Whataburger's Whatakid: Robbin Rice

Congratulations to the Whatakid of the month, Robbin Rice! This eighteen-year-old senior is an all-around amazing woman. In the arena, she competes in breakaway roping, cutting and reining cow horse. Of the three, reining cow horse is her favorite. “It is a feeling like no other,” Robbin said.

Robbin rides four different horses: Dunny, Dinero, Chavez and The Dual. She ropes on both Dunny and Dinero. When talking about Dinero she mentioned that, “I raised him since he was a yearling. My dad helped me train him to rope off of.” She rides Chavez for reining cow horse while The Dual is her cutting horse.

Matlock Rice, Robbin’s dad, has helped her train most of her horses. “My dad helped me perfect everything on my horses, from learning how to ride them to show them better. Besides The Dual, every horse that I have performed off of, I have gotten the opportunity to make them what they are with the help of my dad,” Robbin said. “That’s probably one of my favorite things about my horses. We don’t go buy them; we just make them great with what we have.”

Robbin has been a part of rodeo her whole life. “It is just a way of life for my family and me. My dad is a horse trainer and everybody in my family, even my 78-year-old grandfather, shows and ropes. I am just glad that I have been raised this way,” Robbin said. She has been competing since she was around four and is currently a member of THSRA.

Robbin’s favorite rodeos have been the Abilene State Finals, the very first World’s Greatest Youth Horseman Competition back in February, and the Summer Spectacular for NCHA. She really enjoys showing in Fort Worth “because it is such a historic place to show at. That is where championships are won,” Robbin said. In 2017, she was named rookie all-around cowgirl at the THSRA State Finals. She is also extremely proud that this past summer she got awarded the very first NCHA Christian Leadership Award.

Although those awards and achievements are amazing, Robbin considers accepting Jesus Christ as her Lord and Savior her biggest accomplishment. “I think that is the most important thing that anyone can ever achieve or decide,” Robbin said.

Not only does Robbin compete in rodeo, she is also a member of the varsity volleyball team, National Honor Society and Future Farmers of America at Bellville high school. She also takes her academics very seriously as she is in the top 10% of her class. Robbin mentioned that her favorite teacher was her mom, Susan Rice, who taught her seventh and eighth grade algebra and pre-algebra.

In her free time, Robbin enjoys sharing God’s Word and being involved in ministry. “Pretty much any show or rodeo that I go to on a Sunday, I am preaching at it,” Robbin said. She has gotten the opportunity to preach at her Church, All-Around Cowboy Church in Sealy, Tx. “It is really cool because my grandparents pastor that church. I have always been in the church, but they have had a big impact on me stepping out and sharing what God has done in my life, as well as just what He does in everybody’s lives and how awesome He is,” Robbin remarked. She has even been invited to preach at the NCHA Futurity in Fort Worth, TX.

“Live in such a way that those who don’t know God but know me will come to know God because they know me” is a saying that Robbin lives by. She believes that it is extremely relevant and something we can all remind ourselves of everyday. This saying especially helps her as she is preaching and putting herself out there on such a big platform because, “I have to sacrifice what the world will think of me and what people will say. Sacrifice my pride and just do it because that is what I am called to do,” Robbin said.

Someone that Robbin looks up to is Tony Reina, one of her best friend’s fathers. “Not only is he successful in the rodeo arena, he is just an all-around awesome person. He truly does live the life that God has called us to live. He is always there for anyone who needs him,” Robbin explained. She also looks up to her uncle, Boyd Rice, because he has been extremely successful and dominant in the reining cow horse and cutting businesses.

She realizes that she couldn’t do anything without her mom and dad. “They support me more than anyone in the whole world. Both of my brothers, Cade and Casey, are also just a phone call away anytime I need them for any advice or anything else,” Robbin said. “My family is just awesome, and I wouldn’t be where I am today without them at all.”

In the future, Robbin plans to attend Weatherford College and then Texas Tech University. She hopes to be part of Tech’s ranch horse team and graduate as either an agricultural business or economics major. From there, she would like to go into agricultural pharmaceutical sales and continue with her ministry.

Robbin is honored to be chosen as this months Whatakid!