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Tuesday, December 21, 2004

Finally the week long BFA barrel race was over.   Tanya Steinhoff,  the 14 year-old from Vinita, Oklahoma, had won her 3^rd straight Youth World title and both go-rounds of the Open 4D for a grand total of $7,291.   Not bad pay for a week’s worth of riding on Dial A Red Rooster, aka “Rooster”.

Tanya and Rooster got together in June of 04 and have already blazed a path through the record books.  This dynamic duo has gathered an impressive array of winning runs and titles. 

Tanya and the Rooster certainly have a lot to crow about . . .but this young lady is not the type to brag about herself.  Appreciative, humble and thankful are adjectives that came to my mind during our interview.  She even signed autographs and seemed more grateful for the opportunity than the fans themselves.

Kenneth Springer had already interviewed Tanya but before she had time to catch her breath after the award presentation for her youth title, she stopped by the Barrel Horse World media table for a talk.  

This was my second interview with Tanya, the first being last year at the BFA after she won the Youth title at BFA.   So, what do you ask a kid who seems to hold more titles than the New York Yankees.

“ Hmm,  . . . I’ve got a tuff question and I want an honest answer.” I said to Tanya.   She looked me right in the eye preparing for the dialogue. 

“What’s your favorite food?”  I smiled.

”Anything chocolate” she laughed   It doesn’t take long to realize that this kid is well grounded . 

Before Rooster was purchased, Tanya was on a barrel racing plateau.   She was riding excellent horses but they were not comparable to Hotshot.   She proved she could win on different horses, including Danny Ray’s  famous stallion “Designer Red”.    

“When Hotshot was hurt I  kept competing because I just love to run barrels and I learned you need to take the good with bad”   Tanya wisely reflected.   “It’s just so much fun to compete it doesn’t really matter how it ends up, winning isn’t the most important thing.”

What?  Winning not that important?  You’d think this kid was consumed with winning since she does so much of it.   So I asked just what was important to her.

She answered quickly, “Respect is the most important.  You have to respect adults but also the kid’s around you and yourself”.  Wow.  What an answer.  I had to remind myself of the age of the person I was speaking with.  That left an impression with me.

What about sibling rivalry?

Tanya and her sisters Tyrney and Taylor are very close.

 “They are my barrel racing heroes.   I try to help Tyrrney with Hotshot, she has a lot of pressure on her to do what I did.   Sometimes we fight but we always get over it and support each other.   I also try not to let the negative stuff get to me and not to pay attention to it.”

Contrary to what many think, Tanya’s family didn’t set out to make her a superstar barrel racer.   In 2001 Tanya started competing on Hotshot in an attempt to help sell him for Peyton Rainey , the owner of the horse at that time.   When prospective buyers would inquire Tanya would always fret.   She and the horse had grown close.  Hotshot was her first love and the thought of letting go - literally made her sick.   

After competing on Hotshot at the August World Show in 2001 Tanya put the horse up and left for home.  The horse nickered at her as she walked away from his stall.  She knew he would be competing at the NFR, but she didn’t know she would be his next owner.   Her parents Garry and Debbie made a handshake deal with his owner Peyton  to purchase the horse when he arrived home sound after the NFR.    Tanya was not aware of the purchase and thought she was leaving her friend behind for good.   She cried all the way home to Vinita, Oklahoma.

The Steinhoffs watched the NFR every night from home.   They went to bed early and set their alarms before dawn,  to watch the live coverage of the finals.   Hotshot was tearing up the competition, carrying Janet Stover to her first World Title.   Peyton had prospective buyers waiting outside her hotel room asking her to name her price on Hotshot.   But Peyton was a lady of her word and was true to her promise to the Steinhoff’s.  She sold them her horse, as agreed.

On the last day of the NFR the Steinhoffs threw a party.  No one knew the Steinhoffs had an agreement to purchase Hotshot before the NFR.  

After Janet ran and clinched the title announcer Butch Knowles declared  “Hotshot had been sold to an 11 year old girl from Oklahoma.”    The Steinhoff house erupted in cheers and Tanya was crying while her sisters cart-wheeled around the house.  It was a moment they’ll never forget.

I asked Tanya what Hotshot meant to her.  For the first time her voice wavered.

“I owe everything to him – he’s perfect, he’ll always be perfect”.  Tanya’s mother Debbie told me “He’s  her first love and only love”.

Hotshot is still considered Tanyas.   She coaches her sister and schools her on every one of Hotshots moves.    But her feelings for Hotshot aren’t going to stop her from trying to duplicate her winning seasons with Rooster.  Her goals for the 2005 season include winning NBHA World and Josey Jr. World again.  

“Rooster is a different style horse than Hotshot.”, she explained to me,   “You need to ride him every step of the way.   When I’m running to the first barrel I’m thinking You better not duck”.  

Previous owner Nancy Powell landed in the hospital when Rooster ducked off the first barrel at a barrel race in Claremore in June.    It was after that event that Nancy considered placing Rooster in a new home and she called the Steinhoffs. 

“I’m the only one who rides Rooster cause he likes  to buck.  He hasn’t bucked me off yet and he better not!”   If there’s going to be a battle of the wills between the two I’d put my money on the kid.  

Speaking of the kids, they ride nearly every day except Sunday, even during the winter.   The Steinhoffs live on an 800 acre cattle ranch in Vinita Oklahoma and help with all the ranch chores.   The girls sort calves and have literally grown up in the saddle.  Gary, a self-described cow-trader would bring home many sale barn horses.  The girls rode every one of those horses and developed a talent of getting along with all types.  Each girl helps to run the ranch.  Even  young Taylor pitches in.

With all the traveling and celebrity barrel racer status the question could be asked.

Is Tanya a normal teenager?   Does she like the same things other 14 year olds enjoy?  I asked her a few personal questions.  Here’s what she said.

She loves Shania Twain and prefers reading Nancy Drew mystery books to watching movies, lthough she is really looking forward to seeing the new mystery movie “ A Series of Unfortunate Events”.    Her favorite food would not be typical teenager fare of Nacho Cheese Doritos and Dr. Pepper.  She prefers her Mom’s cooking.   Wednesday is reserved for youth activities at church - when they’re at home.   She tries to treat her parents with respect and loves her sisters but she also reminded me that she wasn’t perfect. 

Her clothes are conservative – and she’ll wear any brand of jean as long as they’re on sale . . . and covers what needs to be covered.  Any boot will do, but her favorite color is  pretty blue.   She was delightfully simple, but intelligent.   On recent standardized testing she ranked at a college level in several areas.

Most of all Tanya realizes she got lucky.   Not so much because she found the perfect horse.   She feels lucky to be born into a family who will develop her character as well as riding skills.

And about that Rooster crowing before she runs?

“I love the Rooster”! she exclaimed.  

It’s the closest to crowing I heard from her the entire interview.