Name: Ashley Sorenson Born: Whiting, IA 2/17/80 Residence: Bridgeport, TX Status: In Relationship Family: mom, Janet Sorenson Accomplishments: Earning a Masters in Education, training my two horses to compete at the professional level and starting my own business while keeping up with 5th graders.

1. What do you do for a living? I teach 5th grade reading, English and language arts and I have a jewelry business called Buckaroo Bangles.

2. What do you enjoy doing outside of riding? Shopping and fixing up our place in Texas.

3. How did you get started in rodeo? My mom and dad rodeod. My mom ran barrels, streer undecorated, and hazed for my dad. My dad calf roped, team roped and steer wrestled. My grandparents on my mom's side were trick riders and showed horses and grandfather on my dad's side was a founder of Iowa High School rodeos and owned some of the top cutting horses in the 1950's.I started running barrels at age 4. I competed in Little Britches, high school rodeo, and college rodeo, before joining the WPRA.

4. What is your horse's name? How old is he or she? Easy as Money, aka Crawford, a 10 yr. old gelding and Hot Poppin Lena, aka Dyna, a 6 yr. old mare.

5. How would you describe his/her style? Crawford is my outdoor horse and Dyna is my indoor horse. With Crawford, the more run he can get, the better. He kinda drops out from under me when he turns. Dyna on the other hand is the complete opposite. She drags her back end when she turns and is a free runner.

6. Does he/she have any quirks that make them unique? Crawford is addicted to treats and he hangs his tongue out of the side of his mouth. Dyna is a typical mare. I also rope on her.

7. What is your riding regiment during rodeo season? I exercise my horses every day. I have a 50 acre pasture, so I long trot one while ponying the other. I set up pop-up barrels and work on them out there too. I rope on them to, to change things up.

8. Do you have any superstitions or quirks when competing? I just try to picture the perfect run before I go.

9. Do you have any hauling partners? My boyfriend, Matt Kasner, who team ropes. In fact he is roping off of one of my barrel horses

10. What is your favorite rodeo to compete at? Guymon, OK.

11. What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you? My mom and I start all of our own horses. We like finding the "diamonds in the rough". Crawford was given to us.

12. What is your goal for this rodeo season? Fill my permit. I only have $80 dollars to go.

Want to learn more about Ashley's jewelry? Visit her website, www.buckaroobangles.com.