From Crowds to Clinics A rodeo queen’s journey to veterinary medicine
By Shai Forman, Class of 2027
I didn’t grow up under the arena lights, yet the thunder of hooves and the crack of a rodeo announcer’s voice ignited a fire that carried me from the rodeo bleachers to the heart of the arena. Prescott, Arizona, is my hometown, and every Fourth of July, my family cheered at The World’s Oldest Rodeo, The Prescott Frontier Days. Those summer nights forged my love of Western sport. Years later, I returned to that very arena, not as a spectator, but as part of the opening ceremony, carrying the flag for Vold Rodeo Company, which provides its legendary bucking stock each year. In that moment, I felt the circle close as a childhood dream became reality, helping honor tradition. I’m a first-generation rodeo queen and athlete, a path I pursued purely out of passion. Over the past decade of involvement, I’ve also had the privilege of serving the state as Miss Teen Rodeo Arizona and Gilbert Days Rodeo Queen. Along with my horse, Charlie, I’ve traveled to nearly every rodeo in Arizona, representing not just a sport, but a way of life rooted in agriculture, grit, and heart. These experiences taught me more than poise in the saddle; they taught me leadership, resilience, and what it means to give back. Those lessons, blended with the perspective I gained once I stepped deep into the agriculture and rodeo industry, steered me toward a calling larger than any buckle or crown: veterinary medicine. While my focus has shifted from the roar of a rodeo crowd to the quiet study rooms at the University of Arizona College of Veterinary Medicine, every chapter of my life has happened for a reason, between animals, people, science, traditions, compassion, and community. The rodeo industry gave me my voice; veterinary medicine will let me use it for a lifetime of service. ■
VETCAT INSIDER
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