Published: August 19, 2008 08:10 am            

Kayla Price places seventh in 2008 NBHA Youth World Championships

Courtney Reinbott of Suwannee County also qualified

Kayla Price of Live Oak competed July 20-26 at the 2008 NBHA Youth World Championships held in Jackson, Miss. This invitation only event is the largest youth barrel race in the world.

The NBHA Youth World participants numbered over 1,112 in the Teen Division (13 and over) and over 641 in the Youth Division (12 and under). The contestants ran for over $200,000 in cash and prizes. Prizes include eight Tex Tan Championship saddles, Gist buckles, Drysdales Champion and Top Five jackets, eight 4-Star Trailers and many other prizes.

Contestants came from over 36 states, Canada, Italy and Venezuela. Contestants must qualify each year in their respective states to compete in the NBHA Youth World Championships and are the finest youth equine athletes in the world. They qualify on a local level by competing in NBHA sanctioned shows or they can win a “Wildcard” at NBHA National Show, Super Show and State Show events.

The National Barrel Show Association is based in Atlanta, Ga. and has a world wide membership of over 35,000. It is known to be the most innovative barrel racing business in the industry and is credited with introducing the divisional concept to barrel racing.

Price, 10, is a two-time NBHA Youth World qualifier. This year she placed in the second go-round to make it to the finals, riding her mom’s eight-year-old AQHA mare, “Pie.” She sustained an injury to her foot the morning of the finals and could barely get her boot on. She “cowgirled up” and made another clean run placing her seventh in the finals.

Price also made it to the finals at the NBHA Florida State Show, the largest state show in the country with over 800 entries. She has been competing since she was 5, having won a saddle at the Live Oak Riding Club, numerous buckles and 2007 4-D Youth Champion in the FL08 NBHA district. She is already accumulating points to go back to the NBHA Youth World in 2009.

Price is the daughter of Larry and Arlene Price. She is a straight A honor roll student at Epiphany Catholic School in Lake City.

Also qualifying from Suwannee County was Courtney Reinbott, 16, daughter of Marty and Shellie Reinbott. She is no stranger to the “big time” barrel racing, having won the Oklahoma City Derby in 2002 and the Open Champion in Florida’s “Tour of Champions” in 2007. Barrel racing is a family affair for the Reinbotts. Reinbott has been riding since she was little and now primarily competes on her two great mares, “Foxy’s Driftin Jewel” and “Cowgirls Wonder.”

        

• Click to discuss this story with other readers on our forums.