Before the sun rises over Manhattan, Kansas, Kassandra Shoemaker is already wide awake. The quiet, early morning is her favorite time of day, when she can open her Bible, sip coffee and gather her thoughts in peace before the chaos of the day begins.
When most college students are just getting up for class, she has already journaled, studied, fed her horses and started another long day of balancing veterinary school and rodeo.
For Shoemaker, a second-year veterinary student and graduate assistant coach for the Kansas State University Rodeo team, balance is not just a goal but the only way to make it all work.
“My days usually start around 5 a.m.,” Shoemaker said. “I have class from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m., sometimes until 5 on my longer days, and then it’s straight to the arena to exercise horses or help with practice.”
Her drive comes from years of hard work on her family’s ranch in Greeley, Colorado, where her father owns Countryside Large Animal Veterinary Clinic. Growing up surrounded by cattle and horses, long days in the roping arena were all too normal and taught her discipline that she carried with her into her college career.
“My parents both worked really hard,” Shoemaker said. “I got to experience them putting in a full day at a job and then still coming home and working on the ranch. They really inspire me to work hard because I’ve seen it pay off in their lives.”
Shoemaker’s dedication shows through every part of her day, not just in her coursework but in the arena and her leadership role. She is not only competing at a collegiate level in breakaway roping events, she’s also helping to guide her teammates through the season as the program seeks a new head coach.
Freshman in animal sciences and industry Bayli Ladner said Shoemaker’s guidance has shaped her first year on the K-State Rodeo Team.
“Kass is truly the kind of teammate and mentor every little girl dreams to have when they think about college rodeo,” Ladner said. “She’s taken me under her wing and helped me balance college life and academics while still pushing me to compete at my best. No matter what time it is, she’ll answer the phone to give advice or encouragement.”
Ladner said it is Shoemaker’s faith and steady mindset that make her such a strong example for others.
“I think her relationship with the Lord keeps her grounded,” said Ladner. “You can just tell she has a deep purpose behind everything she does, and that’s what keeps her going even on the toughest days.”
While she is keeping up with vet school exams, rodeo weekends and coaching responsibilities, Shoemaker defines success in the small, daily moments that bring her closer to her goals.
“Right now, success looks like staying caught up on my class material, making sure my horses are taken care of and spending quiet time relaxing,” Shoemaker said. “I’ve tried to shift my focus from big accomplishments to small, everyday tasks.”
Through long days and late nights, she finds balance in the same place she finds her strength: her faith.
“My best piece of advice for someone who is chasing down crazy dreams like I am is to keep God at the center of everything,” Shoemaker said. “He is truly my strength, my peace and my guide to every success and learning moment I have had.”
