Native Youth 

This is a brand new page added to Indian Rodeo News.  Our goal here is to recognize all Indian children and teenagers who ride horses, rodeo, ranch, and kids who participate in taking pictures at events.

Each month starting with December 2002 we will try to feature a Indian Youth who is active in riding horses, rodeo, ranching, and photography.   


Do you know a Native Indian Youth who has worked hard to achieve their goals and accomplishments?  Would you like to be featured as a Native Youth role model?  Any Native youth ages 18 and under can be featured.  

Indian Rodeo News asks for you to send in your story about yourself, who inspired you to ride, rodeo, ranch, etc.     We welcome as many pictures you have to share with our readers.  Email your questions and or story to 
Gina@indianrodeonews.com 

To Read about the featured Native Youth from the previous months click on their names below to check out their stories and pictures.

December 2002: Nicole Tsosie
January 2003:  Kayonnie Badonie
February 2003: Whitney O'Rourke
March 2003: Charles Gottfriedson
April 2003:  Jenna Johnson, Liana Tom 

This Month of October we are recognizing  Sonya Goseyun 


Name: Sonya Goseyun

Age: 17

Home Town: Bylas, Arizona

High School: San Carlos High School
Senior

Other School Activities you are involved in?
FFA President
District: Sentinel
Secretary/Treasurer Student Body

I play softball the past three years, and will play again this year.  

National Honor Society
inducted last year

I was in the Spanish club the last 3 years but this year I completed College Spanish
I was the reporter and Vice President for the Spanish Club

Future Homemaker's of America: Sophmore year and Senior Year

Who's Who for the past 3 years 


Native American Heritage: San Carlos Apache

Pets owned: 2 cats 
Cream Color long haired cat, Piggy raised him from when he was 2 days old I bottle fed him, 
Grey, striped: Fuzzy

2 dogs: Brown labrador rotweiler mix: "Gordo"
Registered Australian Shepherd: "Elvis" 

2 horses: Welsh Pony she's the same age as me, and her name is Jalapeno
Red Roan Color
6 years old half Arabian black color; Sunday, she was born on a Sunday

Steers: Simmental/Cross
I got him in November
"Corby" he's my 7th steer


Membership of: FFA member 4 years
4-H since I was 7 years old 

Mount Turnbull 4-H club

Livestock Showing Accomplishments:

Jr. Beef Showmanship in 1998 Graham County Fair
Steer, "Bugs" Brangus Breed

1999 Grand Champion Steer Graham County Fair  "Junior" Simmental
She wins a buckle, trophy, big rossette, purple, and fifty bucks

2001 Senior Beef Showmanship 
Reserve Grand Championship Graham County Fair 
"Kenny" Red maine anjou

2002 Senior Beef Showmanship
"Freckles" Black maine anjou

When she wins the showmanship, she recieves a buckle, ribbon and $50 prize

2002 I showed sheep, though I wasn't as successful with the sheep as I was with my steers

Years of showing?  Been showing since I was 11 


Who influenced you to start showing Livestock?
my older cousins used to show when I was younger, I grew up watching them, my Grandpa was in FFA, he was the first Native American in FFA in High School, my first year I was scared, my first steer was a big maine anjou, he escaped from his pen, everyone was out trying to catch him, he got out on the highway, he jumped the cattle guard and broke his front leg in it, we tried to tend to him the best way he could, but we ended up getting me another steer and we found out he broke his leg after we butchered him for cousins graduation, he was a really good steer though

Who is your all time hero?
"my Late-Grandmother"
she raised me since I was little, she told me stories about my Grandpa and her raising cattle, how she drove in to auction on unpaved road, she drove her old dodge truck and goosneck trailer. 



What do you do when you show your steers?  


What is your favorite movie?
Crouching Tiger Hidden
Dragon

What are your favorite music? 
"I listen to all kinds of music"

What other activities are you involved in?  

What Advice would you give to a youth who didn't have a way to purchase a steer or may not have family support to be involved in showing steers?  
Join a 4-H club, one of the tribal ranches here, gives steers in feb/march, this kids them would have to castrate them, and work along side the ranchers, they charge around $250 per animal, because not everyone can pay up front the ranchers get the money after the steer is sold.
Try to take out a bank/credit loan

What are your plans after high school, do you plan to continue showing livestock?  I plan to show for one more year

Do you have any plans to further your education? 
I'm going to enroll at the University of Arizona
Major in Agriculture and Technology 

Where do you see yourself in 5 years from now?  Coming home from UofA and bringing my cattle down from the ranch and start my own ranch, follow my Grandma's footsteps in ranching. 

Who would you like to thank for supporting you in showing livestock?
my Uncle Brazie Gusyon Jr, my little sister "Kerry" 

Any thoughts you would like to share with your fellow youth about staying involved with a project?
It teaches you a lot of responsibility, stay in school so you can keep up your work and do your projects, this helped me stay closer to my family. 


Showing the second weekend of October
Graham County