Heidi Schmid says it’s all about being fast in the saddle.

In her case, the fastest.

Schmid, a 17-year-old, happy-go-lucky, senior-to-be at Flathead High School who always flashes a big smile, is competing in pole bending at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Rock Springs, Wyoming, this week. The competition started Sunday and runs through July 19.

“I’ll have to have my best runs,” she said.

“Then we’ll see where it goes.”

Schmid will get two rides at nationals. The top 20 advance to the championship round.

Schmid qualified for nationals, in this her rookie season, by winning the year-end championship last month at the Montana High School Rodeo Finals at Majestic Valley Arena.

The top four finishers qualified for nationals.

“At nationals, there are a lot of 19-second runs,” she said.

“I’m not sure he (Joe, her 18-year-old gelding sorrel quarter horse) can run 19 seconds.”

Schmid and Joe were close to that mark at the state finals, turning in a 20.87 effort in the championship round at state. That was good for first place.

The other two runs — 21.14 seconds and 21.11 — had Schmid in fourth place each day.

“Sixty/forty (percent),” she said of horse/rider accountability in pole bending.

“Consistency is real important.”

She also knows Joe is more than capable of a championship run. Her sister Amanda set a national O-Mok-See record on Joe a couple years back.

“This is his favorite event,” Heidi said.

“He loves it. He gets really excited ... you can feel it. He’s really good at it.”

Schmid and Joe had three clean runs at state, no penalty time for tipped poles, which helped her claim the year-end title.

Pole bending is a timed event where rider and horse weave in and out of six poles staggered n a straight line. It’s a test of horsemanship and speed.

Although Schmid came into the state pole-bending finals tied for 14th place after the spring season in the point standings, she was just five points behind the six leaders, who maxed out with 70 points.

She was within striking distance to being one of the top riders.

“I was nervous,” she said of the state competition.

“I just wanted to do good.

“Awesome,” she said of how it feels to be a state champion.

“I don’t know ... a little surprised I guess.

“Going into it, I hoped to make it to the nationals,” she added.

“That was the No. 1 goal. I didn’t know I would be in the No. 1 spot doing it.”

Montana has had just two national champions in pole bending — Haley Anderson in 2004 and Dixie Reukauf in 1960.

Emily Miller from Ingalls, Kansas, has the pole bending record at nationals a time of 19.579.

“It will be pretty cool,” she said of the NHSFR atmosphere.

“The competition will be tough down there. If I place, wherever it is, I will be happy.”

Schmid also competed at state in barrel racing and goat tying, but did not have as much success in those events.

“Did OK,” she said of barrels.

“Not fast enough. Made it to the short-go.”

Her goat tying effort was so-so.

“I’m just starting with that one,” she said.

“Not very competitive.”

But it’s pole bending where she’s had the most success. And not just in rodeo. She’s also excelled in that event in O-Mok-See. She is a four-time national champ and has competed at nationals five times.

She’ll make her sixth national O-Mok-See appearance starting July 19 in nearby Cody, Wyoming.

This year she moves up to the 16-39 age division in O-Mok-See. She’s a three-time national champion for ages 12-15 and once at 8-11.

“I like O-Mok-See a little bit better,” she said.

“I can do it with my sister, it’s family oriented and it’s cheaper (than high school rodeo).”

In O-Mok-See she competes with the Flathead River Riders.

Schmid says she had toyed with the idea of participating in high school rodeo her sophomore year at Flathead.

“Never got around to it,” she said.

“Busy I guess.

“I was more motivated to do it,” she said for her junior, and current season.

“I wanted to see what it was like.”

It also helped that her best friend — Kassandra Senner — was a member of the local team.

“My next door neighbor,” Schmid said of Senner.

“We both started together.

“It’s been a real cool experience,” Schmid said.

“I wish I would have started as a freshman. I kind of regret (not doing) it (sooner).”

NOTE: Competing at nationals with Schmid is Tyrell Toren, who just completed his freshman year at Flathead. He finished fourth at state in bull riding.

Two Lake County cowboys are also in Rock Springs — Will Powell of St. Ignatius and Bridger Fitzpatrick of Polson.

Powell is entered in steer wrestling and team roping. Fitzpatrick is a bull rider.