A local Grade 10 student from Forest Grove will be travelling to Rock Springs, Wyoming to compete for the British Columbia team at the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR) and a chance to win more than $200,000 in prizes and $350,000 in college scholarships.
“It feels good. I’m very excited and I worked very hard,” said Jordyn Karl.
Karl will be competing in the pole bending competition after qualifying through nationals. Pole Bending is when you weave around six poles there and back. The event is timed.
On the first day of nationals, she ran a 22.3 and on the third day, she won the event by running a 22.0, allowing her to qualify for the NHSFR. First, she had to compete in all of the BC rodeos and qualify for finals based on how many points they have collected.
The top 12 of the B.C. rodeo circuit would go on to the finals. After that, the top four internationals and top five Canadians go to the finals.
Karl also competed in the barrel racing and breakaway roping.
The NSHFR is the worlds largest rodeo with over 1,650 contestants from 43 U.S. states, five Canadian provinces, Australia and Mexico from July 15 to 21.
If Karl were to win the NHSFR title for pole bending, she would have to make it into the top 20, based on her combined times/scores in the first two rounds and advance to the final round. The final round time/score would be combined with the previous two and determine who the world winner is.
She started competing in rodeos when she was in Grade 8.
“I didn’t do a lot before that. I just started on the horse I’m using now in Grade 8, so before that, I was just doing stuff at home and practising with her,” said Karl.
She said she got into it because she grew up around horses.
“My parents did a lot of riding and we always went to the rodeo [Little Britches] that was in 100 Mile and I liked it and wanted to do it,” she said.
Karl and other athletes can be watched through the NHSFR’s live broadcasts on www.ridepass.com, starting at 7 p.m. on July 15 and 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. each day afterwards.
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