Meet Summer Kosel
Rodeo competitor • Ranch wife • Mother of four
Born and bred in Glenham, South Dakota, Summer Kosel was riding before she could walk—thanks to her roots on a family racehorse ranch. After taking time away to focus on family, she returned to barrel racing with full force—and hasn’t looked back.
In 2022, riding her gelding Apollo (a.k.a. FireWaterFrenchFame), she shattered the long-standing arena record at Cheyenne Frontier Days with a blistering 17.02 seconds. From there, she kept winning: top finishes at Guymon, Buffalo Bill, Othello, and the River City Rodeo, finishing second at Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo and the Walla Walla Stampede.
Her prize season earned her a spot at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo—where she not only qualified but won Round Five with a 13.42-second run. Off the clock, Summer focuses on home—raising four kids with husband Kevin, who also runs their ranch-stock operation and amateur rodeo events. That balance of family, faith, and grit drives her approach: compete hard, live grounded.
