Local barrel racer ready to showcase skills at national level

University of Great Falls student and barrel racer Abby Knight is humble about her recent accomplishments.

Knight’s demeanor may be because she is focused on what is ahead of her and not what she has already accomplished.

Knight wants to go to Nationals and will have the opportunity to gain National exposure in the College National Finals in Kasper, Wyoming that will go on June 10 through June 17.

“It’s definitely a confidence booster to know that you are right up there with people that have the opportunity to do rodeo all year long,” Knight said. “In Montana, we are done in Oct., Nov. and have to take a month off in the freezing snow. It really helps with my confidence level that no matter what, I can still place right now with them.”

According to Knight, she entered the spring season ranked No. 6 in barrel racing and at the end of the season remained in the top 10. Knight was also named the Big Sky Champion in the overall standings.

“I’ve been keeping up with it and it’s hard to watch the national standings because each region gets done at different times,” Knight said. “My region was done in April and it was hard to tell where I placed as far as how points started out in the season. It wasn’t until my last ride that I was able to see that I was ranked nationally.”

Knight’s parents barrel race and her dad was a team roper.

“I was definitely born into the rodeo world,” Knight said. “I really followed along in my parents footsteps.”

A portion of her success has come from Knight and her 11-year-old barrel racing horse Katie.

“I am a very competitive person and I love individual sports,” Knight said. “In barrel racing, it is just you and the horse. If you compete, it is more than likely your fault if something goes wrong. You are able to change to the next rodeo and hopefully come out on top.”

Knight, whose barrel racing horse was raised in Charlo, said she felt Kate was “entering her prime” at 11.

“She was born and raised on a ranch in Charlo and I’ve had her since the day she was born,” Knight said. “I was just able to bond with her. I spend every waking moment with my horse and I graze her twice a day. Sometimes, I ride her for 30 minutes up to four to six hours. It’s a very demanding sport and you have to make sure that your horse is at the top of their game. You have to spend the entire day practicing and it still may not work out. Every day you just have to give it your all.”

Knight expressed that she was supremely confident headed into the race.

“I think it’s just my time to shine and everything came together this year,” Knight said. “It was just my horse andI. We are doing great and I was confident our time would come. We got everything figured out and all of the kinks worked out. This will be a really good year for us.”

Knight has had her pro card for three years since she turned 18.

“Last year (at the college finals), we finished 11th in the nation,” Knight said. “I think this year we can do better than that.”

Knight, who qualified for the national tournament for the first time her freshman year, said the tournament was an eye opener.

“My first national experience was an eye opener,” Knight said. “The nerves were there and I didn’t do as good as I wanted. I lost a little more confidence last year. I was able to place with the best of them. I understand how it all works and I know what I need to do. The main thing is being confident in my horse.”

Knight said she and Katie are ready this year.

“I started running her when she was five and I’ve been riding her since she was a colt,” Knight said. “I raised her on our place to take me so far in my career. The horse I had passed away and Katie had to grow up really fast and fill some of those shoes. She is just competitive and really strong mentally. I think she is coming into her prime and she is really feeling good and confident in what she can do.”