up with rodeos and jackpots I will rope off him a couple days before an event but mainly I just try to keep him in good shape, and run a few calves on him here and there, he knows his job good enough. I tend to rope mainly off my practice horse throughout the week.

What is the best advice you’ve been given regarding life, rodeo, horses, or roping?
The best advice I’ve been given is the reminder that rodeo/roping is something that we do but it does not define who we are. Character defines who we are, and it matters both how we act in and out of the arena. No matter the outcome of our rodeo season, your character and how you treated your fellow competitors, will always matter more.

What has been your most memorable run over the years, and what made it memorable for you?
The most memorable run over the years was my short go in run in 2020 in Odessa, TX at my college rodeo. It wasn’t just that I won the rodeo that made it memorable. This was my 3rd year rodeoing in college and the first 2 years I was having a hard time adjusting and doing good at the rodeos. Finally, in my third year I started to make more short-go’s, but I was always having a tough time finishing in the short-go. Odessa came around and I finished 2/3rd in the long go and came back to the short round and won the short round and average. It was a personal victory for me realizing I finally overcame the pressure and finished out strong. My coach told me I was living proof you get what you put into it, and that run has always stuck with me.

Who was your travel partner this year, and what is your favourite thing about your travel partner?
I’ve travelled and jumped in with different girls throughout the year. Mainly I travelled with Quinn Leslie and Jenna Dallyn, I’ve been travelling mostly with Jenna since Quinn went back to school. I have to thank Jenna, she really took care of me this year handling most of the entries and always making sure I was entered if she happened to not be entered in one. I really enjoyed hauling with Jenna, she is a very optimistic, positive person to be around and is always cheering on everyone else. I’m excited that we both qualified for the CFR this year and can’t wait to compete together at Red Deer.

What does it mean to you to have the Breakaway Roping at the CFR?
I can remember watching my brother ride in the Junior Steer riding at the CFR in 2012. I was 12 years old, and I can still remember the adrenaline pumping through the building as everyone competed and on Sunday the Canadian Champions were crowned. At that point in time the only event that a lady could qualify in was the barrel racing, and I was not a barrel racer, so I did not think at that time I would ever get the chance to experience competing at that level. Flash-forward 10 years later and I will be competing for the first time at that level, and it is a very surreal feeling. It means a lot to me that the Breakaway Roping is at the CFR, as someone who always liked to rope more than barrel race it’s amazing to be able to compete at this level. For most of my life I have put everything into my roping, I’ve tried to pursue it to the highest level I can take it, and now all the hard work I have put into this event is all paying off. I am absolutely ecstatic to be competing at the CFR this year.

“I can’t thank Equstreamz enough for keeping my horse feeling great hauling down the road. I also have to thank my parents for always helping me out and taking care of everything at home when I’m on the road. I’d also like to thank my amazing support group of friends, that cheer me on every weekend, and always push me to do my best.

Finally, I would like to thank each and every rodeo committee that choose to have breakaway this year and to everyone that made it possible to have breakaway roping at the Canadian Finals Rodeo.”