Anisa Joseph



My name is Anisa Joseph, I am fifteen years old and I live in Marina, California. I have been with Riata Ranch for three years and it has become a large part of my life. Over the past three years I have learned so much about horses, performance, life, and myself. Before coming to Riata I was not very focused. From the very first day I came to the Ranch I have been taught to have a goal and follow it until you achieve it. One of the best examples of this is learning how to rope. I had an extremely hard time roping, and I really had to work at it. If it was anything else, I probably would have put it down and walked away from it, because I did not like doing anything I was bad at, and I did not like people knowing that I could not do something. Riata enthralled me though, so I knew that I had to get roping down before I could advance in the program. For hours everyday I worked at the roping until I started to excel and to really enjoy it. Not only did this experience teach me focus, but it also taught me to ....search out things I am not good at and work at them until I can do them, instead of walking away and trying to avoid them. I was also horrible at controlling my emotions. If I was mad or sad, everyone would know. Performing has taught me to handle my emotions by dealing with stress and having to adapt to different atmospheres. When you are around horses, you cannot get flustered or angry because it makes your horse nervous. I have learned to be composed no matter what is happening, because it always better to be able to think and concentrate during a stressful situation than to be flustered. My favorite thing about Riata is that it gives you lots of responsibility and independence. You are responsible for everything you do. I love that because no one can blame anyone else for her mistakes. We learn to rise up and accept our mistakes and to learn how to correct them quickly. To prevent these mistakes we have to learn to pay attention to detail and to think fast. I am so blessed to be involved in this program and whenever I am with Riata I imbibe everything around me. I love everything about Riata Ranch, and everything that I learn at Riata helps me with my everyday life.

Brandi Phillips



Hello! Welcome to our website! Thank you for stopping by, my name is Brandi Phillips. I have been with Riata Ranch for six years. I’m 18 years old, and I am from Visalia, Ca. What I like about Riata is of course the performing and traveling, but that can only last so long untill you look for something more. At Riata we get a lot more out of it than just learning about our equine companions. We learn about ourselves. Who we are, and what kind of people we want to be. I am a team captain and have had to learn patience and how to lead without demand, but with respect. I have had to learn to motivate my team mates in making themselves better and to not settle for medeocracy. I have also learned many things about myself. I’ve gone through a lot in my life so far, more than the average teenager. Riata has helped me overcome the adversities in my life and to better myself as a person so that I can and will become a confident adult. A Riata girl is a special person. It’s not for everyone. We demand a lot. Its hard. Its frustrating, and sometimes you just want to quit and give up. But a true Riata girl never quits. We demand Class, Grit, and u better be Tough. The horses and performances are what motivates us to come out everyday, but it’s the values that we obtain that keeps us at the magical place where girls and horses work together to inspire many young lives.

Ashley Phillips      

Hello, my name is Ashley Phillips, I am 12 years old, and I’m from Visalia, CA. I have been with Riata Ranch for 6 years. Riata has changed me in so many different ways. I especially have learned to have confidence in myself and what I do. I am no longer really shy like I used to be. Now I can walk up to a group of people and introduce myself. I have rode many different horses but the main ones were Geneva, Sundance, Buddy, and now Cisco. When I first began Riata, the first horse I ever trick rode on was Geneva. She was an Appaloosa. Then I rode Sundance. He was given to Riata by a man named Angelo Iodece who was a very good trick rider. Sundance and I had a great bond and I was able to trust him very well. He is no longer alive but i will always remember him. After Sundance I was riding Buddy. He is a great horse but he is different. Buddy is the youngest horse that we have at Riata. He is such a fun and his name says it all, he really is a great buddy.
     
Now i am moving to a horse named Cisco. It is going to be a challenge since no horse is a like, but I’m ready for it. Riata also does trick roping. Roping is a lot harder then trick riding. It is very hard. There are four roping levels which are Red, White, Blue, and Silver. I am on the Blue test. The levels get harder and harder as you go. Some of the shows that I have been to are the Woodlake Rodeo, The Santa Maria Elks PRCA Rodeo, The California State Fair, The California Rodeo Salinas, The Del Mar National horse show, and many others. Riata has taken me beyond anywhere else, it has changed my life.

Brisa Aguilera

Hi my name is Brisa Aguilera. I’m 11 years old and I’m from Julian California. I’ve been with Riata Ranch for 2 years and I love it! Right now I’m learning how to do the backbend trick. It’s very fun, but when you start going it’s a little scary. Even though it’s scary at times, you have to keep your hopes up because otherwise something bad might happen. So I’m determined to practice it and hopefully do it in a show one day. Backbend comes a little easier to me because I do gymnastics. Right now I’m a level 6 gymnast. It’s very good for this program especially for the trick riding part. It’s not all about the trick riding though, there is also general riding and roping. I’m not very good at the roping part, but I’m still learning. Riata Ranch has taught me so much! Like how to sit like a lady, how to shake people’s hands and other things. Riata Ranch has changed my life so much and I hope I can be with Riata for the rest of my life.

