Tonight, we remember 2 cowgirls who were known for their passion for horses and kids. Kathy Ward and Kay Schommer were fixtures of the Newton Saddle Club and the 4H community as well as being great friends.
Kathy Ward was a founding member of Newton Saddle club and its first Secretary/Treasurer in 1962. She passed away last August 25, 2022. Born and raised in Newton, she grew up on the family farm. She attended and graduated from Newton High where she enjoyed drag racing and out shifting the boys in her ‘57 Chevy. Her love for raising and riding horses started with her first horses Jean, Star, and Millie. That love grew from racing horses to barrel racing until she was no longer able to a few years ago. Kathy loved her family dearly and spent a lot of time hauling them around to various events, especially Jed to his bull ridings. Kathy loved all her dogs, especially her pug, Cookie who was always by her side, except that time she escaped to chase the broncs in the rodeo arena. Kathy had a good eye for horses and was always riding a good one and breeding for the next. Her son Jed and daughter Janette continue to breed and raise horses from their mom’s program. Kathy was frequently found with Kay ringside at horse shows and rodeos cheering kids on.
Kay Schommer passed away just a few weeks ago on July 12. Born in Strong City, KS, she attended Chase County Community High School in Cottonwood Falls, then moved to Wichita, and eventually to Newton where she joined the Newton Saddle Club. Not much into competing herself, Kay loved to ride and like Kathy, to raise good horses. Kay’s great joys in life were her family and country life with all her animals ranging from horses, donkeys, mini horses, goats and even peacocks. She hosted family holiday gatherings for many years. Her love of horses kept her busy with her grandkids 4 H horse projects and county and State fairs. Kay was a lover of all things horse. You would always find her in the stands cheering on her grandkids and other youth. If you ever needed a score, time or placing re-peated, just ask Kay as she always had a daysheet and a pen with her. Kay loved Roy Rogers. And while her passing, like his song Happy Trails, brings a tear to our eyes knowing her rodeo is finished, we continue on to the next knowing Kay is watching down on us from the heavens above.
No one is exactly sure when Kathy and Kay became friends, but we know it was a friendship of over 50 years bound by a love of horses and family and a sense of fun and adventure.
Kevin B. Adkins Memorial Buckle
Winner of the NSC CPRA 2023 Bull Riding will receive The Kevin Adkins Memorial Buckle provided by his daughter, Delaney Adkins.
Kevin was a long standing friend and Supporter of Newton Saddle Club and will be remembered as the one to nod at when cowboys and cowgirls were ready to break out of that roping box, or a bucking chute.
Thank you Delaney for sharing your dad with us for so many years. His absence is felt every year here at the Newton Saddle Club Rodeo