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Name:
Julie Erkamaa
Born: Davenport, Iowa July 21,
1972
Residence: East Troy, WI for
7 years
Status: Married
Family: Husband, Michael Erkamaa
(Mikko, Finish for Michael), Son, Gavin
Bontty, age 13, Step-son, Brandon Erkamaa,
age 13, Step-daughter, Emily Erkamaa,
age 11
Member of the WPRA since: 2005
Accomplishments: 2007 WPRA Rookie
of the Year, 2007 Great Lakes Circuit
Rookie of the Year, 3 time Great Lakes
Circuit Finals qualifier
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1. What do you
do for a living?
I'm a stay at home mom and I was a certified
and registered dental assistant for 13 years.
2. What do you enjoy doing outside of riding?
I like reading and baking. It is very relaxing
for me. My friends always look for me at the
rodeos because they know I will have treats.
I'm also very involved with my children and
their school activities.
3. Name something that most people don't know
about you? I haven't been around horses
my whole life. I didn't start barrel racing
until I was 23 or 24. My mom always had horses,
but I was afraid of them since I always seemed
to get kicked or bit.
4. How did you get started in rodeo? I
went to a rodeo and was memorized by the barrel
racing. I decided to get over my fear of horses
and within a year I was barrel racing. I got
started with Sandy Brandli, a twenty time
Great Lakes Circuit Finals qualifier. She
gave me lessons and showed me the ropes. I
also got help from Marlene McRae who brokered
horses for me.
5. What has been your greatest accomplishment?
Winning both the WPRA Rookie of the Year
title and the Great Lakes Circuit Rookie of
the Year title in 2007. When I joined the
WPRA, I set that as a goal. I filled not one,
but two permits to make sure that my horses
and I were ready. In 2007, everything just
clicked for me, and with a lot of focus and
dedication, I was able to reach my longtime
goal.
6. Do you have any superstitions or quirks
when competing? If I don't do good in
a brand new shirt, I will never wear it again.
I just give them to my daughter.
7. What is your favorite rodeo to compete
at? Fergus Falls, MN They have a fabulous
hospitality tent and take care of contestants.
Their facilities are phenomenal. St. Paul,
MN is also fun and Bellevue, IA, always has
a great crowd, they are always screaming and
yelling for you. We have a lot of great rodeos
in our circuit. We have many unique pens,
so there is never a dull moment in the Great
Lakes Circuit.
8. Do you have any hauling partners? If
so who? I always go with my family, including
my husband Mikko, two sons Brandon and Gavin
and our Daughter Emily. My husband doesn't
rodeo, but he loves the horses as much as
I do. We believe that the family that plays
together stays together, so we enjoy our time
on the road together.
9. What is your favorite rodeo memory?
In 2007, Sikeston, MO, I won the Saturday
night go round and instead of getting on the
pick up horse for victory lap, I rode my horse
Gus, who I just competed on. The stands were
full and everyone cheered. Even though he
didn't want to stop at the end, it made me
feel so alive.
10. What is your horse's name? How old
is he or she? I have several horses. My
main rodeo horses are…
The Money Roll, aka "Money", a 15
year old gelding.
Tonnettes Dynamite, aka "Gus", a
15 year old gelding as well
Spraklin Fri Dee, aka "Friday",
an 8 year old gelding
11. How would you describe his/her style?
Money and Gus are solid and educated. Money
does great in deep ground and Gus excels on
hard ground, big or small pens don't matter.
I usually switch between the two, depending
on the ground conditions, but Money is recovering
from an injury, so Gus has been my main man
this year, while I work on finishing Friday's
seasoning.
12.
Does he/she have any quirks that make them
a unique partner? Gus is the sweetest
horse ever. He is very willing and gives
110 percent every time. Everyone thinks
that he is super quiet, but he can be very
aggressive. I have to be careful who I tie
him next to since he sometimes bites.
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