Bec Circosta

Hello everyone! My name is Bec Circosta and I’m from Perth, Western Australia. Being at the age of 22 and already having some life experience behind me, I came to a point in my life where I needed to aspire for something greater. My involvement with the Riata Ranch Cowboy Girls began in 2007, when the team were performing in a show called ‘Spirit of the Horse’. This show took place in my home town and it was there that I met the girls and saw my chance to take my own experiences to a new level! Already having a detailed background in the horse industry, from western pleasure to campdrafting, I could really appreciate what the girls were accomplishing. In the arena they were unforgettable. Their amazing performance, from trick riding to trick roping, was nothing I had ever seen before and then I got to meet each girl on an individual level. I learnt that Riata Ranch was not only a trick riding and trick roping program, but it also allowed each girl to be a well polished performer and an individual personality outside the arena. Riata also gave the girls a diverse understanding of life lessons and the team chemistry was truly uplifting. Yet, what really won me over was their positive attitude and outlooks that they upheld, even though it was a stressful time, and their philosophy towards life.

Being in a position to be up close and personal with each individual girl, I came to realise that I had to be a part of this inspiring program. I kept in touch with the director, Jennifer Welch Nicholson, and was originally offered to spend some time in California to get a feel of ranch life in the United States. In May 2008, after travelling 11,000 miles, I touched down in Los Angeles and knew straight away that this opportunity was not to take lightly. I wanted to see the endless possibilities pan out and see what prospects would come from this opportunity. During my first month at Riata Ranch, I was introduced to the elements of teamwork, basic trick riding and the mentoring and leadership skills that Riata provided. As it turned out, I was well recognised for my riding ability and was then given the chance to be riding, training and learning to trick ride solidly, just in time for the summer tour destined for the road.

I am currently spending my 2nd year interning with the Riata Ranch team and enjoying where this program is taking me. I’m a part of the travelling performance team which travels all around the United States, as well as internationally. I have had the privilege of meeting some phenomenal people, be involved in some amazing rodeos and experiencing life altering changes in myself. Being able to witness similar changes in my team mates has also taught me a lot about myself. By also learning from their mistakes, I can then assess elements in my own life. Jennifer, a true inspiration to me, and the amazing team of girls, really filled me with hope and inspiration that has given me the attitude to not let anything stand in my way. When fear and doubt stepped into my life, Riata has provided me to have the confidence to deal with it in a positive and professional manner. I still have my insecurities about certain things, but Riata will continue to assist me with strength, self belief and power to conquer these things. I will continue to grow and learn from experiences I have endured and will forever hold the important life lessons that Riata has shown me.

The Riata Ranch program has taken me to new levels and new heights which I thought were unreachable! As a performer, I learnt that “you earn your reputation inside the arena, but you earn your respect in the barn” (Jennifer Welch Nicholson). I have come to realise that Riata definitely gives you a great head start when confronting life. It’s not just about the trick riding, trick roping, and the spot light, it’s about life lessons that will further each girls development. It definitely has kept me grounded in all aspects of life and I will continue to follow that saying in everything I encounter!

Spencer Elizabeth Rose

Hello my name is Spencer Elizabeth Rose, and I am a full time member of Riata. I first joined the ranch 6 years ago when I was just twelve for basic horse lessons.  As I started progressing through the program I began to learn to trick rope and trick ride. I started setting little goals for myself to keep getting better. One of the first goals I had was to become a raker. I know that sounds bizarre but when you first start at the ranch, everyone cleans stalls, and you are assigned a tool. The first tool you are assigned was a scoop. If you became a rake it was big deal because it meant you were rising through the ranks. I used to work so hard at being a great scoop so I could become a raker.

As time progressed I used to pray for the leader to assign me to a rake. Every time I wasn’t I would never let my disappointment show. I would just keep going and striving to be better. Soon enough I was great at being a scoop. We had a lane at our ranch that you would go stall by stall and load the manure on to the back of the truck. Usually it took a few scoops to navigate loading it all. I became such a good scooper I was the only one who needed to scoop the lane.

Still, everyday I would just pray that I would be chosen. One day the tools had been assigned and once again I was a scoop. Chrystal the team captain noticed my look of disappointment and she looked at me and to this day I remember exactly what she said, she told me “Spencer I can’t assign you any other tool, you’re like the queen scooper, I never have to ask you to do anything, and you are the best.”

That is a lesson I have taken with me all throughout my Riata career. That even though I couldn’t be the team leader I could still be a very important and much needed part of the team. It still reminds me to be the best I can be no matter what position, and to always give 110%.

Riata has been able to take me many wonderful places. In May 2007 I was given the opportunity to perform in Perth, Australia with the team.  It was great experience to get to collaborate with different riders. We did not have our own horses in Australia. Due to a few miscommunications we had a week to take everyday normal horses and make them into trick riding horses. When we had finally accepted our situation we realized the horses they had given us were not going to work. We had to get new horses and it brought our training time down to three days.  Somehow we were still able to pull it off.
As a leader of the team I help delegate authority and jobs.  Along with worrying about myself I must also worry about the team. Instead of just making sure my equipment is ready to go I have to make sure all of the team’s equipment is ready. I also have to help set a good example for our upcoming Riata girls which  involves handling my emotions and always finishing the tasks given to me. For me this is where the 80/20 rules comes into play.

To be a Riata girl you can’t just be a trick rider and trick roper you have to be an all around person. There is the 80/20 rule that we believe in at Riata .Only 20 percent of what you do is remembered in the arena, the other 80 percent is what you do outside the arena. I really take the rule to heart because to stand out on the team your personality and individuality is always remembered.

Some may ask why I stay with Riata I stay because Riata is not easy it is actually really hard. There are always new situations I face in Riata.  It has helped me realized what my strengths and weaknesses are. I am constantly pushing my limits to strive for excellence. My personal belief is to be in Riata you must always be on the never ending road to perfection.  Most of all Riata everyday is helping me become the person I want to be.