Viper with Alexa Lake
Photo by Kenneth Springer.
Alexa Lake, a 21 year-old from Richmond, may not be a previous National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifier, but she’s giving last year’s barrel racing qualifiers a run for their money. After competing in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association for four years, things are starting to click.
“A lot has changed, but I think the thing that has affected me the most is experience. You learn from experience and mistakes,” said Lake. With winnings of over $41,000 so far this year, Lake has placed at numerous rodeos in Texas. Nationally, she placed in Starkville, Mississippi and competed in the Champions Challenge in South Dakota.
Lake has achieved her accomplishments aboard her brown gelding Sure Down Dash, also known as “Viper.” The two have become an incredible team. “He is my number one priority, always. None of this would even be imaginable if it wasn’t for Viper. I will go as far as he wants to,” Lake said.
Lake has been riding horses since she was old enough to walk but didn’t compete in barrel racing until the age of nine. Her advice to anyone trying to excel in the pro rodeo world is, “Start somewhere, and work your way up. I stayed local a whole year until I had the confidence to compete at the level I am at now. You have to start somewhere!”
The daughter of Phyllis Benefield of Richmond, Texas, Lake attended Foster High School in Richmond and Blinn College in Bryan-College Station.