HERNANDO COUNTY, Fla. -- A young barrel racer in Hernando County is set to take on the adults in a competition next month.
- 11-year-old barrel racer to join the adult competition
- Alyssa Sloan started racing at 8-years-old
- Sloan won the National Barrel Horse Association competitions
For 11-year-old Alyssa Sloan, barrel racing runs in the family.
“I went to one of my mom’s races. I asked if I could have a horse and start doing it,” Alyssa said.
She started racing when she was just 8-years old. Initially, she said it was harder than it looked.
“We started out with a white horse, (it) didn’t go very well,” she explained.
But, a few months ago she met her horse “Money” and the two of them clicked.
“He’s one of those silly goofball horses that he likes to run. And he’s cute!” Alyssa said.
The pair won one of the youth divisions in a National Barrel Horse Association barrel racing competition over the summer. At the end of October, she’ll be heading to their world championship competition in Georgia to race against adults.
“More excited than nervous because I know we can do really good. Whatever happens, happens,” Alyssa said.
And for Alyssa’s mom Tarra, seeing her daughter follow in her footsteps, and even surpass her, is a surreal feeling.
“It’s amazing! She’s got a horse that can outrun me and she’s got the ability to do it,” Tarra said.
“Every time she throws a leg over a horse you know something amazing is about to happen,” she added.
“I just like going fast and feeling that it’s just me and him in it and our bond gets stronger every time we’re near each other,” Alyssa explained.
And until the big race, Alyssa said she and Money will be working hard, hoping to bring the big prize back to the Bay Area.