Even though McDonald County High School doesn't have a rodeo team, the school recently hosted its second signing for a student planning to attend college on a rodeo scholarship.
Callie Keaton joined Allie O'Brien in the prestigious "Rodeo Signing Club" when she recently signed to attend Oklahoma State University as a member of the rodeo team.
"It was pretty cool to have a signing," Keaton said. "I was really happy to see all my friends there and see all the support. The last person I remember seeing sign for rodeo was Allie O'Brien and I thought 'I want to sign like that one day and go to college to rodeo.'"
Keaton said she began competing in rodeo when she was little.
"Neither of my parents (Vance and Jennifer Keaton) grew up in rodeo, so I am the first generation of my family to rodeo," Keaton said. "My cousins do it, but I started at the county fair when I was three doing lead-line. I started out showing horses, but I wanted to go fast. I love the speed and the adrenaline rush."
Keaton said she chose Oklahoma State not only because of the rodeo team but for the school's reputation for its agriculture program.
"I had a lot of schools to choose from and every week I would change my mind," Keaton said. "I decided I wanted to put my academics first and I knew they had a great agriculture program. It's one of the top in the country and so I wanted to go there and they also had a rodeo team."
Keaton said she is planning to major in agricultural communications and agricultural business.
"I want to go in more of the sales and marketing field," she said.
Without a high school rodeo team, Keaton said she competes on weekends and in the summers.
"I compete in the National High School Rodeo Association," Keaton said. "I compete in Arkansas and we have six events in the fall and six in the spring, and the state finals are the first week of June. The top four get to go compete at nationals in July in Rock Springs, Wyoming."
Keaton is a three-time state champ in barrel racing and finished 12th in the world last year. She is also a two-time winner of the all-round cowgirl title in Arkansas.
"In college, I will do barrel racing, goat tying and breakaway roping, so I will have a chance to compete for the all-around title," Keaton said. "I think I have a pretty good shot."
While at MCHS, Keaton was involved in Fellowship of Christian Athletes, FFA and 4-H. She was named to the National Honor Society and earned her state FFA degree.
"I want to thank my parents and the FFA advisers for everything they have done to help me," Keaton said.
Sports on 05/23/2019