09/06/2026
That’s a wrap on our 2026 Rodeo Academy season. 🤍🐴
Posting our year-end final standings feels a little bittersweet. This program has grown into so much more than lessons and rodeos. It has become a community of kids, families, coaches, helpers, horses, and so many incredible people behind the scenes who make the whole thing possible.
There are so many people I need to thank.
First, to my sidekick Sydney Delay, thank you for answering any and all questions, keeping things organized, and quite literally being half of my brain, not just through Rodeo Academy season, but all year long. I truly don’t know what I would do without you.
To David, thank you for listening to every idea I come up with, supporting all of the chaos that comes with it, and occasionally pretending you don’t notice when another horse or saddle somehow appears in the yard. 😂
To my brother Kyle, thank you for helping with the ground this season and for always jumping in to help with whatever needs to be done around the ranch.
To my sister , for being the greatest sister and support system.
To my parents, they planted this dream in a round about way and have done everything in their power and resources to support it.
To the Salle family, my second family for all of my nonsense requests. Thank you so much for everything you do for us on the ranch.
To our incredible coaches, Nevaeh, Chae and Stella, thank you for the time, patience, heart, and energy you pour into every student. These kids are so lucky to have people who care so deeply about their success both in and out of the arena.
To all of our lesson help, thank you for working endlessly through the heat, helping students, catching and saddling horses, keeping everything moving, and making sure our horses are cared for. So much of what happens here simply would not happen without you.
A huge thank you to our prize sponsors, The Horse Barn and Western Outfitters. Being able to reward these kids for their hard work is so special, and seeing the smiles on their faces when they receive their prizes never gets old.
To all of our parents, thank you for supporting your kids’ dreams. In doing that, you are also supporting mine. It is truly my passion to match these kids with horses, help them build confidence, and watch both horse and rider grow together throughout the year. Getting to be a small part of that journey is something I will never take for granted.
And of course, none of this would be possible without my incredible string of horses. They are the heart of this program, and I am endlessly grateful for every one of them.
Thank you to the amazing people who help keep them feeling their best: Kathy Blackwing, for making sure our saddles fit properly and helping keep everyone comfortable in their bodies; Zander, Mike and Sam, for keeping their feet balanced and helping them feel their best from the ground up; and Kamloops Large Animal Vet and Billy Hodge for taking such good care of everything else along the way. It truly takes a team to keep this many horses happy, healthy, and able to do their jobs.
I also need to give a very special thank you to my childcare and amazing babysitters. This entire dream would be impossible without you.
One of the most incredible things is that I can step outside, go do what I love, and know that the two people I love most in the world are also having the best time and being so well cared for during those hours. Thank you Nevaya, Joanna, Carys, Amelia, Meg, Sophie, Sam, Kyle, and everyone in between who has stepped in and helped throughout the year. You make it possible for me to be a mom and still continue building something I care so deeply about.
And finally, thank you to every student and family who trusted us with another season. Watching these kids become better riders, stronger horsemen, more confident competitors, and good teammates is what makes all of the long days worth it.
While our Rodeo Academy season has officially come to an end, our Elite Team is just gearing up for the two weekends they have been working toward all season. 🤍
Next weekend, they will head to the Canadian Barrel Racing Finals in 100 Mile House, followed by the BC Barrel Racing Finals in Kamloops the weekend after.
These riders have put in so much work, time, and dedication throughout the year, and I am incredibly excited to watch them step into these final two weekends and represent Erin Valley. We are so proud of them already and cannot wait to cheer them on as they finish out their season.
We have already had lots of messages about 2027 registration. Registration will open in November, with early registration available to past participants. If you are interested in the 2027 Elite Team, please reach out spots will be limited and they tend to fill quickly.
From the bottom of my heart, thank you. I feel incredibly blessed, incredibly grateful, and very lucky to get to call this my job.
Congratulations to all of our competitors on an amazing season. 🤍
Here are your 2026 Erin Valley Rodeo Academy Year-End Final Standings! 🏆
