By Shyla Marshall
Moapa Valley Progress
Aspyn Civil recently brought home another World Championship from the National Little Britches Finals Rodeo (NLBFR) in Pueblo, Colorado. She competed in all seven of the junior girls events and won the World Title in the Trail Course.
The trail course is a timed event where riders must negotiate a pattern set up by the rodeo committee which includes going over a bridge, mailing a letter in a mailbox, opening, going through and closing a gate, and backing between two barrels; all of which is done on horseback. The fastest run wins.
Last year Civil competed in over 40 Little Britches Rodeos, 12 Junior High School Rodeos and also the local Wrangler Junior Rodeo Association rodeos as well. At the end of the season, a world title was “icing on the cake.”
“I was really excited to win the Junior Girls Trail Course because it is one of my favorite events!” Civil said. “This is my second world title in the National Little Britches Association; I won the Little Wrangler Flag Racing in 2004.”
With a major rain storm Friday night, the arenas were covered in standing water and heavy mud for the final go round on Saturday. “I was fortunate to be on a horse in all my events that I went back in, in the short go,” she said. “In ribbon roping, my partner, Hayley Dalton was the runner and she actually ran right out of her boots because the mud was so deep and thick.”
Along with competing in the NLBRA, Civil will begin competing in the Nevada State High School Rodeo Association (NSHSRA) this year.
Civil has many plans in place for an exciting future. “After high school I would really love to be a member on the UNLV Rodeo Team,” she said. “It is going to take a lot of hard work academically and in the rodeo arena. Afterwards I plan to go to a veterinarian school, where I would like to someday become an Equine Veterinarian.”
Civil has had a lot of support from her family and friends. She recognizes the efforts put forth to help her live her dream. “I would have to say my grandparents (Faye and Joe Rivera) are my biggest “rodeo” supporters,” she said. “They haul me all over, they pay for all my horses and rodeo expenses. They help me practice, whether its just holding goats or moving calves up to rope. I definitely wouldnt be able to compete if it werent for their love of rodeo.”
For winning the world title she received a beautiful saddle made by Cactus Saddlery, a gorgeous belt buckle made by DC Designs, a Wrangler Gift Certificate, Purina gift certificates and a $500 scholarship. She also won six other buckles for placing 2nd in the 1st go in the trail course; 2nd in the 2nd go in breakaway roping; 2nd place in the short go in trail; 1st in the average in the trail course and 7th in the short go for ribbon roping.
“I love being a member of the National Little Britches because I have been able to make friends all over the United States,” Civil said. “Its such a great family oriented organization.”
Civil and her grandparents have been on the road quite a bit this summer. “We left Moapa on June 25 to compete in the Junior High School Finals in Gallup, NM,” she said. “I didnt do as well there as I had hoped to. But it was a lot of fun!”
After that they traveled most of the month of July and finished up in Pueblo the last week of July for the NLBRA finals. “Its great to be home,” Civil said. “Im just not sure who’s happier, me or my horses!”
