Heartland Twisters
Meet The Ladies of Chanute Bit and Spur Saddle Clubs
Established in the mid 1970's as the Chanute Bit and Spur Saddle Club drill team, this all female equestrian team took on their current name in 1991. Performing precisely choreographed maneuvers at a fast pace, In 2023 the girls plan to preform 2 fast paced, precision drills.
Rilee Jordan & Paris
Mara Jordan & Cherokee
Rilee Jordan, a 24-year-old Galesburg, Kansas cowgirl, is a veteran member and current captain of the Chanute Bit & Spur Saddle Club Heartland Twisters Drill team. Rilee, the daughter of Doug and Mara Jordan is an a professional horse trainer and aspiring barrel racer. Rilee is a graduate of Coffeyville community college where she competed on the Red Ravens Rodeo Team and earned a Associates degree in arts. Rilee i also the Chanute Saddle Clubs Event Coordinator. While holding many Volunteer titles Rilee also holds a full time job as Productions Assistant at Farm Talk newspaper In Parsons . When Rilee is not riding with the Heartland Twisters or working she is an American Cowboys Rodeo Association Cowgirl Competing at rodeos in the Barrel racing as well as competing in Mounted Shooting, Ranch Versatility, and several other events. Rilee is also attempting to learn Breakaway roping. Rilee is riding her 21 year old Sorrel mare Paris. Paris is an all around cutting horse, cow horse, steer wrestling horse, & barrel horse who loves treats and to chase cows. Paris has been a drill team horse off and on for almost 6 years, and also used to work pens at the sale barn.
Melody Wallace & Dixie
Melody Wallace is an "old enough to know better, too young to care" wannabe cowgirl from around Chanute, KS. She is a wife, mother of 4 boys and daycare provider. When she's not chasing after kids, she enjoys horseback riding, hiking, and being outdoors in general. She serves as the treasurer for the Chanute Bit & Spur saddle club. She has been with the drill team for 3 years now, first as a rider, now behind the scenes as our technical assistant & Co-Capitan. She rode her 19 year old paint mare, Dixie, in the drill team 2 years ago. Dixie has passed on and will always have a spot in Melody's heart!
Kayla Paz & Bear
Kayla Paz is a 36 year old, Chanute, Kansas cowgirl & a veteran member of the Chanute Bit & Spur Saddle Club Heartland Twisters drill team. The daughter of Daniel Jeffrey, Marcia & Derek Toy, Kayla works full time at Bridgewood Custom Cabinetry while also serving as vice president of the Chanute Saddle Club & on several of the club committee's. Kayla is also a mother of 2 very active boys & married to Army veteran, Paul Paz. Outside of her full-time job at Bridgewood, the Saddle Club, wife & mother Kayla also has a small business called Small Town Custom Creations (cups, shirts, car freshies etc.) Kayla also competes in Barrel Racing & Cowboy Mounted Shooting. Kayla is riding her 20 year old barrel horse Bear. Bear is a bay gelding who loves being the center of attention & running barrels. This is Bears first year on the drill team. Bear is as solid as they come barrel horse & Kayla's Heart horse!
Beth Wiles & Bones
Nikki Knight & Gray Boy
Nikki Knight is a 34-year-old Ks cowgirl who recently joined the Chanute Bit & Spur Saddle Club & The Heartland Twisters Drill Team. She is the wife to Cody Knight & the mom to three beautiful daughters, two of which have also joined the club & team. Nikki is an Rn who works at a Dr.'s clinic in Iola, KS. She also homeschools all her kids. When she is not working or teaching she enjoys spending time with her family and riding with the team & her girls. Gray boy is her 20 year young gelding who has been her faithful partner for more than half his life. They spent most of his early years traveling to compete at various barrel races and most of his older years teaching her girls how to ride. Gray enjoys all the love & cuddles he gets from his ladies and is always the first in the trailer ready to go where his girls go. Nikki & Gray are excited to partner up again and enjoy this new adventure together alongside her girls.
Mayson Knight & Lightning
Mayson Knight is a 17 years old cowgirl from Yates Center Ks. She recently joined the Chanute Bit and Spur Saddle Club, along with her family, and the Heartland Twisters drill team, with her mom and sister! She, along with her two sisters, are homeschooled by their Mom! As a senior Mayson plans to go to fort Scott next year to get her Cosmetology degree. Lightning is a five year old pony/quarter horse gelding. This is his first year being rode and brought out and about! Lightning loves to have a job, and the drill team is the perfect job for him to continue to learn and get used to large groups of horses and people! He loves to run and race his pasture mates! Mayson’s family got lightning when he was 4 and only had ground work done with him, he has come a long ways and is a very characteristic and fun partner!
