Oxford High School junior Campbell Crouch began riding horses from a young age, and now competes across the mid-south in various rodeo competitions.

“I’ve always ridden horses and so that was a big thing for me,” Campbell Crouch said. “It was around sixth grade, I was like eleven or twelve and just started practicing racing horses at our house.”

Campbell Crouch has loved horses since she was a child, and decided to take her passion to a competitive level. Her father, Chuck Crouch, helped her transition to the next level.

“We got her involved with a rodeo series that was held in Wynne, Ark. at a cowboy church, and that was an opportunity for her to meet new people but also to just be competitive and ride horses,” Chuck Crouch said.

Campbell Crouch primarily competes in the Tennessee High School Rodeo Association. Although riding horses was not a new experience for the Crouchs, competing in rodeos was.

“It’s been really interesting because a lot of the girls that I compete against or compete with have been doing it for generations,” Campbell Crouch said. “I meet so many people from all over and you wouldn’t think that many people did it, but then you go out of Mississippi and there’s tons of people.”

When Campbell Crouch competes at out-of-state competitiond she participates in the pole benning
and barrel racing events.

“What’s fun is just that we’ve traveled all over Tennessee, Kentucky, Alabama and those trips are memories for me as a dad,” Chuck Crouch said. “It’s fun to get to spend time with your daughter, watch her hang out with new people, and see how she can take horses that could sometimes not have competed at a high level.”

Chuck Crouch acts as a coach for his daughter. They use the time together to work together to make her the best rider she can be, but the experience also grows their relationship.

“Having my dad as my coach is a different experience, but I think it has strengthened our relationship,” Campbell said. “He lives in Sardis so I don’t see him all the time, but that is the one thing that we always do together, and I think it’s definitely strengthened our relationship for sure.

Chuck has seen Campbell develop in many ways not only as a cowgirl, but also as a person.

“They [the girls she competes with at rodeos] are so good to each other and it’s been an experience just watching her grow up into a young lady,” Chuck Crouch said. “Just seeing how she treats horses and how good she is to them and she takes care of them daily is just something that’s rare, especially in Mississippi.”

Abbey Shofner, a close friend to the Crouch family, has also been able to support Campbell Crouch through her career.

“She has to take care of her horses outside of rodeos along with practicing runs with them, which takes a lot of manual labor and determination,” Shofner said. “I seriously don’t know how she manages to do all of it. I sometimes go with her to do some of the  chores around the stables and I literally can’t do half of the things she is always doing with ease.”