Q - What is Your Robot(s) Name(s)?:
A - Crazy Horse Girl, Il Pacino, Lil Pacino, Circus Pony, Tiny But Mighty
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - How did you first discover combat robotics, and what made you decide to actually start building?:
A - Discovered BattleBots on Comedy Central by random chance in 2001 at 9 and I was hooked. I had the McDonald’s toys and some RC bots. When it went off the air I let it become a fond memory, but my love for it came back in 2015 with the reboot on ABC. I found the Official BattleBots Group on Facebook in 2021 and started learning how amazing and big the community really is. I went to filming in 2021 and met a few of my favorite teams and it was life changing. Met a few more people in between then and 2022 while also realizing local competitions with 1lb and 3lb bots were a thing. I celebrated my 30th birthday at filming in 2022 which was the best birthday ever! Later I got played for a fool by a builder which fueled my desire to one day compete so I could destroy their bot, and instead have found a community I never knew I needed in my life. Maybe revenge will come someday, but it’s no longer the goal.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - What was the first bot you ever built, and what do you remember most about that experience?:
A - Il Pacino was my first bot. It was a secondhand Beetleweight (3lb) that was literally listed for sale the exact same moment I logged onto Facebook 2/14/23. It was local, already built, just needed to be wired. It felt meant to be so I took it. Basically I was just constantly thinking “what did I get myself into?” I had no idea what I was doing, was pretty much learning on the fly, and drove it for the first time ever in its first match. It was one of the scariest most insane things I’ve ever done and I am so glad that I did.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - Who were the early influences or people who helped you learn the ropes when you were just starting out?:
A - Pre-fighting career (and still today) would be Team HyperShock because of the fun and vibrant personalities. After I decided to give competing a shot, I had tons of help from the MRCA discord, mainly Dom Yankauskas and Remy DeGuzman for electronics. This one is controversial, but Santana Starks was the one who sold me Il Pacino and it was his event that I started out at. Casey and CJ Jeremiason for allowing me to come to an event and meet people was also really helpful. There’s one more that had a hand in getting me to start fighting but does not deserve any respect or recognition.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - How has your current bot evolved from your first version or first idea?:
A - Crazy Horse Girl was an idea planted in my mind after I drove a 1lb Omnivert in a rumble in September 2023. I wasn’t in the financial place to make it a reality, but constantly thought about how it might look and what to do differently. Inspiration was taken from Monsoon for the pivoting chassis. The original 1lb was inspired by Ominous so it became a combination of the 2. I had no idea how to use CAD yet and knew this would be a complex design so I enlisted DJ Carpenter to design the bot in mid 2024.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - What’s one thing you wish you knew before building your first bot?:
A - You don’t have to replace your bot after every fight. My biggest fear based on watching NHRL was I would need to essentially do a complete rebuild after every fight due to the fights shown on stream. It was fun to watch, but financially terrifying to think about. This sport is expensive, but not as bad as it lead me to believe.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - Do you prefer building, driving, or strategy — and why?:
A - Probably driving. In my early days watching on Comedy Central it was a fantasy of mine to drive a bot in a fight one day. I like building things that already have design plans, but I’m not great at designing things on my own.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - What was your favorite fight you’ve ever had and why?:
A - It might be my rematch with Love Will Tear Us Apart at i3 Detroit in 2024. It was the first ranked opponent Lil Pacino had faced earlier that year and I was able to turn the tables on him and it always a joy to fight Caleb (builder). I think I was smiling and laughing the whole fight.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - What keeps you excited about the sport?:
A - I don’t like surprises, but the fact there are no guarantees when it comes to fighting. Some bots may be better than others, but things can and will go wrong. You can only keep learning and growing as a builder, driver, volunteer, or event organizer.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - What advice would you give to someone thinking about building their first bot?:
A - Think about your goals and set realistic expectations for them. Start with something small and durable. The initial goal should be building something sturdy that can keep going, not destroying your opponent. Weapons can be added later.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - What are your goals for your next event?:
A - Have some updated versions of my bots and see what works. And as always, to have fun!
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - Are there any events you hope to compete in in the future?:
A - Robot Ruckus is one I definitely want to attend one day.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Q - Where do you see your bot, or yourself as a builder, a year from now?:
A - Hopefully still enjoying my bots and proving omniverts can be competitive.
Builder Profile: https://havocrundown.com/en/builder/stephanie-spooner-1763909993880
