10/28/2026
🤠❤️ AROUND THE ARENA ❤️🤠
Where Rodeo, Family & Community Come Together
This week, we're taking you just outside Visalia, California, to meet a family whose love for the western way of life goes far beyond the arena!
Meet the Blankenship family, the wonderful people behind Blankenship HVACR Inc. and our generous CJCA contestant back-number sponsorship!
Rick and Brandi Blankenship have built their lives around family, hard work, strong values, and giving back to their community. Together, they've raised three daughters, each making her own mark on the world.
Shelbie, 23, is pursuing graduate studies in Meat Science at Texas Tech University. Paiten graduated from CSU Long Beach and now serves as the office manager for the family business. And then there's Kaidence, whose love of horses brought the family into the CJCA rodeo arena!
🐴 A COWGIRL'S JOURNEY
Kaidence's rodeo story began with a little girl's dream of owning a horse.
She started riding lessons in seventh grade with Hanna Cole, later training with Abi Price and discovering her love for gymkhanas.
It was the Gunderman family who encouraged the Blankenships to give CJCA a try. Kaidence soon found herself competing in barrels and poles aboard her horse, Sophie.
After losing Sophie, Kaidence took time away from competition to focus on her new horse, Malibu. This summer brought another exciting chapter with the addition of a roping horse and her introduction to breakaway roping!
But her adventures didn't stop there!
Last December, Kaidence set her sights on becoming Woodlake Rodeo Queen. Through determination, hard work, selling an incredible $10,000 in tickets, and writing an outstanding poem, she earned the crown!
She now travels throughout California representing Woodlake, promoting rodeo, and sharing her love for the western lifestyle.
❤️ MORE THAN A FAMILY BUSINESS
Rick spent years working in the HVAC department at Kaweah Health while helping friends and neighbors with heating and cooling repairs on the side.
His reputation for honesty, quality work, and dependable service grew. When demand increased during COVID, the family took a leap of faith and established Blankenship HVACR Inc.
Today, Brandi owns the company, Rick oversees operations, and Paiten helps keep everything running in the office. Brandi also works as an elementary school teacher!
Despite their growing business, their values remain simple: honesty, integrity, hard work, and treating people like family.
⭐ WHY THEY GIVE BACK
Perhaps the most meaningful part of their story is why they choose to support youth rodeo.
Brandi understands firsthand what it's like to grow up with limited financial resources. The Blankenships know that rodeo isn't an inexpensive sport, and they believe every child deserves the opportunity to experience the confidence, friendships, responsibility, and life lessons that come with it.
Their belief says it beautifully:
"Every champion starts somewhere, and sometimes all a child needs is someone willing to give them a chance."
🎉 A SPECIAL THANK YOU AND A LITTLE SURPRISE!
Thanks to the generosity of Blankenship HVACR Inc., we're excited to share a first look at our CJCA felt contestant back-number design!
These aren't just numbers worn in the arena. They're something our young cowboys and cowgirls can take home, hang on their walls, and remember the friendships, accomplishments, and memories made along the way.
And that is exactly why family-owned businesses like Blankenship HVACR Inc. mean so much to our association.
Rick, Brandi, Shelbie, Paiten, and Kaidence, thank you for being part of our CJCA family and for investing in the next generation of rodeo athletes.
We are grateful for your generosity and proud to share your story! ❤️🤠
Please join us in giving the Blankenship family a great big CJCA THANK YOU!
❄️ Blankenship HVACR Inc.
📍 Visalia, California
📞 (559) 563-3657
