SNOWBIRD Bird Ropes Title in Scottsdale By Joe Kusek W herever Lakota Bird finds herself, work is never far away.
If someone else is driving the rig, Bird is in the passenger seat, computer on her lap. If there is some down time, she might be found in her trailer taking care of her primary income. And sometimes during slack Bird can be found in the stands, computer propped open. “Roping and work. That’s all I do,” said the 26-year-old Canadian cowgirl. She happens to be pretty good at both. An accountant by trade, Bird found time in her schedule to win the breakaway roping at Parada Del Sol in Scottsdale, Arizona, March 10-12. Competing on her horse Dynamite for the first time in 2023, Bird won with a loop of 2.4 seconds to pocket $2,076 at WestWorld of Scottsdale.
Lakota Bird spends her winters in Arizona and her summers in Canada but she always has her rope in tow. It came in profitable at the Parada Del Sol Rodeo in Scottsdale, Arizona. Bird stopped the clock in 2.4 seconds to add $2,076 to her bank account before heading back north. Photo by Kent Soule
Only three-tenths of a second separated the top five placers. Haley Brown, of Ponca, Nebraska and Jordan Minor, of Hermiston, Oregon split second with identical times of 2.6 seconds. “I didn’t draw the best calf,” said Bird. “I saw him in slack. I knew I couldn’t be late, so I took a pretty aggressive start and pushed on the barrier. He was going pretty fast, and I caught him.” Bird divides her time between family places in Nanton, Alberta, Canada and Tucson, Arizona. Her family – father Maynard, mother Shawna and brother Logan – train tie-down roping horses. Older brother Logan is a five-time Canadian Finals Rodeo qualifier and 2017 CFR tie-down roping champion. Bird has her own credentials. While attending Central Arizona College in Coolidge, Arizona, she won Grand Canyon Region breakaway roping titles 2016-2018. She was also the region’s barrel racing and all-around champion in 2018. Bird earned her business degree from Athabasca University in Canada. In 2019, Bird became the first woman to win an all-around title at a Canadian Professional Rodeo. “I’ve been roping since I was in junior high,” she said. “Roping has always been my main passion. “I like the fact you have to work at it. It’s something the more work you put into it the better you will be. That also makes it frustrating and rewarding knowing you put in the work.” Bird thought she was done roping after competing in college, making the win a Prada Del Sol even more special.
“It’s a big deal,” she said of rodeos adding breakaway roping the past few years. “I grew up when it wasn’t a big deal. After college, I was thinking about selling my horse. I’m glad I didn’t. “Adding breakaway roping, it’s changed my life plans. I’m roping every day now.” Her constant partner has been Dynamite, registered as Gamble On A Lena. Maynard Bird originally purchased the dun horse as a prospect for tie-down roping. “I got on him and begged dad not to sell him,” said his daughter. She has ridden Dynamite at the National High School Rodeo Finals, the College National Finals Rodeo and now twice at the Canadian Finals Rodeo. “He’s fast,” she said. “I was giving Dynamite the winter off and was saving him for the Canadian rodeos. I decided to take him to Scottsdale and I’m glad I did.” Bird will return to Canada full-time in early April. She has been flying back to Canada once a month during the winter to spend a week taking care of clients. Which includes her father. “I talk to him all the time. I tell him, ‘You can’t spend that much on cattle,’ ” Bird said with a laugh. “Sometimes he listens. “I’m excited to rodeo in Canada again. I hope to have a good summer in Canada and qualify for the winter rodeos down here (United States). We’re getting better money up there. The big goal is to qualify for the Canadian Finals.”
26 WPRA NEWS APRIL 2023
Made with FlippingBook - professional solution for displaying marketing and sales documents online