2026 Resistol Rookie Contender Makenzie Dowell kicked off her year at the Sand Hills Stock Show & Rodeo in Odessa, Texas, with a 1.5-second run to earn $5,085.
The 22-year-old from Marlin, Texas, set the pace early and held on for the win. Carlee Martinez finished second with a 1.8-second run, while Martha Angelone, Kayla Graham and Aspen Miller tied for third at 1.9 seconds.
Dowell said the gameplan was simple: take what the calf gives you and trust the work she put in.
“I didn’t really know much about how it was set up or what the calves were going to do,” Dowell said. “Me and my dad just kind of came up with the game plan of taking the opportunity you get and seeing where it falls.”
That plan leaned heavily on horsepower. Dowell rode “Jackson”, registered as Doctor Doughnut, a 22-year-old gelding she’s had since he was nine. Jackson has been with Dowell through nearly every phase of her roping career, from junior rodeos to high school, college and now up into her first year of ProRodeo.
“He’s been my ride-or-die in situations like that,” Dowell said. “If you don’t really know much about what’s going on or how it’s set up, you can just take a shot and he’ll save you on it.”
Dowell credits Jackson’s confidence for helping her stay aggressive in fast indoor setups like Odessa, where horsepower and being on the barrier are the key to success.
“I think it’s really important to have a horse that’s confident in themselves,” she said. “He brings the confidence because he likes to be the star of the show. If they leave the corner sharp and give you an opportunity to throw, it sets up your whole run.”
Preparation for a rodeo like Odessa doesn’t always mean more runs in the practice pen. With seasoned horses like Jackson, Dowell said knowing when to stay off them is just as important.
“A lot of mine are really seasoned, so I try to stay off of them when they don’t need it,” she said. “I really just try to rope the dummy a lot and make sure I’ve got my two swings down and don’t take an extra swing.”
The Odessa win comes early in what Dowell hopes will be a busy year. She is in her fourth year at Ranger College and competing in college rodeos this semester, while also upgrading her ProRodeo card to a rookie card and targeting the Texas Circuit.
“I’m going to try to make the Texas Circuit Finals for sure this year and get all of my first year underneath my belt,” she said.
Starting the season with a win like Odessa has already paid in confidence.
“It definitely helped a lot,” Dowell said. “Being able to have that to fall back on and remember I can do it—it was a great start for the rest of the year.”
