Ellie Covington has overcome some obstacles to get where she is in her high school rodeo career. With one more in front of her, she isn’t going to let it stand in the way of her college pathway.
Covington signed her letter Sunday to continue her rodeo career at Tarleton State University in Stephenville, Texas. Sunday’s ceremony came in front of a packed room of Kentucky High School rodeo competitors, friends, and coaches at the Muhlenberg County Ag Expo.
Covington, who is homeschooled in Christian County, competes on the Kentucky High School Rodeo Association circuit and was in the top five in points this season in breakaway roping and pole bending and sat near the top 10 in barrel racing. That put her in the top ten in the all-around cowgirl category for the state in her class.
For Covington, she’s been horse riding since she was six or seven years old and got involved in rodeo five years ago.
It hasn’t always been easy for Covington. She had to overcome an injury to her horse early in her rodeo career and will now have to rehabilitate herself after a recent knee injury. She sees her upcoming rehabilitation as a minor setback and doesn’t plan to let it get in the way of her rodeo future.
She will be heading to one of the largest rodeo teams in the nation. Tarleton has nearly 150 student members and has won eight national championships and 29 individual championships since the program was formed in 1947.
Covington plans to study pre-veterinary medicine in the equine field.
