Kellie Collier grew up rodeoing and is the first in her family to take the step towards a Gold Buckle. Her mother grew up rodeoing through college and Collier grew up on horses. It is a lifestyle for her and something that she loves.
Looking back, the horse that helped make Collier the barrel racer that she is, is a sorrel named Oscar. Collier’s mother bought the horse and Collier and him clicked from the get-go.
“We clicked instantly and he seriously made barrels so fun for me, I think that’s what originally made me love running barrels,” Collier said about Oscar.
She has competed in roping events and she has tied goats but Oscar made barrels Collier’s event of choice.
Winning was the only option that Collier gave herself and that was motivation enough to push her to qualify for Junior High Finals, High School Finals, College Finals and eventually in 2017 the National Finals Rodeo. Collier qualified for the NFR on a horse called Lolo and although she has since retired and is a broodmare, Collier credits the mare to starting her professional rodeo career.
“She is who started this all for me, started this pro rodeo thing for me and got me to be who I am and got my sponsors to support me. I really, literally owe it all to her,” Collier said.
Collier says that Lolo was her own horse, she didn’t need a buddy and she was fine with just Collier or her mother around, making her Collier’s once in a lifetime horse. Their bond is something that is special. Lolo has her quirks but her abilities in the arena and the confidence that she gave Collier made her worth it.
Since Lolo’s retirement, Collier has learned how tough professional rodeo can be but she chooses to look at the other horses that she is getting on and the opportunities she has as positives. She says they are making her a better rider and a better competitor.
Collier’s current horse is Salty. Collier says that Salty’s personality is nothing like Lolo’s, Salty is sweet and loving but their styles and grit are very similar.
“I think it takes that. I think it takes a horse to have that heart and that want to to win. A horse can have all the talent in the world and if they don’t have the heart and the want to as much as you do, it just doesn’t work out here. It’s too tough,” she said.
The horsepower that goes up and down the road is incredible and Collier is back on the way to success with Salty.
