Otero College Instructor Linsay Rosser-Sumpter Receives Two National Honors for Leadership in Women's Rodeo

Description: Otero College instructor Linsay Rosser-Sumpter earns two national awards recognizing her leadership in women's rodeo, Western heritage and education...

Otero College Celebrates Faculty Member Linsay Rosser-Sumpter’s National Recognition for Leadership in Women’s Rodeo

National honors highlight the experience, leadership and passion she brings to Agricultural Business Management students

LA JUNTA, Colo. — Otero College proudly celebrates Agricultural Business Management faculty member Linsay Rosser-Sumpter, who has been named the 2026 Tad Lucas Award honoree and selected for the Annie Oakley Society Trailblazer Award through the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum. The honors recognize her exceptional leadership, commitment to Western heritage and work to expand opportunities for women in rodeo.

The Tad Lucas Award honors women whose character and accomplishments preserve and advance Western heritage. Named for the pioneering competitor known as “Rodeo’s First Lady,” the award celebrates the courage, compassion and determination Rosser-Sumpter demonstrates throughout her career. The Annie Oakley Society Trailblazer Award recognizes women who innovate, uplift others and create a lasting legacy.

“Receiving the Tad Lucas Award and the Annie Oakley Society Trailblazer Award from the National Cowboy & Western Heritage Museum is an honor that means so much to me,” Rosser-Sumpter said. “These recognitions represent not only my rodeo journey, but also the generations of women who have helped shape the Western way of life and the opportunities we have to build its future.”

As commissioner of Premier Women’s Rodeo, Rosser-Sumpter helps expand opportunities and visibility for female athletes. An accomplished professional breakaway roper and third-generation member of the Rosser rodeo family, she brings the perspective of a competitor, industry leader and educator to her work.

For Otero students, that experience creates an extraordinary opportunity: learning directly from a nationally recognized leader who puts leadership, entrepreneurship and perseverance into practice. Her accomplishments reflect the caliber of faculty who make Otero College a place where students can build skills, develop confidence and connect their education to their ambitions.

“As commissioner of PWR, educator, and instructor in Agricultural Business Management at Otero College, I believe one of my greatest responsibilities is helping prepare the next generation of leaders in Western Industry,” Rosser-Sumpter said.

Otero is proud to have an educator whose influence reaches from the classroom to the national stage, and whose commitment to opening doors for others remains at the heart of her work.

Build Your Future in Agricultural Business

Otero’s Agricultural Business Management program helps farmers, ranchers, agricultural business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs strengthen the skills needed to manage and grow their operations. Certificate options include records and business planning, financial analysis, commodity marketing, rural business entrepreneurship and leadership. Instruction combines practical learning with classroom or online study, individualized guidance and cooperative learning tied to students’ business goals.

Registration for the spring semester is open now. Whether students want to strengthen an existing operation or take the first steps toward launching a business, Otero’s ABM faculty can help them explore their next move. Instructor approval is required before registering.

For program information and help getting started, contact Linsay Rosser-Sumpter at linsay.sumpter@otero.edu or 719-384-6964, or visit Otero College’s Agricultural Business Management program page:

https://otero.edu/catalog/degrees-certificates/agriculture-business-management-certificates/

“I am incredibly proud to represent women in rodeo, our rural agricultural communities, Otero College, and my family,” Rosser-Sumpter said. “These honors are a reminder that success is not just about what we accomplish individually, but about the doors we open for others and the legacy we leave for the next generation.”

Follow SECO News on Facebook.
Subscribe to the SECO News YouTube Channel.

Education Sponsor