15-year-old Catrina Langley talks about breaking record at team's first meet, her love of horse riding

SOAP LAKE — Catrina Langley doesn't remember hearing her barrel race time announced two weekends ago at the Grant County Fairgrounds.

She had just finished riding in the last event of the competition on her 17-year-old thoroughbred quarter horse, Slick, leaving the arena feeling less than great about her performance.

"To me, the run wasn't one of my best runs," Langley said. "It just wasn't very smooth."

But when the former 2004 state Junior Miss Rodeo Queen saw judges and event coordinators taking measurements of the arena following her run, she knew something was up.

"I think we have a record breaker," Langley recalled an announcer telling the crowd.

Competing as part of the Smokiam Equestrian Team out of Soap Lake, Langley had broken a state record for barrel racing.

Langley brought in a score of 14.790 seconds, beating out the previous record holder who held the title at 14.86.

On average, Langley is used to receiving scores in the low 14s for her barrels.

Gaming coach Mary Lynn Duncan and performance coach Diane Pixlee worked with Langley and other team members to prepare for competition, the team's first since forming at the end of 2005. The team is made up of high school girls from around the Basin who have only been practicing together since January.

It was after administrators in the Soap Lake School District were approached by parents about the idea of starting an equestrian team that SET was formed.

All the hard work paid off as riders placed in the top five in several categories at last month's competition.

Langley felt the team didn't start working together and improving their riding until barrel racing competitions.

Most of the team members Langley says have grown up around horses, participating in 4-H and rodeo.

Langley's passion, however, is barrel racing.

"I just like the rush and speed of barrel racing," she said.

Riding since the age of 4, Langley has enjoyed competing in several different classes including performance and pleasure riding.

It was not until two years ago that she noticed significant improvement in her barrel racing ability and enjoyment of the sport.

That's when Langley purchased Slick.

"I always loved barrel racing, but didn't have a horse that enjoyed it," Langley said of her four-legged friend. "Finally I have a horse that has the passion and loves to do it just as much as I do."

Each morning between 5 and 6 a.m., Langley gets up to feed Slick and take care of

the other six horses her family owns.

Rev is one of the family's horses Langley also rides for competitions, but it is Slick she favors most.

"We're one and he knows what I'm going to ask of him and I know what to expect from him," Langley said.

Eventually, Langley wants to ride in the ProWest Rodeo and be a professional barrel racer.

"My goal is to out ride myself from the last time," Langley said. "Sure, everyone likes competition, but my main competition is myself."