Emily Askew walked away with the 2024 CEAT Specialty WCRA Rodeo Corpus Christi DY Showcase win Tuesday, May 7, after stopping the clock in 14.4 seconds aboard a special mare.
The 18-year-old from Sealy, Texas, pocketed $2,000 with the help of 8-year-old Me Flingin Diamonds. The mare she calls “MeMe” joined her team just two years ago after the painful loss of her good mare “Annie,” who she named after her grandmother. MeMe not only came at the perfect time, but it was almost as if she was destined to enter her life.
“Ever since I was little, I always called my name and I would say ‘MeMe’ instead of ‘Emmy,'” Emily explained. “When I tried MeMe, I didn’t even think of it until my mom said something about it, but right when I rode her, I knew she was the one.”
Since buying MeMe from Billie Ann Harmon, of Dublin, Texas, Emily has been blessed with amazing help.
“Billie Ann has been their biggest supporter and help,” said Emily’s mother, Lezlie. “Emily has been riding under Tammy Fischer for the past four years, and she has taught her so much. She couldn’t do it without these two ladies.”
Emily credits the buckskin mare for how easy she makes every run.
“She’s super, super honest,” Emily said. “Everywhere I run, she makes the same pattern each time. I just didn’t want to put any pressure on it (last night). I just wanted to let her do her thing and stay out of her way.”
Emily and MeMe were second to run inside the American Bank Center, and Emily knew she could trust MeMe, despite feeling calmer than usual.
“I really didn’t expect anything different from her,” Emily said. “She was a little calmer than usual, so I was worried about her not firing, but she went in there and she did really good. We nailed our first barrel and it set us up for the rest of our run.”
As a high school senior who accepted a full-ride to rodeo Wharton County Junior College in the fall, Emily recognizes how significant the opportunities with the WCRA DY are for up-and-coming rodeo athletes.
“I feel like the WCRA puts on a great race,” Emily said. “I like what they advocate for and give us kids a chance to run for some money and be televised, which is something that we don’t get very often. I think it was a super cool experience, and I had a lot of fun.”
