Rodeo bound
Emily Kline and Claire Harvey qualify for national event
Submitted photo<br> Emily Kline, 18, Richfield, is one of two local teens who has qualified to compete in the 2017 National High School Rodeo Association.
Submitted photo<br> Claire Harvey, 14, Beaver Springs, also will travel out west for the competition in July.
Submitted photo<br> Emily Kline, 18, Richfield, is one of two local teens who has qualified to compete in the 2017 National High School Rodeo Association.
Submitted photo<br> Claire Harvey, 14, Beaver Springs, also will travel out west for the competition in July.
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RICHFIELD -- Two local teenagers have qualified to compete in the 2017 National High School Rodeo Association.
This year's event will be held July 17 to 23 in Gilette, Wyoming.
Emily Kline, 18, Richfield and Claire Harvey, 14, Beaver Springs, will travel out west for the competition.
Both girls attended the Pennsylvania State Rodeo Competition May 26 to 28 in Wellsville.
Kline, who graduated from East Juniata High School in June, placed fourth in the state for the poles event.
The top four contestants are immediately eligible to attend the national competition. Kline ran the poles on her horse, Nala, in 21 seconds. She went into the state event in eighth place, so she was extremely happy for the opportunity to make it into the top four.
Kline has gone to National High School Rodeo Association in the past. She was the Miss Pennsylvania High School Rodeo Queen in 2015, which automatically earned her a trip to Wyoming for the national competition. Kline also competed with her horse in 2014.
Harvey, a sophomore at Midd-West High School, competed in her first state high school rodeo in May. She placed first in the poles event, and placed fourth in a three-way tie in the break-away event. Harvey was also named "Rookie of the Year."
Harvey is taking two horses to the national event: Maverick and Peppy.
"I'm looking forward to the entire experience in general," Harvey said, "I want to learn from other instructors on different styles of riding."
Harvey has been riding horses since she was 4 years old. She is the daughter of two professional horse riders, Chris and Deanna Harvey, of Beaver Springs. She began participating in youth rodeo events a year ago.
Kline also began riding horses around age 4. This will be her last high school rodeo event.
She is aiming to make enough money to buy a permit by riding in other rodeos. The permit will allow her to take part in Pro-Rodeo in New Jersey.
Kline is the process is "breaking" her 4-year-old horse, Stevie, for future rodeos.
"I like the speed in riding," Kline said of her continued love for the sport as she transitions into adult level riding. "I love training my horse and watching her do her thing."