Taking the Reins

Those who never grow out of playing in the sandbox grow up to be horsemen. This reigns true for National Reined Cow Horse Association’s (NRCHA) Communications Manager Stephanie Duquette. Duquette merged her lifelong passion for horses with her talents in media when she assumed the Communications Manager position in 2012. Her involvement in the equine industry, however, began long before that.

Growing up, Duquette was “the crop out horse lover” in her family. First interested in Arabian reining horses, her parents saw the importance horses play into setting goals and teaching core values and encouraged her to pursue her passion.

“(My father) instilled the notion into me,” Duquette remembers, “that whatever you do, be really good at it and you will be successful.”

Despite her passion for Western performance horses, Duquette did not plan for her career to be in the equine industry. She attended Willamette University, a small liberal arts college in Oregon’s capital city Salem. While she was in school, she received an internship to cover Oregon state politics and focused her goals toward a career in broadcast journalism. Straight out of college, Duquette received a job in radio news and started to climb the corporate ladder, but she felt like there was something missing.

“I discovered to be successful and actually make a living wage, you have to live in a major urban area with a huge market and that just wasn’t my style,” Duquette explains. “I didn’t want to live in a giant apartment, go to work in a high rise, and see streets and no horses.”

Duquette adjusted her sails and shifted her focus back to her first passion-- horses.

Prior to the NRCHA, Duquette says, “I was a freelance writer for the horse industry. I wrote for several publications including The Quarter Horse News. I freelanced quite heavily for them and was the Reined Cow Horse section editor.”

Duquette began to get involved with the NRCHA by working at the major shows for Pro Management, the contracted management company that oversaw the NRCHA administration prior to 2012.

Duquette explains that, “2012, the time that I came on board, was when the association moved away from contracting that management company to an in house staff that reported to the board. (…) I was known in the industry as someone who had those skills. It all just kind of meshed.”

As Communications Manager, Duquette is responsible for video production and promotional elements of the association as well as print media. NRCHA’s magazine, Reined Cow Horse News, is edited and published by Cowboy Publishing Group and is a reflection of Duquette’s dedication.

“I am a major contributor and liaison for the association in making sure the content is staying on message and true to our mission, values, and branding.”

Maintaining press relations with the industry’s media, opening communications with the membership, and creating avenues to invite new audiences are just a few more hats this cowgirl wears.

“To me, it is all of the things that I find fun, the things that come easily and something to be involved in. I couldn’t really have written a scenario better for me,” Duquette explains joyously.

Growing the association and inviting new participation while maintaining the vaquero-rich tradition is a major priority for both the association and Duquette.

Part of this initiative is inviting National High School Rodeo contestants to get a taste of the sport during their regular rodeo season. The goal- to introduce the next generation of athletes to the sport where “tradition is not forgotten.”

Duquette is taking the reins, along with the rest of the NRCHA team, and steering the association toward a bigger and brighter future.

“There is a lot of competition out there for those recreational rider’s dollars. We want to establish ourselves as the most fun place to spend those dollars and a place where people want to spend that time,” Duquette explains.

Along with bringing new riders into the sport through high school rodeo, Duquette is focused on connecting to members in other Western performance disciplines to expand the reined cow horse audience.

Alvin Fultz, the owner of cutting horse stallion sensation Metallic Cat, was introduced to the reined cow horse sport at the 2015 Snaffle Bit Futurity, the Super Bowl of reined cow horse events. His stallion’s offspring were top sellers in the two year old sale and multiple offspring made the futurity finals.

Duquette recalls, “(Fultz) was looking at that sport and going wow, this is really unbelievable. So he made an incentive donation, an extra $10,000 to the highest scoring Metallic Cat offspring in the finals at the Stallion Stakes in March.”

Bridging gaps and strengthening ties between the cow horse industry and similar performance horse industries is just the first step for the ambitious professional. Keeping the organization at an elite level is a goal she strives for daily. Customer service in number one and a quality presentation is not optional.

“(We want to make sure) we are doing a good job servicing those people-- making sure our website is functional and easy to navigate, making sure our webcast is up and running and user friendly, and making sure that once we invite that contact, we are making it a good one.”

The reined cow horse sport is the best kept secret in the equine industry. Three uniquely challenging events make for the grittiest competitors on dirt. With talent and fierce competition also comes a down-to-Earth family of riders.

“When you put that single cow in the pen and go down the fence, it can humble the two million dollar riders just as easily as it can humble the person just starting to do it,” Duquette says.

In an eye opening, adrenaline rushing format, the reined cow horse sport also teaches important values to its contestants from the youth divisions to the open, professional riders.

“You don’t advance in this world by stepping on your peers. You advance by lifting up the people around you. It’s just such an important core value and it’s played out here, day after day,” Duquette says admiringly. “I mean, this is a point of pride to be associated with.”

This is a sport for all kinds, from the experienced rider whose career is training horses to the youth riders starting out in 4-H. This sport is a passion for weekend riders who want to escape their 9-to-5 world to folks who grew up in the city but always had horses in their blood.

“I am invested in this association for several reasons,” says Duquette. “It’s the type of riding that I am passionate about. I have gotten to know these people and I consider them friends, people I admire and respect. (…) This group of people are so amazing. I couldn’t possible work with a better group of people.”