Abby Knight will most likely make the Championship Go Round in pole bending, one of her three events at the Montana High School Rodeo Finals at Majestic Valley Arena on Sunday.

Getting to the National High School Rodeo Finals for a fourth-straight year might be a little more challenging.

Knight, an 18-year-old senior from Charlo, had a great first go in that timed event on Thursday. Her 21.11-second run was the second best of the day.

Mikayla Fuller of Bozeman had the top go with a 20.96.

But Knight’s outing with her 8-year old bay quarter horse on Friday was not so smooth.

“Tipped two poles,” she said.

“Ten-second penalty.”

Her 30.27-second time dropped her well down the ladder. She now has to wait and see how it all shakes out after another session of pole bending this morning. There are 16 finalists in all events competing in the Championship Go Round.

The top four finishers on Sunday advance to nationals, July 13-19 in Rock Springs, Wyo.

Those placing fifth through 10th qualify for the Silver State International Rodeo in Winnemucca, Nev., July 1-5.

Knight won state titles in pole bending her freshman and junior seasons. She was a state barrel racing champion as a sophomore.

She advanced to nationals all three years, finishing ninth in pole bending in 2013.

 Knight has been to enough rodeos to know that everything does not always come off as planned.

“You can never count on anything in rodeo,” she said.

“Things are constantly changing and the outcome may not always be in your favor.”

She’s scheduled to compete this morning in barrel racing and will have another shot a breakaway roping.

After Thursday’s session, she was sitting 27th in barrels with a time of 16.72.

Paige Moore of Rosebud was the leader at 15.79.

Knight was one of 32 cowgirls to post no time in breakaway roping on the first day. Thirty-five times were recorded, led by Ryanne Tracy of Victor with a 2.35 second go.

“Depends on the day,” Knight said of what event she’s the best at.

“Pole bending and barrel racing are pretty even. I have a pretty good horse.”

Her horse — Mable’s Little Rocket, or for short, Katie — has been her competition partner for the last three years.

“She’s only 14 hands tall,” Knight said.

“(Her name) describes her very well.”

Knight says Katie explodes off the start and is very fast.

“We raised her from a (foal),” she said.

“She didn’t know how to run (at first). Then it clicked. It was awesome.”

Knight and Katie won an event the first time they competed together.

“Seventy-five (horse), twenty-five (me),” she said of where the responsibility rests when competing.

“She knows her job. If she tips a barrel or a pole, it’s because I screwed up.

“Pole bending, there are more things that can go wrong,” she said of what is her most challenging event.

“Barrel racing, I’m good at it.”

Knight practices at least once a week, “but I exercise horses every day.”

At Charlo, she shared her rodeo time with basketball. She played four seasons and was a two-year starter as a forward and center.

She tried volleyball her freshman year, “but it started getting in the way of rodeo.”

She also ran cross country for one season.

She easily favors rodeo over team sports. The main reason, you don’t have to depend on teammates.

“Rodeo, it just yourself,” she said.

“You can’t be mad at your horse. They know their job. It’s a one-person job.

“Most of it is your horse,” she stressed.

“My horse is awesome. You have to be able to ride well with your horse and work well with your horse.”

Knight’s rodeo career will not end at the high school level. She has accepted an academic/rodeo scholarship from the University of Great Falls, where she plans to major in biology and take pre-veternarian classes.

She also has a PRCA pro permit.

“My ultimate dream is to make the NFR (National Finals Rodeo),” she said.