To the human eye eleven year old Brooke Hoyt appears to be a delicate, beautiful princess. But when Hoyt climbs onto a horse saddle she transforms into a barrel racing competitor.
Hoyt has earned the prestigious honor of competing in the 2014 National Barrel Racing Youth World Finals. She will carry four of her personal horses with her to the weeklong competition July 19-26 in Perry, Georgia.
The National Barrel Racing Association (NBHA) has over 23,000 members worldwide. The NBHA offers riders the opportunity to earn recognition and jackpots through District, State, National and World Championships.
Winning jackpots is nothing new to Hoyt. One of her recent wins offered her the opportunity to purchase a horse all on her own. Firewater One Sock, referred to as Lacy by Hoyt, is considered a premiere horse in Northwest Florida. Hoyt is now the proud owner of Lacy and will be riding her as well as three other of her horses during the competition. She purchased the mare with her winnings.
The love for barrel racing and horses is in Hoyt’s blood. She learned from her mother Brittany Hoyt and Velda Wilson, grandmother. All three generations ride and compete. Recently, the three competed in the Santa Rosa County Fair Rodeo.
“When Brooke was only two years old I was loading my horse for a race and she asked if she could run barrels too,” shared Brittany Hoyt. “Since then if I have a horse loaded, ready to compete Brooke does too.”
Hoyt is looking forward to her summer vacation because she will be that much closer to the World Final. She will climb into the saddle and head for barrel turn number one with a love for her horses, the sport and winning.
This article originally appeared on Santa Rosa Press Gazette: Barrel racing is in her blood