Choosing Not to Rodeo on Sunday

This is my response I wish I had when people ask me why I don't rodeo on Sunday. I probably gave a four syllable answer, along the lines of I'm a Mormon, but that isn't a fantastic answer.

This is in NO WAY intended to say that Mormons who rodeo on Sunday are bad, or that I am better than them, or anything along those lines. This is why I choose not to compete on Sundays in the season.

First of all, when I was in grade nine, my dad said we wouldn't go on Sundays. If I would've fought him in this, he probably would have let me go. He told me if I didn't go on Sundays, I would be blessed. My naïve grade nine mentality thought this meant I would do well in rodeo simply because I didn't compete on Sunday. This was not the case. I didn't qualify for provincials in grade nine, and I was sure it was because I had only gone to the rodeos held on Friday and Saturday, and I wasn't totally sure if I ever would qualify for provincials, but that was alright with me at that point.

In grade ten, I qualified for provincials in one event tied for tenth. (They take the top ten in each district.) I then qualified for the Canadian High School Finals, which is the top six in each province. This was a huge testimony builder to me, and I continued to work hard to improve in the sport I love.

I used Hanna's horse for the fall of grade eleven, then I started hauling my own mare in the spring. Needless to say, it took us a few rodeos to get on the same page, and I fell down continuously in the breakaway standings. I was still for sure going to qualify in goat tying, but I was hoping to qualify in both events. It didn't look like it was going to happen. In fact, my dad told me even if I won the last rodeo, I wouldn't have had enough points to make it in the top ten, and I had nothing to lose. I won the final rodeo, and ended up tied for tenth again headed to provincials. The final rodeo of the season was snowed out, and so I made it. (My dad was a little off in his calculations, thank goodness.)

Provincials came, and I had a goal to make it to Nationals. I thought if I was going to go, it would be in goats, since I was seeded higher in that event.

On the last day, I knew I had to catch my last calf in breakaway to have a chance to win the average and hopefully qualify for Nationals. I did that, and I just went to get ready for goat tying, which was next. The girl who won Alberta came over, super excited for me, and told me I qualified to go. I was shocked; I had no idea I would qualify after coming in to provincials in last place. Literally. Last.

Nationals was fun, I learned so much about competition and personal growth and the opportunities available in this fantastic sport. I did alright in the second run, and felt confident going into Canadians.

I don't know why, but I was so excited for Canadians. I couldn't sleep the night before, I was shaking with excitement when we pulled in. I had been there before, and was ready for the competition.

I was one of three girls to catch two calves, I was third high call for the final round. I caught my calf, and waited to see how the other two girls would do. They both missed, and I was shaking again. I didn't stop shaking for a solid twenty four hours after that run. Multiple people asked me how it felt to be the Canadian High School Finals Breakaway Champion. My response was it felt good, it felt like everything I had been doing for years finally paid off.

The fact that I qualified for provincials was a testament to me that I was blessed for not competing on Sundays. Then I qualified for Nationals, and I could not deny the Source of my success.

Yes, it does put me at a disadvantage to only compete and roughly half of the rodeos in the regular season.

Is it worth it to me? Absolutely. Would I change it? No. Why is this my answer? It all comes down to one truth.

Rodeo is what I do, it's not who I am. I am a daughter of God, and I love Him with my entire being. I would do anything for Him. I wouldn't choose to rodeo on Sunday now, because for me, that means I would change my relationship with Him and His Son, Jesus Christ, and there is nothing, nothing, that would be worth that for me.

There are tons of quotes from General Authorities about keeping the Sabbath Day holy. I think it must be pretty important, it's listed in the commandments along with "Do not kill," and things like that. I'll share a couple of my favorite quotes.

The first one comes from Quenton L. Cook. He said, "Keeping the Sabbath Day is a refuge from the storms of this life." A refuge! How cool of a promise is that?!

Henry B. Eyering said, "When you do your part, the Lord adds His power to your efforts." I know this is true with my entire being.

I love rodeo, I love the rush, I live for the next run. But the high from competing is nothing compared to the love I feel from my Heavenly Father.

I know that my Redeemer lives, what comfort this sweet sentence gives!

Because I have been given many opportunities in life, as well as in this sport, I feel I should give, too. The Sabbath Day is something I give to my Savior, and that is why I choose not to rodeo on Sunday.