Since Wessington Springs High School senior Hannah Heezen (pictured at right) was 10-years-old, she and her family have traveled hundreds of miles each year to attend breakaway clinics to help her improve at the rodeo sport she loves.
“From Wessington Springs, you usually have to travel quite a ways to attend one of these clinics,” Heezen said. “That’s when the idea came to me, why not host one closer to our community so more kids from the area could have this experience?”
With her idea and the help of mentor, Wessington Springs woman Kari Fagerhaug, Heezen set out to book clinic instructors Carole Hollers and Zeann Golliher and secure the location of James McCord’s barn in White Lake.
“Each kid paid $450 to cover expenses of instructors and barn fees and I also had sponsors,” Heezen said. “Each attendee got a H&H Ag Solutions t-shirt plus Double D sponsored elastic rope holders for saddles. Bank West sponsored $200 toward food and expenses.”
Heezen said that the most challenging aspect of planning the event was dealing with the constantly moving parts.
“One day we only had eight kids then we had over 15, then ended up with 12,” she explained. “I learned to accept all the support people are willing to give you. My Uncle Chad Heezen helped run calves through, my Dad Brett ran the chute, my Mom Melanie and Aunt Tresa made walking tacos and hot beef and Kari helped me round out all the details.”
After many weeks of organizing and planning, Heezen held the clinic on Friday and Saturday, November 3 and 4. Twelve total students from the region enrolled in the clinic including WSHS students Raylee and Ryan Fagerhaug and Caroline Witte, who for her senior project held a breakaway jackpot in conjunction with Heezen’s clinic on Sunday, November 5.
In addition to providing a positive experience for area students, Heezen said this project eliminated her fear of asking people for help.
“It taught me how to reach out to people — and that for the most part, everyone is more than willing to help.
Heezen said most of the attendees said they are interested in a spring clinic, which Heezen said she is considering hosting, especially because for her, the experience was so rewarding.
“One girl had her firstever catch then we all did a victory lap with her,” Heezen recalls with a smile. “That was my favorite — throughout the whole clinic I got to see kids accomplish new things, improve and grow overall.”