APRA | Site Home

For a barrel racing cowgirl, you know you’re in the right place when the vibration of a cheering San Angelo coliseum crowd is felt through your entire body. When the surge of emotion brings tears to your eyes and you realise you’ve done it.

This is the moment Australia’s Teneille Angland recalls from her first major American rodeo with her best-mate and competition partner, Black Power, back in April ‘01.

“The little dome-building was jam-packed, it was noisy, I had goosebumps and the patriotism of rodeo is so huge here, it was such a feeling of electricity and emotion,” said Teneille.

“I think that’s part of my addiction – I’m always looking to up-it, to take it to the next level.”

After 20 years of professional rodeo competition at home, winning three Australian Professional Rodeo Association Australian Champion Titles, Tenneille was hungry to relight that fire she remembered having as a teenager competing and decided it was time set some new challenges and follow that dream.

“I could remember the drive I had for rodeo when I was younger and I wanted to feel it again, I knew that I needed to do it while the boys weren’t yet in school and while I had Black Power,” said Tenneille.

With husband Cody, and sons Rowdy and Clay by her side, Tenneille filled her permit last year, bought her card and is now in her Rookie year, sitting 10th in the standings.

After taking her first Australian Barrel Racing Champion title in 2005, Tenneille had big dreams to pursue rodeo in The States, but self-doubt and fear got in her way.

“From that first Australian title, it has eaten away at me that I didn’t head overseas,” said Tenneille.

“I think that I got to a point in my life where I wanted to stop regretting it and I had Cody backing me, telling me he’d do it with me.

“You’ve got to have someone backing you, have people in your life to encourage you, help you follow your dreams and do the scary stuff. But you also have to believe in yourself.

“Everyone’s got a quiet voice inside that says you’re good, I think you have to think you’re good – the people that are truly great believe in themselves.”

Truly great is 15-year old Black Power, the horse who has taken her from outdoor arenas in Australia to the bright-lights of American rodeo.

“To have my horse from home was what I wanted, a horse my mum and dad bred, that’s my joy,” said Tenneille.

“Black Power holds his own here, one of the biggest compliments for me, is to have women who I’ve looked up to come and tell me they like my horse – and when I get to share those stories with Dad makes me really proud.”

[ BACK ]