Began barrel racing last year
(DELAWARE, Ind.) – A Jac-Cen-Del fifth grader has qualified for a national barrel racing tournament that will take place later this year.
10-year-old Mia Hoegeman will compete at the International Barrel Racing Association (IBRA) Nationals in Cloverdale, Indiana in September.
Hoegeman is no stranger to riding horses as she began when she was just 3-years-old with her grandparents.
However, barrel racing is a new sport to her as she just began competing last year.
“I’ve had a lot of experience with horses, and when I saw other people do barrel racing I said to myself that is something I want to do,” Hoegeman told The 812.
To qualify for nationals, Mia had to earn a specific number of points during IBRA-sanctioned events. Riders can earn points throughout the year, but to Mia's credit, she earned all the required points in the past four months.
She qualified for three different competitions at the IBRA Nationals: Open 4D, Youth 2D and Youth 3D.
“It feels good to have qualified and I am very excited about going to Nationals,” she said. “I am mostly excited about hopefully winning and being able to go to some other places across the country to race.”
While she is focused on performing well in September, her long-term goal is to become a horse trainer.
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