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 
May 2003: Devyn Dennison, Jarrett Monroe 

This month of June we are recognizing  
Tess Ducheneaux 


THIS MONTH'S SPOTLIGHT IS ON TESS DUCHENEAUX FROM OCALA FLORIDA. TESS'S LISTS OF ACCOMPLISHMENTS IS QUITE LONG. AT 14 SHE HAS ALREADY WON A WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BARREL RACING TITLE (1999 JOSEY JR. WORLD CHAMPION), STATE CHAMPION TWICE IN BOTH THE OPEN AND THE YOUTH CLASSES AND ONCE IN THE POLE CLASS IN THE FLORIDA BARREL RACERS ASSC., HAS WON THE EASTERN INDIAN RODEO ASSC. TWICE AND HAS BEEN RUNNER UP ONCE AND HAS WON THE NATIONAL BARREL HORSE ASSC. DISTRICT 9 IN THE OPEN FOR THE PASSED 5 YEARS AND THE YOUTH FOR THE PASSED 6 YEARS WHICH HAS QUALIFIED HER FOR THE WORLD SHOWS EACH OF THOSE YEARS. 

WHILE IN PUBLIC SCHOOL, TESS WAS IN THE GIFTED PROGRAM. NOW HER AND HER 7 YEAR OLD BROTHER ZANE ARE HOME SCHOOLED IN ORDER TO HAVE MORE TIME FOR SPECIALIZED ACTIVITIES. FOR INSTANCE, TESS WENT TO BARBIZON SCHOOL OF MODELING. SHE TAKES DANCE CLASS AT BALCONY GYMNASTICS AND YOUTH SPORTS COMPLEX. ZANE IS SPECIALIZING IN GYMNASTICS AT BALCONY IM ORDER TO FACILITATE BETTER PHYSICAL STRENGTH, FLEXIBILITY AND AGILITY. HE'LL NEED THAT FOR WHICHEVER DIRECTION HE GOES AS AN ADULT.

MUSIC IS ALSO VERY IMPORTANT IN THE DUCHENEAUX FAMILY. ALL ARE MUSICAL. TESS PLAYS DRUMS, GUITAR AND PIANO. ZANE HAS STARTED DRUM LESSONS AND SERIOUSLY WANTS TO PLAY ROCK AND ROLL GUITAR. THEY COME BY THIS NATURALLY AS THERE ARE SOME AWESOME MUSICIANS IN THEIR PEDIGREE. THEIR FATHER, BOYD, PLAYS GUITAR AS DOES THEIR MOTHER. WHILE THEIR MOM AND DAD PLAY, THEIR UNCLES ARE INCREDIBLE.

 FIRST OF ALL, UNCLE BRUCE HAS RECORDED MUSIC IN NASHVILLE. BOYD'S BROTHERS (BRUCE AND CLINT) HAVE BOTH RECORDED AND WRITTEN MUSIC. SHIREEN'S SISTER ,KAT MARCO, HAS RECORDED AND WRITTEN MUSIC AT TOP. THAT'S A LOT OF MUSIC RELEASED IN ONE FAMILY. BOYD'S BROTHER BRUCE THERE ARE TO BRUCES- ONE UNCLE AND ONE GREAT UNCLE) PLAYS DRUMS AND GUITAR AND PLAYS IN A BAND IN CALIFORNIA. CLINT DUCHENEAUX PLAYS EVERYTHING AND PLAYS IN A BAND I SOUTH DAKOTA. ALSO, TESS'S COUSIN DUKE, HAS A BAND IN SOUTH DAKOTA. HE IS 15. KEEPING UP WITH THE DUCHENEAUX CLAN IS DIFFICULT AT BEST-NOT TO MENTION THE COMIC RELIIEF!





BOYD IS AN EQUINE DENTIST IN OCALA, FLORIDA.   BOTH SHIREEN AND BOYD GALLOP RACE HORSES.  BOYD WAS THE 1990 RESISTOL ROOKIE OF THE YEAR IN THE SOUTHEASTERN CIRCUIT AND THE ROOKIE BULL RIDING TITLE WENT TO HIM ALSO.  SHIREEN WAS ROOKIE OF THE SOUTHEASTERN CIRCUIT ALSO IN 1991. SHE STILL TRAINS AND COMPETES IN THE WPRA,  AND TRAINS FUTURITY HORSES.

TESS AND ZANE ARE SURE BRED TO BE RODEO COWKIDS. NO DOUBT ABOUT IT. NOT ONLY THEIR PARENTS BUT THEIR GRANDPARENTS AS WELL. BOYD'S FATHER RODE BULLS AND BAREBACK HORSES.  SHIREEN'S MOTHER WAS A TRICK RIDER, BARREL RACER AND EXERCISE RIDER (GALLOPED RACE HORSES).  SHIREEN'S FATHER WAS A MEMBER OF THE RODEO COWBOYS ASSOC. HE RODE BULLS AND BAREBACK HORSES MOSTLY. HE WAS A LEGEND IN THE THOROUGHBRED WORLD AS AN EXERCISE RIDER. AT THAT TIME HE WAS THE ONLY MAN TO HAVE RIDDEN 3 OF THE 5 HORSES THAT WON 1 MILLION DOLLARS. YES TESS AND ZANE HAVE NO CHOICE.




TESS IS ALSO DEVELOPING HER SPONSORSHIPS FOR WHEN SHE TURNS 18.  REZDOG CLOTHING COMPANY AND GOLDEN EAGLE CASINO HAVE TAKEN TESS ON AND SHE IS SO PROUD TO REPRESENT THEM.  SHE IS ALSO DEVELOPING A RELATIONSHIP WITH A COMPANY IN CANADA THAT SELLS NATURAL SUPPLEMENTS FOR RACE AND GAME HORSES. CURRENTLY THE SEMINOLE TRIBE OF FLORIDA HAS AGREED TO SPONSOR TESS AT THE JOSEY JR. WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP BARREL RACE.  

IN THE PAST SHE HAS BEEN SPONSORED BY AN INTERNATIONAL SUPPLEMENT COMPANY FROM THE NETHERLANDS AND PURINA. TESS WILL BE REPRESENTING THE EIRA AT THE INFR IN SOUTHERN CALIFORNIA IN OCTOBER.

  
Indian Rodeo News would like to thank Tess for taking the time to put together her story and providing us her pictures.  Tess serves as a role model for other Native Youth who are interested in following her footsteps.   We are sure to see more of Tess competing and winning in the rodeo arena! 

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?  

Indian Rodeo News asks for you to send in your story about yourself, who inspired you to ride, rodeo, ranch, etc.  You must be age 18 and under.   We welcome as many pictures you have to share with our readers.  Email your questions and or story to 
Gina@indianrodeonews.com