The South Dakota Cowgirl

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The top 16 of 2016

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I figured I’d take this time to share with you Sixteen Highlights of 2016. Narrowing it down to only 16 was a lot harder than you’d think! The things meant a lot to me, so in no particular order here we go! 

    1.  I won my first ranch roping. And it was the first one I’d ever entered. Our friend Dave, booked our barn the 20th of November to hold his “Roping on the River”, and so much fun was had by everyone! There were great folks, and I got to make some new friends! Our winning team consisted of me, our neighbor Jesse (the person responsible for keeping Avie’s feet in tip-top shape all season), and of course my Cowboy! I’ll never get this lucky again! Haha!  Avie really worked good that day! I just love that horse! roping on the river
    2.  It was the first year I really got to compete on Avie. I feel like we made great progress and I’m itching for the weather to straighten up so I can get back on him and go more! I won money at half of the major barrel races we went to! We competed in six states – South Dakota, Texas, Oklahoma, Nebraska, North Dakota and Minnesota. Next year, I’m hoping we  get to add a couple more to the list!  Kansas seems like a logical choice! And maybe Wyoming or Montana, or both! Dino should be in the rotation next year too – so I’ll be hauling two ponies down the road!The South Dakota Cowgirl Jenn Zeller barrel racing on Avie in Minnesota.
    3. Hiring my first Intern was a great idea — Molly is helping me a lot, and I hope that will translate into more products, showcasing the pretty photos you all love and more blog posts, sharing my charmed life with you. 
    4. Getting paid to write is a highlight of my life — I still write for Cavvy Savvy, and this fall I picked up a new publication: Ag Week! Make sure you head over to see the stuff I’m writing there! People pay me to tell stories and share my wisdom stuff I’ve learned? Shut up!
    5. I moved Dino into the Two-Rein. I’m well on my way to having a straight up in the bridle, horse! And for those of you that understand what an accomplishment that is, I know you’ll appreciate the work it takes to get there! He’s  in a JPW San Joaquin Mouthpiece with a Nevada style cheek.  img_4095
    6. I had several images featured by the AQHA via their Instagram Account. And one made the pages of America’s Horse in September! Riding Avie bareback, featured in the September 2016 America's Horse.
    7. If you’d have told me that at some point in my life, I’d have a photojournalist follow me around, I’d have laughed at you, but that’s exactly what happened when Kristina Barker did a story on me for Intersection Journal!  That was certainly cool! She took some very cool photos, but this one, is probably my favorite!   Pardon my turkey neck. Anyone know a good plastic surgeon? jennzeller0160
    8. I found myself featured in Oprah Magazine (January 2016)! Featured in O-Magazine, January 2016
    9. Instagram has been so much fun for me: I now have over 11,000 followers.   All I do is take photos of my life, and apparently that many people think I do a good job! It’s crazy! I’ve started a hashtag just to search all my images that contain negative space. I’m finding my style. It’s only taken me nearly a decade! 
    10. In October we headed to Texas for my 20 year high school reunion. Yes, I’m that old! It was great to catch up with old friends! So much has changed in 20 years and yet so much has stayed the same!img_3238img_3261
    11. Also in October we went to Nashville! It was my third time there and the family has planned an annual trip to go listen to the amazing musicians in that part of the country. While there, I got to see my friend Brooke and catch up with her, though Lower Broadway isn’t a place so conducive to good conversation! 
    12. We held the first events for our Non-Profit, Project H3LP! this summer. That was super fun! Those kids kept us hopping! I know the crew is looking forward to the coming summer, more kids, and more events! 
    13. Copper joined the family in July. He wasn’t too sure about me at first, but now we’re pretty inseparable.  He’s a dang good dog! A busy border collie for sure, but a good dog, nonetheless. dp8a3035
    14. The ranch hosted 5 college interns this past summer. That’s the most we’ve had at one time!  And so far this fall we’ve had 9 applications for the 2017 season! Three of the nine are booked and ready to arrive come May!
    15. Through our Non-Profit we hosted 2 additional, local interns for our horse program. Those girls are certainly looking forward to returning in 2017, I’m certain of it! Teaching folks about horsemanship and horse training is certainly one of the most fun things I get to do! 
    16. Curt Pate came to the ranch in October for one of our Non-Profit events. He is one of the kindest, most positive, can-do-individuals I’ve ever met. We can’t wait to host him again! We all learned a lot, and the kids had a blast. So did he! Curt Pate, visited Project H3LP in October of 2016 to give a horsemanship clinic to local youth.

Again, I was super blessed this year. My life is charmed and I still need to periodically pinch myself! I hope that 2017 is just as much fun as 2016 and maybe, just maybe, I’ll make another “highlight” list! How did 2016 stack up for you? 

About ~The South Dakota Cowgirl~

Jenn Zeller is the creative mind and boss lady behind The South Dakota Cowgirl. She is an aspiring horsewoman, photographer, brilliant social media strategist and lover of all things western.

After a brief career in the investment world to support her horse habit (and satisfy her mother, who told her she had to have a “real” job after graduating college), she finally took the leap and stepped away from a regular income; trading the business suit once and for all for cowgirl boots, a hat, and jeans. She has not looked back.

When Jenn first moved to The DX Ranch on the South Dakota plains, she never imagined she’d find herself behind a camera lens capturing an authentic perspective of ranching, and sharing it with others. Jenn has always been called to artistry, and uses music, writing, images, home improvement, and her first true love of horses to express her ranching passion.

Horses are the constant thread and much of her work centers around using her unique style of writing to share her horsemanship journey with others in publications such as CavvySavvy, the AQHA Ranching Blog, the West River Eagle, the family ranch website, and her own website.

Using photography to illustrate her stories has created other opportunities -- Jenn’s brand “The South Dakota Cowgirl” has grown to the level of social media “Influencer”. This notoriety has led to work with Duluth Trading Company, Budweiser, Wyoming Tourism, Vice, Circle Z Ranch and Art of the Cowgirl, to name a few. She also serves as a brand ambassador for Woodchuck USA, Arenus Equine Health, Triple Crown Feed and Just Strong fitness apparel. Her photography has been featured by Instagram, Apple, TIME Magazine, The Huffington Post, and Oprah Magazine. Jenn’s work has been published internationally, has been seen in several books and has graced the covers of several magazines.

Jenn became a social media influencer by accident when she started to explore Instagram as a way to share her life on the ranch with folks that don’t get to experience it. It’s grown into an incredible platform that she uses to empower women, create an environment for self improvement and share life on the ranch.

When she’s not working, she loves to drink coffee, play with her naughty border collie named Copper, start ranch colts, and run about the country chasing cans. Her mother still thinks she doesn’t have a “real” job.

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