The upcoming Abiquiú Stampede is going to be a special one for 11-year-old Kenzie Enriquez.
Although she’s competed in the event in prior years, this is the first time she’s heading into the open division of barrel racing against adults.
“It’s sure going to be a whole different kind of feeling, running against people who are lot older than me,” she said. “I’m excited, kind of scared, but not too bad, just because I know my horse can do it.”
Rodeo has been a part of her lifestyle for quite some time as her mom, Tasha Trujillo Madrid, was the Rio Arriba County rodeo princess in 2009, then queen in 2010 and 2012. Enriquez also takes after her mom in that she was the 2023 Rodeo de Santa Fe Sweetheart and the 2024 Rodeo de Galisteo queen.
And her dad is a seventh generation rodeo rider.
“I started riding her older gelding, and then that’s just where it started,” Enriquez said. “Then I started getting into it a lot more.”
Enriquez, who lives in Abiquiú and Pecos, enjoys the Stampede rodeo, where she will also compete in pole bending and breakaway roping.
“It’s a hometown rodeo,” she said. “It’s going to be a fun time.”
The Stampede has served as a replacement for the Rio Arriba County Fair Rodeo since the Rio Arriba County Rodeo Association was established in 2021, after the previous association had been dissolved for several years, its president, Michelle Cole said.
“Our mission is to bring rodeo back to Rio Arriba County, providing a safe, supportive space for local youth to practice, compete, and chase their goals,” she said. “This year marks our third successful year hosting rodeos at the Rural Events Center in Abiquiú — but it’s also a milestone. This is the first NMRA-sanctioned rodeo hosted in our rodeo arena in several years. The last two years were open rodeos, so we’re proud to bring back an officially sanctioned event for both competitors and fans.”
The Stampede begins at
7 p.m. Friday and Saturday at the Rural Events Center Rodeo Grounds.
Events include bull riding, barrel racing, team roping, tie-down roping, saddle bronc and bareback riding, along with a calf scramble both nights, which Cole described as “a crowd-favorite where local kids get to jump in and join the fun.”
Athletes from across New Mexico and Southern Colorado are expected for the Stampede, Cole said.
Among those, Josh Valdez and his 13-year-old son Waylon Valdez of Medanales will enter the team roping event.
“It was something I did and my son has kind of been around it but when he was four or five, he mutton busted and when he was six, he wanted to start roping, so I showed him,” Josh Valdez said.
Now, dad has some pressure on him as the header because he has to do a good job to give his son a shot.
“That’s a special time when we get to rope quite a bit together,” Josh Valdez said. “Honestly, without him knowing it, I get pretty nervous, more nervous than when I rope with one of my buds. He has high expectations. I want to go out there give him the best opportunity to rope the feet. So, I get a little more nervous.”
Waylon Valdez, who also competes in the New Mexico Junior High Rodeo Association, will do tie down, while his 7-year-old sister Kinsley Valdez, will do pole bending and barrel racing.
And it might be even harder watching from the sidelines.
“Both of the them are pretty tough competitors,” Josh Valdez said. “We (along with wife Dalene Valdez) get more nervous watching my kids than when I compete. And, especially, when they have big wins, we all win as a family. We’re putting in countless hours. I work a 10-hour job, get home at 4 in the afternoon and the kids have the horses saddled. We do that Monday through Friday, when we’re not at a rodeo. So when they’re out there, we feel comfortable that they’re going to be able to compete at the highest level.”