BHS barrel racer places 4th at ANHA Shootout in Waco

Heather Humphries, mounted on C No War Paint, earned 4th place at the 2009 ANHA Shootout at Waco last week AND took 4th place at the THSRA Region 9 competition. (Not a bad day’s work, Cowgirl!) Contributed photo Fourteen-year-old Heather Humphries is a young lady who has found what she loves to do -- and she's GOOD at it. Heather has been running barrels since she was four, and racking up honors along the way. In junior high she was a State Qualifier at the Wrangler Junior High Division of THSRA, and last week the Buffalo High School freshman competed at the 2009 ANHA Shootout at Waco's Heart of Texas Fair Complex, racing against other girls and women from novice to pro. There were over 500 entries in the Shootout, and Heather came away with 4th place prize money.

Humphries made the Top Fifteen on both preliminary nights to qualify for the finals on Sunday. Mounted on a borrowed horse, she posted a 17.7 sec. on Friday and ran the clover-leaf pattern in 18.0 Saturday. Heather had a tough decision on Sunday. The date was the second rodeo for Texas High School Rodeo Association Region IX, where she competes in several events and hopes to be in the running for Rookie of the Year honors. The chance to shine at ANHA was not one to pass up, though, so she participated in the morning's THSRA events at Groesbeck where she took 4th in barrels out of 55 entries, then she and her mother packed up her trailer and headed to Waco for the ANHA final.

Sunday afternoon Heather, riding C No War Paint (aka Vegas), ran the barrels in Waco in 17.4 and clinched 4th place in the prestigious event. First through third won saddles, so Heather missed out on an award saddle by one position, but she did take home a cash prize for her efforts.

The petite cowgirl looks like a flea on the back of the big horse, but Heather is fearless as she flies around the barrels. Asked what she loves about her sport, Heather did not hesitate. "It really makes me happy. The thrill is going through the first barrel -- when he has a lot of adrenalin."

Vegas, the "he" she referred to, is a registered paint, but he is solid black except for a blaze on his face -- thus the name C No War Paint. Owner Markay Carmeans loaned the seven-year-old horse to Heather and is also serving as the young cowgirl's mentor. The ANHA competition was only Heather's sixth time to sit on the horse, "My good horse colicked over the summer, but we've fallen in love with Vegas, so we're buying him!" Heather explained. And she concluded, "Can I add one thing? "Thank you, Ms. Markay -- I love you!"

Heather is the daughter of Brian and Jennifer Humprhies of Buffalo and is an honor student at BHS. She also participates in volleyball and 4H.