By CHRISTINA MUNSTER
Student Reporter
As she makes her way through the alleyway on her horse, she takes a deep breath.
She goes left to her first barrel. Clean. Kick. Kick. Second barrel. Clean. Kick. Kick. Third barrel. Clean.
She makes her way home back to the alley, and the crowd cheers her on. She pats her horse, another clean run for the third ranked Central Plains Region cowgirl.
Sara Bynum, a sophomore from Beggs, Okla. is making a name for herself representing Northwestern in National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA). She takes great pride in her two horses. Loretta, a Paint cowhorse she bought for a killer price, a blessing that has helped her climb her way to success.
Her second mount, Jelly Pie, a jet-black racetrack reject that has become a barrel horse in the making.
Every day, Sara is working her horses and working out herself.
Sara began her rodeo career through hometown play-days, coming from a family that didn’t have a rodeo background. Her parents run a Veterinary clinic in Beggs. Her success is from a mentality to never give up.
Beneath all her success, she’s been battling a fight within: Type 1 Diabetes.
When Sara was a sophomore in High School, she was rushed to the hospital, having dropped weight dramatically. After being diagnosed, she realized she needed to take care of herself and become a stronger person both in and out of the arena.
“I realized it was either going to bring me down, or I could pick myself up and could better myself,” Sara said.
Four years later, still battling the fight, she’s Top 3 in the region for NIRA and dreams of going professional in rodeo, making a living with it. Sara is proof that no matter what sets you back, if you can believe it, you can achieve it.