A lifetime of hard work, dedication and living her dream has culminated in a world breakaway roping championship for Fowler resident, Tana Fellhauer. In November, Fellhauer, a 2003 graduate of Fowler High School claimed the Women's Professional Rodeo Association world title in Tulsa, Okla., by a mere two tenths of a second.
Fellhauer practically grew up on the back of a horse, first riding at the age of three years old, then competing in Little Britches Rodeo when she turned six. The daughter of Bill and Linda Fellhauer, she and her sister Becky regularly helped their dad on the family farm and ranch. Over the years, Fellhauer says she tried every event available; barrel racing, goat tying, team roping and breakaway, but always had a knack for roping. Fellhauer also trains colts and found breakaway roping was a good fit for her young charges.
In the weeks leading up to the finals, Fellhauer who was in a marginal lead by a little over $900, found herself unable to practice as much as she would have liked thanks to an unusually wet autumn. Coupled with riding a relatively inexperienced colt, she was nervous, to say the least. Fellhauer recently retired the horse she had ridden since she was eight years old, replacing him with a colt, Tex, “busted out” in March 2009. “Tex had a phenomenal year,” she expressed. “He just got better and better every run.” But, she was still worried how he would react to the crowds at finals.
Fellhauer shared she turned to her faith and drew comfort from the conviction God has a predestined design for her life. “I just knew that God already had the outcome planned and whatever happened was in His will,” she said.
Entering the finals in Tulsa, Fellhauer faced a field of tough competitors. “There were 47 women in the breakaway event, some of the toughest and best women around,” she commented. Fellhauer's primary competition though was long-time friend, Jacki Hobbs from Texas. Given each woman's season earnings, less than $1000 separated the two, and a payout of almost that amount for each round at finals, the title was easily up for grabs.
Drawing a couple of tough calves, Fellhauer's first three runs, two at 12 seconds each, and the third, a no-time, left her with no cushion entering the final round, still neck in neck with Hobbs. Hobbs set the bar high laying down a 2.3 second run. But in what Fellhauer's mother, Linda, described as a heart stopping performance, Fellhauer pulled out a 2 second run to claim the title by two tenths of a second and less than $500.
