WALLA WALLA – Several local ladies received honors at a February awards ceremony in Walla Walla for the District 9 National Barrel Horse Association 2015 championships. The NBHA, based in Augusta, Georgia, has over 23,000 members and offers sanctioned barrel races for men, women, and youth throughout the U. S. and in twelve countries.

Washington State's District 9 includes Walla Walla and Columbia Counties. Below are the 2015 District 9 winners.

Division One champion is Angela Adams with 74 points. Adams lives in Prescott with her husband Jacob, and is a wife, mother, and school teacher. She is the daughter of Glen and Adelle Smith. Kim Kammezind and Karla Lane were next with 54 points each, Adelle Smith was fourth with 47 points, and Lindy Maslen was fifth with 9 points.

Sue Rizicka of Dixie took second place in Division Two with 49 points. Ruzicka is a wife, grandma, NBHA state director and president of District 9. She raises and trains her own barrel horses. Melissa Bieber was second with 44 points, Carol Jones was third with 32 points, Tamara Morris was fourth with 19 points and Cindy Davis was fifth with 14 point.

Division Three champion is Charmaine Beck with 59 points. Beck is a 65+ year-old mother, grandmother, and substitute teacher. She raises her own barrel horses and used to own race horses in the Walla Walla area. Second place went to Jamie Thomas with 54 points, Judy Poitras was third with 35 points, Bobo McMillan came in fourth with 18 points, and Barb Brown took fifth with 13 points.

Sixty-five-year-old Canadian transplant Rosie Gallaher was division champion in Division Four with 91 points. Gallaher, who lives in Dayton, is a wife and grandma who has been barrel racing for 60 years. She enjoys the sport and has much admiration for barrel racers everywhere and at every skill level. Second place went to Kim Thompson with 61 points, Michelle Warren was third with 35 points, Janis Dean took fourth with 30 points and Kristy Frank came in fifth with 23 points.