HIGHFILL — Benton County will be well represented in this week’s National Little Britches Finals Rodeo in Pueblo, Colo.

Andee Haden and Baylee Lester, both of Bentonville, along with Kenzie Castor of Elm Springs, will each compete in multiple events in the rodeo, which began Monday.

Haden, 17, will be a senior at Gentry High in the fall, but she’s been riding a horse since she was three and competing since age five.

The 8-year-old Lester and Castor, 11, have formed quite a friendship thanks to rodeo, their fathers said. Haden is a role model for the two younger riders, Toby Lester said.

All three decided to make the commitment to a series of 20-plus rodeos in the Central Arkansas Little Britches Rodeo Association in Searcy for a chance to qualify for a national event, Kyle Castor said. So the families made regular weekend trips to central Arkansas from August of last year until mid-June of this year for competition - often taking part in two rodeos in one day. The end result was all three earned the right to compete at nationals.

Competitors must finish in the top seven at least five times in their respective event in order to qualify for nationals. The three will be among 1,200 competitors this week.

Castor also earned reserve all-around cowgirl honors for her age division. That honor is based upon accumulating points throughout the season in each particular event. She finished second in breakaway roping and third in goat tying in her age group in the state’s year-end standings.

All three come from rodeo families

“My mom’s been barrel racing since she was 16,” said Haden, who will compete in pole bending, breakaway roping and barrel racing in the national finals. “My dad used to ride bulls. I guess I was kinda born into it.”

Kyle and Kristal Castor both were part of the rodeo team in college at Fort Scott (Kan.) Community College, while the Lesters have a deeper connection, at least to the Little Britches rodeos. Baylee Lester joins two of her cousins at the Nationals Finals this week.

“One of the reasons we pushed this year was it was the last year forBaylee’s cousin to compete in Little Britches,” Toby Lester said. “He was world champion last year in the senior division. That will be three of my dad’s five grandchildren to make the Little Britches Finals.”

The level of commitment for all three has been significant, and Haden acknowledged her friends don’t really understand what she does.

“I ride every day,” Haden said. “The horses need special attention, and I’m gone every weekend. It’s been hard, but it’s been worth it.”

Lester is competing despite being diagnosed with type one diabetes almost two years ago, Toby Lester said.

“She’s got an insulin pump and we monitor her blood sugar,” Toby Lester said. “But she’sdone great.”

Lester also pointed out that Castor and Baylee have shown significant improvement over the final few months. Both girls compete in the 8- to 13-year-old age division, but Baylee is one of the youngest in her division.

“They both really matured and the last three or four months really solidified their place in Colorado, but they kinda struggled early,” Toby Lester said.

News, Pages 9 on 07/28/2010