Self-proclaimed, all-around cowgirl and motivational speaker Amberley Snyder will be sharing her inspirational story 7 p.m. Thursday, March 29, at Southwestern Community College (SWCC) in the Student Center gymnasium. A free-will donation meal will be served prior to Snyder’s presentation, beginning at 6 p.m., upstairs in the SWCC Student Center.
Snyder, who was born in southern California in 1991, travels the country telling her inspirational story and competing in rodeos across the western United States. She grew up competing in barrel racing, pole bending and breakaway roping. In 2009, she qualified for the National High School Rodeo Finals in pole bending and she was awarded the National Little Britches Rodeo Association All-Around Cowgirl World Championship.
In 2010, Snyder’s life changed dramatically. She was involved in a tragic car accident which left her paralyzed from the waist down. Following a number of surgeries, doctors said it was likely she would never walk again.
At that point, Snyder set three goals. She wanted to walk, ride and rodeo again. It was 2015, when she was once again able to compete. She was voted the fan exemption contestant at the world’s richest one-day rodeo, RFD-TV’s The American. She competed with the best in the industry and received a standing ovation from more than 40,000 fans in AT&T Stadium.
Snyder graduated college in 2015, earning her bachelor’s degree in agriculture education. She is now pursuing a master’s degree in counseling at Utah State University, where she competes on the rodeo team.
The SWCC Ag Club and student activities department are hosting this event. To RSVP for the meal, email Susannah Miller, SWCC ag instructor, at smmiller@swcciowa.eduv.