The Times - Serving Waitsburg, Dayton and the Touchet Valley

DAYTON-It will take teamwork between Elsie Mann and her horse, and the support of a community of caring people, for this 12-year-old barrel racer to achieve her dream of qualifying for Junior National Finals Rodeo.

Mann, of Dayton, and her parents, Jeni Ritchie and Christian Mann, have been working to help her achieve that goal since she climbed aboard her first pony, Annie, at the tender age of 2 ½. It was then that she ran her first barrel race, at the Milton-Freewater Pioneer Posse Pee Wee Rodeo.

Mann said she missed qualifying for Juniors National Finals Rodeo in Moses Lake last year but did "pretty good."

"She's going to have a faster horse to qualify," said her mother. Much depends on the horse and the interaction between horse and rider.

Things were fairly tame, initially, when Ritchie led Elsie on Annie in Pee Wee Barrel Racing division races. Then they acquired a horse called Rain, who was pretty temperamental. He bucked her off three times.

"Elsie has had 2 pretty good concussions," Ritchie said. "We sent that horse back and began looking for a solid horse."

That was when they found a 23-year-old retired barrel racing horse from Canada called Alotta.

Alotta came with instructions: "Don't mess with him. Put her on him, and trust him. He'll take care of her."

"And he did," said Ritchie.

"I made a deal with him," she said. When we retire him we will keep him and he will never have to work another day."

"I won five buckles and one saddle on him in one year," said Mann.

Then disappointment struck when Alotta was injured while racing.

"Alotta came bouncing off the fence on the 3rd barrel, and he was refusing the gate," said Mann.

Mann told her mother, "He hurts too much. I can't make him do it."

"That was a proud Mommy moment. She was in the lead for the saddle," said Ritchie.

They then received the loan of a horse called Lucky. Mann had to learn a new pattern with Lucky, because Lucky ran to the right barrel first, and her other horses ran to the left barrel, first.

They ran Lucky for three or four races and then were introduced to Kaysee, who was faster than Lucky, Ritchie said.

"She stepped up quite a few speeds," she said.

"On Kaysee I won a buckle in Lewiston," said Mann.

Last year, Mann won a saddle for Junior Division Barrel Racing in the Walla Walla Valley Girls Association on her current horse, a 10-year-old gelding named Raisin.

"Raisin is easy going," said Ritchie.

Mann ran Raisin in Saturday night's Jackpot Rodeo at the Columbia County fair, and finished with a commendable score of 18.71 seconds.

"I think I did really good. I've been practicing," she said.

Mann has learned something from all the horses in her young life, said Ritchie.

"Annie taught her how to ride. Alotta taught her what barrel racing is, and what it is to go fast. Lucky filled in the gaps and taught her to run to the right. Kaysee taught her speed, and Raisin has taught her correct horsemanship," said Ritchie.

Mann agreed. "You learn what those horses can teach you. You are constantly learning," she said.

To date, Mann has picked up two saddles, six or seven buckles and some cash prizes that she tucks away to be used on tack, shoes for the horse or entry fees, she said.

Mainly she races for the fun of it, she added.

What comes next?

There are three or four state-wide Junior Rodeo Association events she can participate in, and her mother hopes she might learn roping and the two can pair up for team roping.

In the meantime, qualifying for Junior National Finals Rodeo hasn't been ruled out.