RODEO NEWS

Otero Dominates at Music City Rodeo as She Races into the Summer

By Ted Harbin

Over her time in ProRodeo, Carlee Otero has learned what it takes to compete at a high level.

She had three qualifications to the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo over four years starting in 2011, then didn’t return to Las Vegas again for a decade. That 10-year hiatus helped the cowgirl reflect on what she loves about the game.

She finished the 2024 campaign sixth in the world standings, placing in six rounds despite a cracked pelvis she suffered at the NFR. A year ago, she landed fifth on the final money list, and she’s hoping the momentum is rolling after her win last weekend at the Music City Rodeo in Nashville.

“I feel like with all these tour rodeos and everybody chasing points, we’re on the road a lot longer than we used to be throughout the year,” said Otero of Perrin, Texas. “It’s just not conducive for any human or horse to be on that road as long as we have to be now, so I think having a herd of horses is the most humane thing we can do for everybody.”

She’s got them with Blingolena, an 8-year-old gelding out of Dash of Bling by Blazin Jetolena she calls Sly; Regina George, an 8-year-old palomino mare out of Oro Rose by A Smooth Guy she calls Regina; and Cathys Kandy, an 8-year-old mare out of Frenchmans Perkette by The Kandyman she calls Twix.

In Nashville, she called on Sly and Regina to handle the one-header-and-progressive format. Because rounds were in two arenas with different pattern dimensions, Otero rode Sly in Franklin, Tennessee, and the two stopped the clock in 17.03 seconds to win the opener. She and Regina then posted a 13.08-second run at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville to win the finale and dominate the barrel racing.

“They were definitely glad to leave the house,” she said of her mounts. “I didn’t enter many rodeos this past month to get stuff done and get prepared for the summer.”

She’s more prepared now that things went so well in Music City.

“I have a bunch of confidence,” Otero said. “Summertime is where I win most of my money in those outdoor pens.

“Everybody was kind of rodeoing a lot more than I was and making me second-guess my decision to stay home for the past month, so this win helped me get my confidence back and helped me realize that I made a good choice to take some time off before I leave for the summer.”

It’s going to take a lot of miles, hitting the interstates and two-lane roads to weave her way back to the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas, but she’s been down that road before.

“I wouldn’t say I’m worried about it, but winning the world title is my No. 1 goal,” Otero said. “I feel like it’s a rare opportunity to have three horses that are capable of winning first place rather than just placing along. I’m going to utilize those three horses.

“If it’s God’s plan for me to win the gold, I’m going to be very accepting of it.”

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