Kortnee Solomon is a fourth generation Texas cowgirl with a love for the sport and talent that many would think that those twice her age could possess. The eleven-year-old has made history competing at the first nationally televised Black Rodeo.
Being a cowgirl is unquestionably in Solomon’s blood. According to Because of Them We Can, her mother, Kanesha Jackson, is an 11-time invitational champion and her father is the well-known Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association tie-down roper, Cory Solomon. However, the family ties to being on the circuit don’t stop there. Solomon’s grandmother is Stephanie Haynes, an 18-time invitational champion who also serves on the Bill Pickett Invitational Rodeo board, and her late grandfather was Sedgwick Haynes, who served as general manager of the Rodeo before he passed.
Kortnee Solomon hinted to her strategy for success in an interview with The Undefeated before competing in the junior breakaway roping competition.
“Before I run, I like to be by myself and to think about what I am going to do in that run,” Kortnee said with no reservations about about being the only girl competing in the event.
Invitational CEO Valeria Cunningham told the news outlet that, “Kortnee always pushes herself and is willing to try anything because she knows what her abilities are.”
Since she made her debut at the rodeo when she was 5-years-old, of course this talented young lady and her mother, Jackson, have a ton of awards as a result of barrel racing over the years.
When The Undefeated asked about the awards and how many they have been won Jackson commented, “I don’t even know how many events I’ve won,” Jackson said. “To be a champion you have to learn to lose like you learn to win. A lot of people say, ‘Don’t give up!,’ but I think it’s deeper than that. The biggest lesson I’ve learned is how to move so that when I do lose, I can take the good from it. There’s always good and bad, but you have to stay positive.”
Congratulations to Kortnee for competing at the first televised Black Rodeo and making history in the rodeo world. We cannot wait to see what the future holds for you! To read more about Kortnee, the rodeo, and other participants, click here.
