Sisters Joelee and Karis Griffin of Mershon are smart, beautiful and — tough as nails — competing in rodeo events across the country.
A typical morning finds them up and at ‘em in the barn before the sun ever breaks the South Georgia horizon.
Joelee is busy tending to “Bubba”, while Karis cares for “Coco”.
Feeding, bathing and grooming are done before they head off to school. Joelee, 15, is a sophomore at Pierce County High School. Karis is 13 and in the eighth grade at Pierce County Middle School. Both are A-B students and both take active roles in the Future Farmers of America.
After school, caring for their horses again takes priority and four days a week, both Joelee and Karis take “Bubba”, “Coco” and their other horses out riding and spend time practicing for rodeos and competitions.
Their parents, Eustace and Ginger, say they never have to beg them to practice or take care of their horses.
“I have to actually make them come inside,” says their mother, Ginger.
It’s been that way practically since they were old enough to ride a horse.
Both sisters compete in the National Little Britches Rodeo, the Southern Junior Rodeo Association, the East Coast Youth Rodeo and the Georgia-Florida Youth Rodeo.
Joelee and Karis compete in barrels, poles, goat tying, break away roping, team roping and trail courses.
Both young ladies have won their fair share of saddles competing in barrels, poles and in all-around competition.
Competition is rigorous and tough and in the National Little Britches Rodeo, participants have to stay in the top seven to make it to the finals.
Joelee and Karis made the 2022 National Finals and traveled to Guthrie, Oklahoma to compete. A total of 1,432 kids were entered in the finals.
“It was an honor and a dream come true,” said Joelee and Karis.
Their mother, Ginger, said making it to the finals was a personal goal for both of her daughters.
“It showed them that hard work and dedication and love for their teammates and horses pays off. Together, they made it,” she said.
Both girls say the rodeo life suits them and provides them with an outlet they need to gain confidence and experience and learn from their mistakes — lessons that are all easily converted into life skills.
The sisters both experiences a pair of deaths in their family, the passing of their “Big Dad”, their maternal grandfather, the Rev. Sammy Spradley, and their uncle (their father’s brother) Aaron Griffin.
While on the way to Oklahoma to compete at Nationals, Karis’s horse, “Coco” developed colic. His condition became so serious, it was not known if he would survive.
The family enlisted the help of renowned veterinarian Dr. Josh Harvey in Decatur, TX. In spite of the unknown, Karis went on to compete in the rodeo and came back to the news Coco had survived and even though he has a long road ahead of him, he is now on the road to recovery.
Karis’ sister, Joelee, also jumped in to help out.
“Both girls were able to learn how to love and care for an animal and help save his life,” said their mother.
Karis is looking to take her teammate back to the arena very soon.
In the meantime, the two sisters continue to keep working hard and compete in each event to learn from their mistakes and get better and better
