Working hard to win: It began at a young age
for two horse-loving sisters.
By Connie Street of the Muscatine Journal
MUSCATINE, Iowa — Life at the Leavitt ranch
near Blue Grass is not that of the typical Iowan. The daughters of
Muscatine chiropractors Richard and Heidi Leavitt devote time every day to
their passion for horses and rodeo competitions. The two pre-teen girls
spend hours each day taking care of their horses and compete most weekends
in rodeo events around the country — sometimes traveling all night to get
from one rodeo to another. The parents coach the girls and haul them
around the country. Sometimes mom and one daughter go one direction and
dad and the other girl going another. During a recent weekend, Mesa
Leavitt, 10, competed and finished first in three rodeo barrel races for
youngsters and adults in Missouri, Oklahoma and Illinois. This weekend,
she is at Ottawa, Ill., Isanti, Mich., and Lincoln, Neb.
Her younger sister, 8-year-old Shiloh, won the world championship in the Little
Wranglers Pole Bending contest at the 2005 Little Britches Rodeo at
Pueblo, Colo. the barrel race, the flag race, pole bending and goat tying
during the 10-day event. Mesa is the winner of the 2006 Josey Junior World
Championship Junior Division for the second consecutive year. She is the
second rider to ever win the title back to back. Mesa and her horse,
Junior’s Genuine Doc, were also winners of the 2006 Josey Reunion Round-Up
1st & 2nd Go Rounds and won the junior championship at the 2005 AQHA
Congress. The rodeo season is barely under way and Mesa has already won
more than $40,000. Shiloh has won around $4,000 this year. The girls also
numerous other prizes to their credit.
Tim Gentry, editor of Pro Rodeo
News, said that even adults winning that much money are in an elite group.
He said the best rodeo performers usually grow up in an equine
environment, and are often “on horseback before they can walk.” Richard
Leavitt, a former pro rodeo competitor, said both girls were about 3 days
old the first time they sat on a horse. They’d been riding horses for
pleasure, but got serious about competing in December 2003 after watching
the National Rodeo Finals. After returning home, Mesa told her parents she
wanted to ride in barrel races. Although her parents were leery, her
Christmas present that year was a barrel horse that was later injured and
lost an eye.
Mesa won several races in 2004 riding her one-eyed horse.
Gentry’s description fits Mesa and Shiloh: “Being familiar with
horsemanship is a part of their lives,” Gentry said. “The experience gives them horse knowledge — reading,
handling, training and correcting the horses.” Richard Leavitt enjoyed “ropin,’
reinin’ and cuttin’.” He bought the 160-acre farm northeast of Muscatine
for horse breeding and hoped his daughters would show the horses. When the
girls chose different interests — Mesa’s passion for barrel racing and
Shiloh’s love of rodeos — Richard and Heidi told them they would have to
take the responsibility for their animals. They have — with no complaints,
their parents say. A typical day starts at about 6 a.m. with the girls
feeding the horses and cleaning their stalls. Then it’s time for their own
breakfast followed by school studies until about 8 a.m. (they’re
home-schooled). About 8:30, after doing their chores, it is back to the
barn where the girls groom the horses and check them for any stiffness,
swelling or soreness before saddling them up and exercising them.
Afternoons mean going to their parents’ office where the girls participate
in more schooling. Back home in the evening, they practice their riding
skills. “This is where you win your races,” said Richard. When the girls
and horses are together, it is a time to learn trust. “You have to trust
your horses for them to do good,” said Mesa. According to Richard, winning
races is a 50-50 proposition. “You’ve got to have a good horse,” he said.
“The rider guides the horse. They are a team.” Richard Leavitt credits
veterinarian Doug Anderson of the Cedar Ridge Equine Clinic in Davenport,
for keeping the horses in good shape, often working into the night before
a rodeo. Although Anderson has never seen the girls race, he has been
working with the family for about six years.
