Dennison becomes 1st Diné to win high breakaway title

It's been a couple weeks since the National High School Finals rodeo but Kassidy Dennison is still in awe after making history as the first Navajo to win the breakaway championship.

The 18-year-old Tohatchi, N.M., roper competed in her first-ever high school finals in Gillette, Wyo., July 18 to 24.

"I actually was so excited and amazed and shocked at myself that I really did accomplish what I was going for," she said. 'It's everybody's dream to win the high school finals. All across the world it's what everyone battles for.

"It felt so good," she said. "I was so blessed with what the lord gave me."

Dennison qualified for the national competition about two months before in Clovis, N.M.

In Gillette on July 20, Dennison came in second with a time of 2.639, behind a fellow New Mexican from Lovington.

On July 22, she placed sixth with a time of 3.139. In her championship performance she placed first on July 24 with a time of 2.747.

For Dennison, it was all due to a lot of hard work.

She said her father Karl Dennison worked day in and day out with her for the two months they had to prepare.

"I just kind of stuck with my game plan," she said. "I don't really like to  put a lot of pressure on myself. I was going out there to do my job. It was just all hard work me and my dad put into it, in the morning, every evening, rain or shine, we practiced so much."

Dennison holds a number of titles including two consecutive Indian National Finals Rodeo women's all-around titles for 2008 and 2009. She held that same title for the first time in 2005.

Champions run in her blood as she comes from a long line of ropers and riders.

"I go into the rodeo thinking of it as just another rodeo," she said. "When I go to rodeos I see it as another journey in your book, another thing to add to your list of accomplishments."

While in Wyoming Dennison had the support of her mother Debra Jackson-Dennison and her father as well as her brother Kyle Dennison and her sister Devyn Dennison.

For now, Kassidy is back on the rodeo trail. She has a rodeo in Fort Hall, Idaho, another at Crow Fair, and then Rosebud, S.D. She's looking forward to returning for the Navajo Nation Fair.

She's also looking to prepare for her last year as a high school student. Although she is home schooled, Dennison is looking forward to her senior year.

But until all the rodeo dust has settled Dennison can reminisce and think about her week in Wyoming when she made history for her people and all Native Americans.

"It was amazing to be the first Navajo ever to win this prestigious award," she said. "It was really a wonderful accomplishment and being one of first ever Native Americans to accomplish this proves that if I can do it everyone else can do it to."

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