and I see my little girl carrying this huge six-foot flag and she just did it. It was something I will never forget.” When asked to describe her favorite events Taylor said pole bending is fun. “It is where you race down the row of poles trying to go as fast as you can,” she said. Dad added, “They weave in and out of the poles. The closer they get to them, they actually bend them. They race down and back and go for the best time.” Yet her biggest grins and excitement came when describing barrel racing and goat tail untying. “Goat tail untying is you fly down to where the goat is, jump off, and untie a ribbon on the goat’s tail,” she said. “Then you race back to the judge.” Mom said she sometimes wonders how she is going to make it watching her child participating. “I get so nervous and excited watching her in the big arena where she can look so small,” Sarah said. “Taylor doesn’t get nervous though. She just goes out there and 605.665.7762 2701 Fox Run Parkway Parkway Yankton, SD 57078 does it.” For her family, being able to be a part of Taylor’s dreams is something you can tell they treasure. “How many families can spend their summer together traveling and getting to be together like this?” asked Tyler. “We just honestly love being able to do this.” When asked what is next for Taylor, she said she is going to keep doing rodeo. The family is going to area jackpot competitions and there will be other rodeos this fall and winter. “I am training another horse, Belle,” Taylor said. “It is good to have a second horse. Doc is getting old and if he would have a bad leg or something I need a second one.” Taylor said that she wants to keep doing rodeos all the way through high-school and beyond. “I just love it.” n By Shauna Marlette Writer’s Note... I have done many interviews in my time working at the Press and Dakotan and I can honestly say interviewing Taylor ranks up there as one of my favorite interviews ever. Taylor is a smiling, confident, bubbly seven-year-old who handled being interviewed better than most adults. Her love of life, rodeo and her family came across with every word she spoke. It was a true pleasure getting to meet her and her family, and I wish Taylor nothing but success in her future. ~ Shauna Marlette careS a TE VISIONcC I Are ASSO We know how important your eye healt h iis! w how important your health s! rtan ur ealt n t At Vision Care Associates, we offer the highest quality optometric care e highest in a friendly environment environment Call today to schedule an evaluation www.visioncareassociates.net HERVOICE SEPTEMBER/OCTOBER 2014 v 7