​Kay did not come from from a rodeo or ranching background. One year her parents took her and her sister to a local rodeo. She fell in love with it. After watching a barrel race, she told her parents “I’m going to do that some day” despite not having a horse, let alone knowing how to ride.

At age 13, Kay got her first horse, and at 15 she got her first saddle, but she never competed in junior or high school rodeos. In fact, she didn’t even know there were such things.

In time, she became more competitive and was a founding officer of the Oregon Barrel Racing Association, and 2-time State Champion. From there, she moved on to the pro rodeos where she then met her future husband, Larry.

Kay’s father-in-law, Bob Davis, and her husband Larry were both exceptional horsemen. Kay gives them full credit for making her a better horsewoman. She became a member of the WPRA and served as a director for 17 years. During this time, she had two boys, Bobby and Jace. She also started training barrel horses and holding clinics throughout the Northwest and Canada. She also continued to compete, and was named Grand Marshall of the Nampa Stampede. In 2001 she was named WPRA Woman of the Year.

Kay qualified for numerous circuit finals on three different horses and was lucky enough to be a 2-time Circuit Champion. She went on to qualify for the NFR on a roan horse she named “Roanie” and won a go-round that paid $800. Unfortunately her husband Larry broke his neck and could no longer compete. Going to rodeos without him and the boys proved too difficult, and clearly there wasn’t enough money in the sport to make anyone rich, so she made the tough decision to sell the horse, which allowed for them to buy a new house. Kay continued to train barrel horses and hold clinics. She also competed, but on a much smaller scale. Her boys loved the rodeos, too, and Kay become very involved with high school rodeo as a result.

Today Kay is a grandmother with 2 granddaughters and 1 grandson. The girls are active in 4H, school sports and the Idaho Girls Rodeo Association.  They donated 2 steers to the 4H, and are sponsors to these groups as well as the Idaho Cowboy Association. Kay and Larry are always working the ranch, but their son Bobby is taking over more and more these days. They are blessed with 2 great sons, 2 wonderful daughter-in-laws, and 3 grandbabies.