Mara Jordan is the Eldest member of the team at 57 years old. She is a Galesburg, Kansas cowgirl, she is a veteran member of the Chanute Bit & Spur Heartland Twisters Drill team. Mara joined the team with her Daughter Rilee. Mara is the daughter of Jean Friend and Richard and Jerry Michael. Mara works at Tioga Territory in Chanute, Kansas where she helps design and create custom jackets and clothing merchandise & prizes for several national & world horse shows. Mara is the Chanute Bit & Spur Saddle Club Rodeo Committee Chair as well as the Neosho County Willing Workers 4-H Club Leader. When Mara is not riding with the Heartland Twisters she competes in local MEK Horse shows and Mounted shooting. Mara hopes to help her daughter achieve a family ranch where they can raise and train ranch and rodeo horses. Mara is riding her 23 year old all around babysitter horse Cherokee. Cherokee is a registered paint Mare who excels in performance classes including Western Pleasure, Horsemanship and Showmanship. She also competes in Mounted Shooting, 4-H events, and has formerly competed in Dressage and Jumping. Cherokee has been a member of the Heartland Twisters for 8 years.
Elizabeth Thompson & Frosty
Elizabeth Thompson is the 17 year old daughter of Mary & Ed Splechter & Dustin & Pam Thompson. She is a Senior at Chanute Highschool & is a Chanute native. Liz is competing this year with her leased mare Cherrokee. Liz is a very active member of her FFA chapter & has learned how to weld. She plays right field for the Chanute blue Comets Highschool Softball team & helps manage the Comets Cross Country team. Liz also enjoys Trap Shooting, 4-H, Dance, Photography, spending time with family & competing in as many competitions with her FFA Vet science team as possible. In the future Liz plans to attend Kansas State University & major in Equine Science & veterinarian medicine so she can become an Equine Veterinarian.
Alaina Cartright & Sage
Alaina Cartright is a 13-year-old honor roll student from Yates Center, Kansas, where she lives with her mom, brother, and grandma. She is the youngest and newest member of the team. She grew up dancing competitively before finding her passion for horses four years ago. She has experience in both English and Western riding. She fell in love with her horse, Sage, a 9-year-old Gypsy Vanner, two years ago as her lesson horse. Sage was used as an occasional trail horse before becoming a lesson horse and brood mare. Alaina’s family also owns Sage’s only baby, Lottie, and a young Gypsy Vanner gelding, Chet. Alaina hopes to train all of them to participate in fun shows, run barrels, and drill team. This is Alaina and Sage’s first experience with drill team and they have shown great potential as a team.
Maci Knight & Hershey
Maggie Hood & Sterling
Maggie Hood is the daughter of Victor & Janalin Hood of Chanute KS. She competitively breakaway ropes with KHSRA, and likes to spend every spare moment in the practice pen. Maggie has the honor of being the Chanute Rodeo Royalty coordinator, and is excited to promote more rodeo queening opportunities for cowgirls in Kansas! She is the proud owner and artist behind Art of the Prairie, where she hand-makes western goods for the working cowgirl. Maggie has a God-lit fire to promote the western lifestyle and rich rodeo heritage of those who have come before her. In the future Maggie plans on attending Fort Scott Community College while she college rodeos. Maggie is blessed to ride her big grey gelding Sterling, who is an experienced pick-up horse and a flag girl’s dream
Maci Knight is 13-years-old Yates Center Kansas Cowgirl. Maci is the daughter of Nikki & Cody Knight & The sister middle sister to Mayson & Maddie Knight. When Maci graduates she plans to become a professional horse trainer & farrier. She has begun working on Breakaway roping and hopes to learn reining & Bronc Riding. Maci is riding Hershey. He is a 20 year old paint gelding who was born & trained in North Dakota. Her backup horse is Grey boy a 20 year old grey Quarter Horse who won barrels & poles.
Jessi Thummel & Whiskey
Emily Spragg & Batman
Mattison Morgan & Maverick
Mattison Morgan is the 16 year old daughter of Matt and Mary Morgan. She is a junior at Chanute High School and a member of the Bit and Spur Saddle Club and the Heartland Twisters drill team. Matti is an active member in her FFA chapter and participates in many sports, such as: softball, bowling, dance, trap shooting, and archery. She is very passionate about art, writing, riding her horse, and dance competition. She is a God loving, Christian, Kansas born cowgirl. Matti has lived in Chanute Kansas her whole life and now lives on a farm. She was blessed with her first horse at the end of 2022; a 12 year old gelding paint named Maverick. Only lightly ridden, she worked with him daily for months. After months of hard work, they have become best friends. Maverick is being trained for barrel racing, flag holding, drill team, and more. After high school, Mattison plans to go to NCCC for a couple of years and then transfer to KU Med to be an OBGYN.
Diane Wilson & Hope
Diane Wilson Is a 22 year old wife and Kansas cowgirl. She just joined the Chanute Bit & Spur Saddle Club and The Heartland Twisters drill team. Her parents are Shannon Merando and Joseph Webb. Diane grew up on a farm and participating in 4-H. Diane has always had a passion for horses and Is glad she get to live that dream with her first horse Hope who is a 20 year old paint. Diane is planning to be on the team for a long time and get into what she loves which is barrel racing. Diane says with her new team and family She knows there is no stopping her from reaching her goals and dreams.