FAMILIAR ENVIRONMENT Heinert Has Success Roping At Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo By Ted Harbin
I n its first year of having WPRA breakaway roping, the Guymon (Oklahoma) Pioneer Days Rodeo was expanding its competition for the greatest ladies in rodeo. An Iowa-born cowgirl with ties to the region bested them all. Sierra Heinert, an Oklahoma Panhandle State University alumna and an assistant coach at rival Southwestern Oklahoma State University, returned to her old stomping grounds to claim the crown. “It was pretty exciting to get to go back to an arena I was familiar with, see my friends and be able to capitalize when I was there,” said Heinert, originally from Winterset, Iowa, home of John Wayne and Tegan Smith, her little brother who qualified for the 2021 National Finals Rodeo in saddle bronc riding. She split the first-round victory with Texan and 2021 Resistol Rookie of the Year Madison Outhier with 2.3-second runs, earning her shot in the progressive round. Josie Conner, the 2022 Resistol Rookie of the Year from Iowa, Louisiana, posted a 2.1 in the matinee performance on May 6 to take the aggregate lead, and Heinert followed in the final performance, a Sunday afternoon show on May 7. As she did in the opener during slack, the cowgirl now living in Weatherford, Oklahoma, stopped the clock in 2.3 seconds to finish as the runner-up in the second round but
Sierra Heinert was one happy roper that the Guymon (Oklahoma) Pioneer Days Rodeo decided to add breakaway roping to their roster in 2023. Having attended Oklahoma Panhandle State University in Goodwell, it was a nice homecoming for the Iowa-born cowgirl to capture the win. Photo by Dale Hirschman
spring semester, which concluded the final weekend of April after four straight weeks of intercollegiate events. It was her best shot at cashing in, and it just so happened to be in an arena she knows well. Guymon’s Hitch Arena is just 10 miles from Panhandle State. Once she earned her degree in Goodwell, Oklahoma, Heinert moved on to Weatherford to focus on her master’s degree, carrying a year of college eligibility with her. During the 2021 Panhandle State rodeo at Hitch Arena, she won the all-around title while competing in breakaway roping, goat tying and barrel racing for Southwestern. Guymon’s setup is unique in ProRodeo, because each contestant has a fresh cow that is just out of the pasture. It’s that way in breakaway roping, tie-down roping and team roping, but Heinert had a bit of a leg up on the competition when it came time to nod her head in the Oklahoma Panhandle. “I think the key was knowing what I needed to see and being confident when I took my first shot and closed the gap,” she said. “These calves were walking fresh, but I had some calves that I needed broke in, so it was a little bit of an advantage for me to rope fresh calves that week.” She also leaned on EL Little Playboy, an 11-year-old sorrel gelding she calls Hugh. “He’s really important,” Heinert said. “It’s also really important to have confidence in him and know he’s going to give me a chance to win every time I back in the corner.” In the pecking order of her herd, Hugh is at the bottom of the totem pole. The other horses may push him around a bit, but he’s reliable when Heinert needs him to be. “That’s the most important thing,” she said. “He’s just really easy going, and that makes it easy on me when I’m ready to rope.”
propelled her to win the rodeo title in a total time of 4.6 seconds, over Conner’s 4.9. It was a clutch performance in a pen that featured fresh calves on every run. “I was definitely nervous before that final run, because I hadn’t been in that position with that much pressure,” she said. “Once I backed in the corner, it was all muscle memory.” Heinert’s first WPRA payday of the season was worth $7,561. Because of her primary post as a rodeo coach, she’s had a hectic
Sierra Heinert took care of business in the Oklahoma panhandle winning the inaugural breakaway roping at the Guymon Pioneer Days Rodeo. Heinert finished in a total time of 4.6 seconds on two head, just outlasting Josie Conner, who finished with a 4.9. This was her first WPRA payday of the season and it was worth $7,561. Photo by Dale Hirschman
28 WPRA NEWS JUNE 2023
Made with FlippingBook Digital Publishing Software