Linsay Rosser-Sumpter: 2024 WSF Grit Award Recipient
Linsay Rosser-Sumpter accepts the Grit Award from WSF Executive Director Aubrey O'Quin. Photo by Kaycie Timm
Linsay Rosser-Sumpter is on a cowgirl on a mission to break glass ceiling for women in rodeo and ensure talented cowgirls receive the opportunities they deserve.
She’s been part of the industry in many capacities, including 15 seasons as a college rodeo coach and her current role as Women’s Rodeo World Championship Commissioner. Through it all, she has remained a steadfast advocate for her sport and all the women in it, making her an incredibly deserving recipient of the 2024 WSF Grit Award.
The birth of a dream
“Growing up, I watched my aunt and a lot of women in my family.” Rosser-Sumpter recalls. “We produced rodeos, and they were always the women behind the scenes—the secretaries and the timers. They wash and saddle horses so that the pickup man can go in there and have beautiful horses. The only job that we had that had a lot of glory was carrying the American flag and the pageantry of the rodeo.”
At a young age, Rosser-Sumpter began looking for ways to change that standard. As a successful collegiate breakaway roper, she searched outside her home state of California for opportunities to rope after college, only to discover the closest jackpot for her sport was thousands of miles away. That knowledge only fueled her fire, inspiring a lifelong mission to change the game for women in rodeo.
“I'm of the generation of ladies in the industry that, when we finished with college rodeo, our career was over, unless we were the designated barrel racer,” Rosser-Sumpter explains. “My goal in being a voice for females in the industry is when my sons get old enough to get married, their wives will never know what it was like to not have an opportunity at big money and to not have that chance to continue their career as a cowgirl. There hasn't always been that chance for women, and there has always been a little bit of a fight.”
Rosser-Sumpter never shied from that fight, pushing back to create new paths for women in rodeo.
the future starts now
“My hope for Western sports is that there is more opportunity for all levels of athletes to have a chance at more money,” Rosser-Sumpter reveals. “With what Women's Rodeo Championship is doing by adding $750,000 to female athletes alone, we are trying to really open the doors and broaden the horizons for more female athletes to not ever have to do that.”
Rosser-Sumpter's role as WRWC Commissioner allows her create new opportunities that lead to greater success for women in rodeo. Photo courtesy of Linsay Rosser-Sumpter.
From the moment she was first asked to step into her role with WRWC, Rosser-Sumpter knew she was right where she belonged.
“It’s been one of the best decisions that I ever made,” she says. “Now I can take the knowledge that I have been given from my family experience and implement it into this beautiful event to celebrate women in the industry and help cultivate that culture of community and fellowship in women.”
As she looks to the future, Rosser-Sumpter plans to keep shattering those glass ceilings and forge a path for the cowgirls coming behind her.
“My goal for the industry in ten years is that it's a more inclusive environment for all types of athletes, from the pros all the way to the beginners to everybody in the middle,” she reveals. “The only way we do that is we all collaborate and find ways to keep this industry going. If there are people fighting to continue, I think that the industry can stay strong. We have good values, and that's why I really strive to make the industry better for when I'm gone.”
strength in support
Rosser-Sumpter is no stranger to challenges—or to overcoming them—and she’s not afraid to hear the word ‘no.’
“I've had some doors shut in my face,” she reveals. “It was okay, because better doors opened not very long after that, with better support and better people in my corner being my cheerleaders, my mentors, and my coaches. If you want to do something, find those people that are going to help you to get to that level, because it's very much a possibility.”
Rosser-Sumpter poses with her husband and parents at the WSF Bootlegger Ball, where she received the 2024 Grit Award. Photo by Kaycie Timm
Through her career thus far, Rosser-Sumpter has learned to rely on her network of supporters, from family to industry experts to organizations like WSF, and she encourages other to do the same.
“As a female in this industry, it’s important to get those good minds together that are going to help cultivate you, to get you where you want to be,” she explains. “Western Sports Foundation is a prime example. They want to help you with your mental health, your physical health, your nutrition, your finances, and offer some camaraderie. That's a place that I want to be part of.”
About the Grit Award
Grit is defined as courage and resolve; strength of character. The WSF Grit Award acknowledges and celebrates individuals who have paved their own way in the industry, breaking through barriers to make their mark. These individuals embody integrity, and they are passionate about the values that we all hold dear. They possess remarkable strength in defining the difference they can make. The WSF Grit Award is a testament to their unwavering commitment to excellence.
Linsay Rosser-Sumpter shares her gratitude as the recipient of the 2024 WSF Grit Award.