IFYR Profile: Barrel racer from Tuttle

A Tuttle cowgirl who normally competes in barrel racing events against her mother in open rodeos will have a different experience in Shawnee this week as her mother watches and cheers from the stands during the International Finals Youth Rodeo.
Tanna Alonso, 18, is a recent graduate of Bridge Creek High School. She comes from a rodeo family — her dad competed in team roping and her mother in barrel racing.
In fact, her mother, Kim Roberts, trains horses and still competes in barrel racing. The mother and daughter often compete against each other in open rodeos, nearly every weekend, she said.
That won’t be the case at this week’s rodeo for high school age students, where Alonso is making her first IFYR appearance.
She and her horse, Yeller, who she trained herself, will be focused on their barrel racing task.
When she’s making a run, Alonso said she tunes out everything else and “kicks and pushes” for a good run.
Alonso plans to stay active in the open rodeo circuit. She is currently working as a hair stylist in Newcastle, where she can choose her own hours. The job gives her time to compete in future rodeos, where there’s no doubt she and her mother will face each other again. But for this rodeo, her mom is a fan.
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Kim Morava may be reached at 214-3962 or kimberly.morava@news-star.com.