By Deb Kroon
Review Staff Writer
Kayla Peters, daughter of Merrill and Lisa Peters of rural Adrian, is in her first year of MN Junior High Rodeo competition. Kayla is one of just a hand full of young people who compete in rodeo from our area. Most of her competition comes from the cities and north. Her rodeo season begins in September and goes through May, and as with many other sports, State competition and Nationals begin after the regular season is complete.
Kayla has been competing in barrel racing (speed trail course) on a horse named Yogi, pole bending on Sunny, and goat tying, break away roping, and ribbon roping on Cowboy, throughout the rodeo season. During the nine months of regular competition she entered 16 rodeos and earned a spot at the State Rodeo in all of her events. The State Junior High Rodeo was held June 1 and 2, 2019 at the Nicollet County Fairgrounds in St. Peter, MN. Girls and boys in sixth, seven and eighth grade competed in a total of 11 events, with the top four competitors in each event locking in their place on the national team, which will compete in Huron, SD later this month. Kayla received buckles in Breakaway Roping and Pole Bending, and had the honor of being named the “MN 2019 Rookie of the Year”, for which she also received a buckle (a buckle is in place of a trophy). This qualified her for the opportunity to compete at the National Jr. High Finals Rodeo.
Kayla will compete in two events in Huron, along with approximately 1000 other junior high contestants from 44 states, Australia, Mexico and five provinces of Canada in the world’s largest junior high rodeo. Winners will move on to Junior World Finals that are held in Las Vegas in December.
After finishing in Huron, Kayla will come home for a couple of days before loading up two of her horses, Yogi and Cowboy, and her family and hit the highway, traveling to Gutherie, OK for the National Little Britches Rodeo, July 7-14. She will be competing in all five of her events while in Guthrie, along with about 2,000 others contestants.
