After winning a state championship as just a freshman, Abby

Knight rides off to nationals on a proven horse

While Abby Knight may not have always been on a horse, she sure came close.

Having started rodeo when she was three years old, Knight has become one of the best rodeo athletes in the state of Montana and come next week, she could prove herself to be among the best at the High School Rodeo Nationals in Gillette, Wyo.

Knight, only a freshman in Charlo, won the pole-bending state title in Bozeman three weeks ago at the Montana High School state finals with a time of 20.96 in the championship go.

"I didn't expect it at all," Knight said of the championship. "I knew I was tied for second and third but I never thought I'd win state."

She also won the Rookie All-Around award as well.

"It's been a long time since a freshman has won state," her mother, Rocky said.

Posting consistent runs and putting herself in a good spot, ahead in the standings by a point, heading into her final run of the state championship. She just needed avoid

making a mistake in the run to make it to nationals.

"I didn't even bobble a pole," Knight said of her runs. "I was kind of nervous. I just had to make a good clean run."

She did. In fact, she blew it wide open with a clean and fast run to win the state title. Helping her to the championship was her secret weapon, a wily veteran capable of handling the pressure, timing and athleticism required

for pole-bending.

Her horse, Lanky.

"My horse is really good," Knight said. "He knows what he's doing."

It's her second year riding Lanky, but the horse has served the Knights well, helping Abby's older sister Naomi to state glory as well.

Last year, Lanky and Abby qualified for the Junior High School Rodeo Finals in Gallup, N.M. Nearly 1,000 juniors competed in the event, with kids from all 50 states along with Australia and Canada.

"Some people from Australia were talking about how they had to borrow horses and how tough that was," Knight, said to the Leader after the event. "One girl from Hawaii said she borrowed a horse the day before."

She said that the toughest thing about nationals, was understandably, the pressure.

"It was my nerves," Knight said. "You just had to have a good run and do what you did to get there."

She added that her experience in junior rodeo should help her calm down for the high school finals. That and practice.

Knight has practiced during the rodeo season and even during cold winters in a barn down in Mission. She had nothing but praise for her coach, Yvetta Vegas.

"She's really nice and she treats me like family," Knight said with a smile. "I even get the criticism."

And Leroy Hoversland for helping with the stock.

"Anytime we call Leroy he's there to help us out with our horses," Knight said.

Knight's commitment during the winter has paid off during the junior high school and high school seasons.

"It can be cold," Rocky Knight said. "It's hard to be motivated when it's ten below out."

While Knight also plays volley and basketball, missing rodeos in the fall because of those two sports, she said that rodeo is by far her favorite sport. And as just a

freshman, she has plenty of years left to make a splash at the state and national competitions.

"The next couple of years I would like to concentrate on my other events too," Knight said.

This year, Knight was third in the breakaway roping event for the state average in Montana and has been getting

"Her roping has really improved," Abby's dad, Mike, said. "In the all-around standings, which are all the events points together, she placed fourth in the state. That's pretty impressive."

While the next few weeks will give the family a time for a breather when it comes to travel, Knight will be busy training for the national competition, the second biggest rodeo in the entire country. She also competed at the Mission Mountain Rodeo last weekend and will go to the upcoming Columbia Falls and Arlee rodeos.

"It just keeps me up on my game," Knight said.

And in just a short while, that game will be down in Gillette, Wyo.