A 7-year-old girl is taking the competition by storm and shattering stereotypes in the Arkansas rodeo scene with the help of her family.
There’s always going to be a cowboy ropin’ rodeo in Arkansas; on Tuesday, it was in El Paso. However, this isn’t your typical rodeo.
On Tuesday, fans witnessed what might be the world’s youngest bull rider. Laithan Dickerson, the daughter of cowboy Doc Leavy, has been riding horses since she was able to walk. But after a few years, she became interested in things other than horses.
According to Leavy, Laithan Dickerson is the only Black female bull rider in Arkansas and the youngest at the age of seven. Leavy remarked, “I know she can do it when I see her.”
“She just goes out there and gets it done.” And although though it could be scary to ride a bull, especially a young one, Laithan perseveres.
Laithan remarked, “I feel like a real cowgirl when I ride.” “I’m in there too, so let me try that,” Even though his daughter is occasionally the tiniest child in the room, Leavy said she is a tall girl.
“The guys always claim to be the toughest in the rodeo world,” Leavy stated. “When you hear a little girl that likes to ride animals like that, you encourage her to ride more and do more.”
Setting records isn’t always easy for Laithan; occasionally, she needs support from the audience, and her parents and sisters are there to encourage her. Not only does she get back on after that, but she stays on.
This past weekend, Laithan participated in a rodeo and won the gold with a trophy that was nearly as large as her. “It’s really hard sometimes, so I can’t do it,” Laithan admitted. “If I try again, I’ll always achieve my goal.”
Her dad and coach gave her the same encouragement and first push to help her develop that mindset before she stood back up to ride.
