Reese Rivet turns 14 this month and is already well on her way to achieving her long-term goal of competing in the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.
She has been competing in rodeo events since she was six years old and all the practice and training she has put in since then is starting to pay off on the Little Britches and High School Rodeo circuits.
In July, while her family was on wildfire evacuation orders from their Fox Mountain home, Reese was able to compete at the Canadian Jr. High School Rodeo Finals in Nanton, AB, July 26 to 29 where she took fourth place in barrels, her favourite rodeo event.
“It was pretty cool to say I was fourth in Canada because I’ve never been able to say that before,”
Reese also took 17th place in the breakaway event.
She also took seventh place in one go of the ribbon roping events with Brock Everett.
Ribbon roping is a tricky event in which one rider, (Everett) ropes the calf and the other rider, (Reese) has to grab a ribbon that has been tied to calf’s tail.
Reese qualified for the Canadian Jr. high school rodeo finals with wins earned at the B.C. High School Junior Finals held in Williams Lake on the long weekend in May.
On the August 26/27 weekend Reese went on to compete at the Little Britches rodeo in Prince George where she placed fourth in barrels on the Saturday and improved her standing with a third place win in barrels on the Sunday.
On the Saturday she placed ninth in poles and knocked down a pole on Sunday to take a five second penalty.
In Breakaway Reese missed her mark both days.
This weekend Reese will compete at the Little Britches Rodeo finals in Barriere.
Later this month Reese is looking forward to competing in the B.C. Barrel Racing Association Finals that will take place at the Stampede Grounds in Williams Lake on Sept. 29, 30 and Oct. 1.
She will compete in both the Junior and Open barrel racing categories.
These days Reese is riding a horse named Oreo that has been loaned to her by Nicole Hoessl.
“We call her Unicorn because she is so good at what she does,” Reese said. “She loves to run.”
Reese’s own barrel racing horse, named Dixie, is seven years old and is doing a little more training with Nicole before she will be ready to compete in rodeo events with Reese.
Meanwhile Nicole, who trains horses and has competed in barrel racing, is also coaching Reese on some of the finer points of the sport.
“I think she’s really awesome,” Reese said. “She’s helped me a lot.”
One could say that Reese has rodeo in her blood. She is the daughter of Dallas and Leanne Rivet.
Dallas competed and judged in the BCRA and Leanne shows quarter horses on the AQHA circuit.
“Horses have been in my family for generations,” Leanne said.
She grew up in Goldbridge where her family ran a guide outfitting business and her mother also raised and showed quarter horses.
Reese started competing in rodeo events when she was six years old and puts in a lot of practice time to gain the skills necessary to succeed in the sport.
She practices riding every day at her family’s Fox Mountain hobby farm and also participates in winter training sessions at Eagleview Equestrian Centre and the Trail Riders Arena October through December.
She practices roping a dummy calf on the ground whenever she can, but the skills for breakaway events are pretty much learned while competing in the rodeo ring, as she doesn’t have steers at home to practice with, Reese said.
Reese goes into Grade 9 at the Lake City Secondary Columneetza campus this fall and next to rodeo says her favourite subjects are math and science.
“My long-term goal is to go to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas,” said Reese, who will have her eye on one of the prizes at the BCBRA Finals coming up in Williams Lake later this month.
