EL PASO COUNTY, Colo. (KOAA) — A 10-year-old El Paso County girl who nearly died from a rattlesnake bite this past summer has not only recovered but has become an inspiration, working to complete the 2025 rodeo season with some major success!
Juliette Schubert was playing with a friend in June when she went to open a barn door east of Colorado Springs.
"So me and my friend were playing, and we thought we were going to go see if there were cows in the barn. And then I slipped up to open the door and then something bit me," Juliette recalled.
She went to her father for help not knowing exactly what had injured her, then returned to the barn where they discovered their cat, Binx, was playing with something.
"My cat was just bonking the snake's head," Schubert explained.
It was a rattlesnake. Schubert was rushed to the hospital, but as her pain intensified, she needed to be airlifted to another facility. Her mother, Marijo Schubert, described the experience as a nightmare.
"It's the scariest thing… it happened so fast," Marijo said. "You think you're prepared, but you're not. I didn't know really if she was going to live or if she was going to have long-term effect. It is terrifying."
Doctors needed 18 vials of anti-venom to save Juliette's life. But before she was even fully healed, she wanted to return to her passion: horseback riding.
"It's the thing that I love to do the most," Juliette said with a smile.
She got back on her horse and began competing in rodeo events again, even while still recovering from her injuries.
"She rode almost the whole season on crutches, and she had only one foot in the stirrup because her foot was so swollen from the bite," Marijo added.
Despite the challenges, Juliette finished 2025 as the all-around champion for the peewee girls division for the Little Britches Youth Association. She carries a special memento with her – the rattle from the snake that nearly killed her, serving as a reminder to never give up.
"Work hard and reach your goals," Juliette stated when talking about everything she had been through.
Her championship saddle features a snake print seat to commemorate what she overcame.
"We got a snake print seat to remember forever what she's been through. She was in pain, and she just kept going because it is what she loves the most to do, so cowgirl up," Mary Jo Schubert said.
Juliette has now qualified for the National Little Britches Rodeo Association competition. News5 plans on tracking her rodeo career and using her story as a reminder
“I hadn’t really talked about it online yet,” she said. “I figured it was a good ending-of-the-year story to share.”
The video framed the year as both a near tragedy and a triumph.
“2025 is the year that almost took her life,” Schubert said, “but it was also a really good year for her.”
You can track Juliette's rodeo journey on social media through Facebook by clicking here or on Instagram by clicking here.
This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.
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