“The races are hard on a
horse’s hind legs and front feet,” Anderson said. “We check them over to
make sure they are not sick or lame.“ He describes the girls as “very
special.“When they bring in a horse, the girls are right there working
with me. Not many kids that age do that,” Anderson said. “They really take
an interest and are always asking questions.” Mesa said she loves barrel
racing because it is fast. “She likes it because it is hard, and she wants
to race against the best,” her dad said. Shiloh participates in several
events, but said she likes pole bending best “because it is more
complicated.” Shiloh wants to be a professional singer when she grows up.
In the future, she hopes to sing the national anthem when Mesa races at the National Finals Rodeo. “We ask them often, Do you still want to do this?” Richard Leavitt said. “The answer is always yes.”
Mesa’s competition highlights
2004
- North Liberty Youth Rodeo Series Champion
- Ottumwa Youth Rodeo Series Champion
- Double B Youth Rodeo Series - Champion and All-Around Cowgirl
- Coggon Youth Rodeo Champion
2005
- Josey Junior World Junior and Overall Champion
- Congress Senior Open Barrels Champion
- Congress Youth Barrels Top 5
- National Barrel Horse Association Great Lakes Nationals Youth Champion & Top 3 Open
- Iowa Rodeo Cowboys Association Rookie of the Year and Finals Champion
- Double B Arena Youth Rodeo Series Champion
- All-Around Cowgirl Ottumwa Youth Rodeo Barrels and Pole Bending Champion
- Coggon Youth Rodeo Barrel and Pole Champion
- Leon Youth Rodeo Series Pole Bending Champion
- Barrel Bash Champion
- Won eight rodeos IRCA and one in IPRA
- Chevy Shootout Barrel Racing Champion
2006
- Won first- and second-round Josey Reunion Round-up
- Josey Jr. World Jr. and Overall Champion
- National Barrel Horse Association Great Lakes Nationals Youth Champion and Top 3 Open
- All-American Youth Champion
- Race for the Rockies World Barrel Racing Champion
- Big D Guarantee Champion
- Columbia, Mo., Barrel Bash Open and Youth Champion
- Lincoln, Neb., Barrel Bash Champion
- IPRA International Professional Rodeo Association Rookie of the Year
and World Champion.
(The only person to ever win both titles in the same year and tied for the youngest to ever be IPRA World Champion. She has won 11 International Professional Rodeo Association rodeos and placed at seven more (This is women’s professional barrel racing rodeo circuit)
- Her great horse San Jo was named "Horse of the Year"
2007
- BBR Better Barrel Races World Champion
Shiloh’s competition highlights
2004
- Double B Youth Rodeo Reserve Champion — barrels and poles
- Ottumwa Youth Rodeo Top 3 barrels and Reserve Champion poles
- Coggon Youth Rodeo Reserve Champion — barrels and poles
- North Liberty Reserve Champion — barrels and poles
2005
- Won 13 Little Britches Rodeos
- Won Little Britches World Championship in Poles, won first and second go-rounds in poles and barrels at Little Britches World Finals
- Reserve Champion Double B Arena — barrels and poles
- American Quarter Horse Youth Association Illinois Reserve Champion — barrels
- Ottumwa Youth Rodeo Reserve Champion — poles and barrels
- Chevy Shootout Top 5
- Heartland Nationals top 5 Open and Top 3 Youth
2006
- Top 20 Josey Junior World
- Won 16 Little Britches rodeo events, 6 times All-Around Cowgirl
- Headed to Little Britches World Finals this week and will compete in barrel racing, pole bending, goat tying, and flag racing.
Both girls have also won numerous smaller events around the Midwest. All of us here at the Josey Ranch are so proud of all our students. Mesa and Shiloh have both supported our sponsors by riding in Martha Josey Circle Y Ultimate Saddles, wearing their Troxel helmets, and using Hy-Flex by United Vet Equine. Both of Mesa's horses were purchased through the Josey Ranch. Jr. was once ridden by Sherry Lynn Johnson, daughter of Cheryl and Savoy Rosser.
San Jo was ridden by Kara Martin, wife of Team Josey instructor Chris Martin. This is our 40th year of teaching clinics and were so very proud of all our students who have excelled. We hope you all of you have a great year and many, many more to come. When You Win, We Win!
