Local youngster competes in junior national rodeo

Local 13-year-old Mary Gibson will spend July Fourth and succeeding days competing in the National Little Britches Rodeo, where she begins with a ranking of 14th in the nation.

"This is a huge rodeo," Mary's mother, Karen Gibson, said Wednesday, adding that thousands of contestants will be in Guthrie, Oklahoma, where the National Little Britches Finals Rodeo will be held July 4 to 9.

"I think I'll do pretty good," Mary said.

Mary is taking two horses to Oklahoma, Pepsi and Biggie. She will compete in the pole bending, goat tying, barrel racing and trail course events.

Mary left Thursday, with family in tow - parents Karen and Micah and two sisters - to Guthrie Thursday. Thanks to the generosity of family friend Lorraine Bartlett, the Gibsons left in a trailer that not only houses Pepsi and Biggie, but the family as well.

Bartlett won the trailer at a raffle at the Big Sky Little Britches Rodeo in April. She decided to lend the trailer for the national event to the Gibsons, who do not have a horse trailer with living quarters.

Mary is friends with Bartlett's daughter Allee. The two share a love of horses and riding, Mary said.

Mary said she has ridden for most of her life. She says one of the reasons she loves to ride is her appreciation of horses and their personality.

As for her recent riding  success, Mary credits her parents for getting her horses and bringing her to riding events, and her riding coach, Paige Raty, who works hard with her. Horse conditioning is also another contributing factor to a successful rider.