ROCKVALE, Tenn. (WTVF) — Tennessee is known for a lot of things but bronc riding, a rodeo staple, is not one of them. However, that could change if Katie Coker has her way.
“For fun I like to get on thousand-pound animals and let them buck around and win money,” laughed Coker, a Rutherford County native who now calls Colorado home.
By day she’s a wrangler, taking tourists on trail rides through the mountains of Telluride. In her free time, she’s honing her bronc riding skills. It’s a new passion for her, ignited after attending a North Dakota bronc riding clinic in April. Just like the old Chris LeDooux song, she was “Hooked on the Eight Second Ride.”
“I think I start being cognizant of what's going on around 6 and a half, 7 seconds. And then hopefully, I'll hear the buzzer. And then I'm done.”
Eleven rides later, Katie cemented her spot on TEAM USA competing in the World Bronc Riding Championship at the Cheyenne Frontier Days in July.
“I was the kid that would get on anything as long as I could ride, and it just made me really sticky tough rider.”
Back home in Rockvale, Tennessee her mother can attest to that.
“With Katie you just get out of the way and make sure you are there with the camera,” said Elizabeth Coker. “She was a bundle of energy from day one.”
Katie grew up with horses, event jumping, working as a groom and riding in her front lawn. But she also proved herself a standout track and cross-country athlete at Lipscomb Academy and the University of Tennessee of Chattanooga. With a degree in biology and chemistry, her parents were a bit taken back with her latest passion.
“She could have gone the corporate route and a 9 to 5 job, gone to an office, got benefits, weekends off, nice easy you know, a safe job.”
But they were not entirely surprised either.
“She is doing what she wants to do and is her passion.”
After a mixed showing at the World Championships this year, second place after the first day but failing to stay on her horse for the full eight seconds on the second day, she has her sights set on getting more experience and another chance at the big rodeo. In the meantime, this Tennessee 24-year-old is also proud of all she’s accomplished already.
“I just put my mind to it and decided I wanted to chase this dream and made it happen.”
