The optimum barrel horse remains unridden, but Tess Megill says she can do no better than Parker when it comes to a pole horse.

“He’s the best boy,” Megill said of Parker, whom she has ridden to three state pole bending titles — two at the junior high level, and a third on June 7 at the Montana High School Rodeo Assocation finals at Majestic Valley Arena. “He came that way. We just got so lucky.” 

Now Megill, 16, is headed to the 77th National High School Finals Rodeo that begins Sunday in Rock Springs, Wyoming. It’s her first trip at this level: As a 15-year-old with freshman standing, she finished sixth at her first MHSRA Finals. That was two spots out of nationals.  

“She wasn’t going to let that happen again,” said her mom, Natalie. 

“It was a tough (2024),” the younger Megill said. “I moved up an age group with stiffer competition. It was good for me. I think I needed to get my butt kicked to light a fire under me for my sophomore year.” 

This season that event — rider and horse zig-zagging through six poles, up and back — was almost all Parker and Tess. It’s unique to high school rodeo; pole bending does not continue in college, where Megill very much wants a chance to compete. 

“It’s really good for kids to learn horsemanship,” she said. “It’s probably one of the hardest events.” 

On Tuesday mom was loading up ahead of the long drive to southwest Wyoming — “We probably spend 80 to 90 nights a year in that trailer,” she said — including a state flag to hoist on the golf cart she’ll rent. 

It’s a necessity to get around in the sea of campers parked next to the arena. Some 1,400 competitors will be in Rock Springs before the week-long rodeo ends. 

“There will be that many horse trailers,” Natalie Megill noted. “You’ve never seen anything like this. It’s insane.” 

Fifty cowboys and cowgirls from Montana qualified for Rock Springs, including Ruby Ray of Whitefish (three events, including pole pending), bull riders Tahj Wells of Browning and Octavius Christianson of Columbia Falls and barrel racer Isabella Moran of Kalispell. 

And of course Tess Megill, who has been astride a horse as long as she can remember. Home-schooled, she lives on 16 acres with mom and dad (Chad) near Bigfork. 

Rodeo has been a natural fit, and not just athletically.  

“It has made her world so big,” her mom said. “She has friends all across this country. It’s really cool, what rodeo does.” 

Competition for the younger Megill begins Sunday, and who knows when it will ever end. 

“I have two barrel prospects,” she said. “Rooster is one, and the other is Zipper. They’re going to be breakaway horses, too.” 

Fritz Neighbor can be reached at 758-4463 or at  [email protected].