r captured the title of 1-D Champion this summer at the Waller County Summer Series in Hempstead, Texas. At the age of 16, Karie is no stranger to rodeo and barrel racing – she is one of Sharron and Ricky Carpenter’s four daughters. With a barrel-racing mom and a bull-riding dad, Karie was destined for a life in rodeo. Her sister, Katie Jo, also frequents the rodeo and barrel racing scenes as a member of the Sam Houston State University Rodeo Team. The younger Carpenter girls, Kasie and Kallie, look forward to a future in rodeo as soon as they can get their hands competitive horses to take down the road!
Currently, Karie is a senior at Waller High School where she plays varisty volleyball and shows broilers in the FFA chapter. As a member of the Beta Club, the national high school honor society, she frequents the honor roll and ranks 4th in her class. When Karie is not studying or participating in school activities, she competes in CPRA-sanctioned rodeos and in THSRA Region 9 where she has qualified for state every year. Her accomplishments include 1998 Waller County Junior Rodeo Queen and this summer’s Caldwell Youth Rodeo Champion – she was awarded saddles for both titles. Karie won her first saddle in the South Central Novice Horse Association at the tender age of 8 and she is still going strong!
When asked about her success, Karie contributes her achievements to mental preparation. She believes that having a positive attitude and self confidence is half the battle. The other half is physical preparation – practice, practice, practice. Just like any other athletic sport, training is an integral part of barrel racing.
In March, Karie purchased a cutting horse which she currently competes on – Jo Lena Doc (Sanjo for short). After countless hours and days of practice, they have come together to form a winning team. For those of you just getting started or experiencing a little tough luck, Karie says to believe in yourself and keep trying!
Karie looks forward to attending Texas A&M University and majoring in Agricultural Law. She also plans to compete on the A&M Rodeo Team and help them continue their winning streak. Without doubt, this young lady will succeed at anything she attempts to accomplish. Karie Lynn Carpenter has a bright future ahead of her, and she will be hot on the rodeo trail for years to come!