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Young rider to compete in October event
For Winfield Scott second-grader Briana Williams, riding horses quickly went from a hobby to a love affair.
However, at just eight years old, the daughter of Fort Scott residents Debbie Hilts and Brett Williams not only rides horses, she races them. She's not bad, either.
"The girl can ride," Hilts said. Briana most recently displayed her talent during the Kids Rodeo competition, part of the Labor Day weekend celebration in Uniontown. At that event, she placed second in the barrel race, third in the goat tail tie and third in the flag race. She also participated in the pole bending event. By competing in four events, she also vied for the All-Around Cowgirl title.
Briana's love of riding horses bloomed last winter when she began attending the Happy Trails Horseback Riding program directed by local riding instructor Lee Norris. The program, offered through Buck Run Community Center, allows children to take 20-minute horseback rides.
Hilts said that her daughter and Norris almost automatically formed a bond.
"Lee really enjoyed her," Hilts said. "She called me up and asked if (Briana) could come out and ride with her."
Once Briana started attending, unlike many children, she didn't stop.
"She kept coming out," Norris said. "She comes out every Tuesday and Thursday and practices with me."
Norris is a former Fort Scott Community College student and an award-winning rodeo competitor. Hilts said that she is glad Norris is her daughter's coach.
"I feel honored that out of all little girls that she could have worked with, Briana's the one she connected with," Hilts said. "Briana adores Lee."
From the beginning, Norris said, she knew Briana had a gift with horses. She also said that despite her age, Briana already has a passion for the sport.
"She's really dedicated to the sport of rodeo," Norris said. "She loves horses."
Hilts said that Briana's love of horses could stem from Hilts' father. Hilts said that her father used to raise horse, and at one time had at least 50 horses under his care. She added that Briana is the only one of 13 grandchildren who took an interest in horses.
"She's got it in her genes, I guess," Hilts said.
Due to her passion and skill, Briana is in first place in the National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) eight-and-under barrel racing class, Norris said.
Norris added that Briana is preparing to compete at the national level in Tulsa, Okla., in October and also at the NBHA National competition in Topeka next spring.
While Hilts recognizes that her daughter knows what she's doing, the mother inside her still causes her to tense up during some of Briana's competitions.
"When she goes out and does barrels, I guess I still hold my breath a little," Hilts said.
While falling is a concern for Briana's parents, it apparently doesn't faze the young rider.
"She's been bucked off big horses, but she got right back on," Hilts said. "It's never stopped her."
As for Briana's future with horses, Hilts said she hopes she'll follow in Norris' footsteps and continue riding into her college years, where she may qualify for rodeo scholarships.
Norris thinks that Briana has the love for the sport and the work ethic to carry her into a future in competitive horseback riding.
"She's always talking about wanting to get better," Norris said. "I can tell she's a girl that's going to stick with it."