Time well spent for 3 contestants

McCaffree, Rianda, Thomson at world's largest rodeo in Springfield, Ill.

Travel time far exceeds competitive time. Such is life for a Montana athlete on the rodeo circuit.

"You drive eight hours and your run lasts 17 seconds," said barrel racer Rachel Thomson of Columbia Falls.

"Then you are done."

Thomson, however, is taking time to the extreme this week. She has journeyed 1,800 miles to Springfield, Ill., for the National High School Finals Rodeo (NHSFR). She is one of three Flathead Valley High School Rodeo Team members who have made the 25 hour, 47 minute trek to the Midwest.

"It's a high adrenaline rush," Thomson said of those precious few seconds in the arena.

"It always seems like the run lasts a lot longer. When you have a good run, it seems like it goes in slow motion."

Thomson, 18, will be competing in two events at nationals - pole bending and barrel racing. On Tuesday, she's up in the morning go round of pole bending. The second go of that event is Thursday evening.

Thomson will barrel race Wednesday morning and evening.

"I was always better at barrel racing," she said.

"I'll do it forever. I will barrel race until I can't walk any more.

"I just started to get better at pole bending," she continued.

"I was really surprised I qualified in pole bending."

Also in the Land of Lincoln are Shane McCaffree, 18, of Columbia Falls and Lexy Rianda, 17, of Kalispell.

All three qualified for nationals by finishing in the top five in the year-end standings of their events at the Montana State High School Rodeo Finals last month in Missoula.

Thomson placed third in barrels and tied for third in pole bending.

McCaffree and Levi Guenzler of Ronan, a member of the Mission Valley rodeo team, tied for fourth in team roping.

Rianda was the state champion in goat tying.

"Really, just to have fun," said Rianda of what she expects to accomplish this week.

"I think I can be competitive. I'll just go for it and see what happens."

Rianda competes this evening in the first go of her event, but then has to wait until the final day, Saturday morning, for her second go.

McCaffree will team rope twice on Wednesday.

The top 20 in all events advance to the finals on Saturday evening.

Rianda has competed at the Silver State International Rodeo (SSIR) in Fallon, Nev. That rodeo is for high school age girls and boys who finished sixth through 10th in state competition. It annually attracts more than 500 contestants, mainly from Western states and Canada.

"Everyone says it's like national competition," she said of SSIR.

"Now I kind of know what to look for at nationals."

The NHSFR is billed as the world's largest rodeo. There will be more than 1,500 contests from 40 states and five Canadian provinces.

Participants are competing for more than $200,000 in prizes, along with $325,000 in college scholarships and the chance to be named a national champion.

"I'm happy I'm going," Thomson said.

"I just hope to be competitive, have good runs. I hope my horse works well."

Thomson rides two different horses. In barrels, she will be on Jaime, a 12-year-old sorrel quarter horse mare.

In pole bending, she will be aboard Anja, a 6-year-old palomino quarter horse mare.

"I used to pole bend on Jaime," Thomson said.

"Wasn't very consistent.

"Anja is young, still learning. Real athletic, a natural at it."

Thomson said she's been to several barrel racing clinics, "but I've learned the most from my mom (Gail)."

Rianda had to battle two other cowgirls to capture her state title. All three were tied for first place at one point.

"Just being solid," she said of what put her on top.

"Not pushing yourself too much."

Rianda was hoping to also qualify for nationals in breakaway roping, but finished seventh at state.

"I kind of had a bad state," she said.

"I missed one of my calves."

Rianda rides a 17-year-old sorrel quarter horse mare named Molly in her event.

"Since my freshman year," she said.

"She really runs straight, a real honest horse. She never pulls any tricks."

Rianda also credits much of her success to her mother, Lisa, who was a state rodeo champion.

"I get a lot of help from my mom," she said.

"I also try to look at a lot of different styles from other people and build on those. I have my mom tape the girls who I think are really good and watch them at home."

McCaffree competed in 36 high school rodeos (fall and spring season). He finished second in the PBR series in calf roping and third in team roping.

McCaffree came close to qualifying for nationals in calf roping, but dropped from third place to 12th on his final go at state.

"I'll treat it like any other rodeo," he said of nationals.

"Try to do the best I can."

McCaffree's take-it-easy attitude is one reason he's at nationals. He never gets rattled when the pressure is one.

Another reason for his success is his roping partner. The two work very well together in the arena with McCaffree handling the heading duties while Guenzler is the heeler.

"I like to head, but I prefer to heel," McCaffree said.

"I think it's harder for me (to head). It makes me more happy when I'm heeling.

"We're pretty good friends," McCaffree continued.

"We planned on roping since our sophomore year."

McCaffree competes on Odie, a 12-year-old sorrel quarter horse gelding.

"Been on him since I was three," McCaffree said.

"He could stand to have a little more speed."

But the horse is reliable.

"You can do anything you want on him," McCaffree said.

"Any event you want. He's an all-around horse."

McCaffree and Thomson will continue their rodeo careers on the college level. McCaffree is on a partial scholarship to the University of Montana-Western, where he will major in equine science.

Thomson is on a partial scholarship to Montana State University. She is undecided on a major.

Rianda will be a senior at Flathead High School, but hopes college rodeo is in her future was well.

"I'm hoping to get a scholarship," she said.

"I really want to go to Bozeman (MSU)."