story by Ruth Nicolaus
Bailey Lehr – JJJ Photo
Bailey Lehr competes in the barrel racing, goat tying, and ribbon roping in the Nebraska Junior High School Rodeo Association.
The 14-year-old cowgirl lives in Columbus, Nebr., and rides two horses she loves very much. Lily is a five year old little palomino mare who is a “little spitfire,” Bailey says. “She’s tons of fun, and she’s wonderful.” The mare is her goat tying horse, and the family has owned her for the past two years.
For the barrels, Bailey rides a 12-year-old brown sorrel named Skipper who is tall, fast, and built strong. Skipper has been part of the family for the last year. Even though she enjoys both horses, Skipper is a bit more of her favorite, because they work well as a team. “Every time I run on him we get closer and closer (to the winning times) and faster and faster.”
As an eighth grade student at Scotus Central Catholic School in Columbus, Bailey loves science class. The eighth graders are studying earth science and doing lots of experiments, which she likes. There isn’t anything bad about school, she says. Math isn’t her favorite, but even then, it’s not bad. She is on her school’s honor roll, plays basketball, volleyball, and runs track.
She also competes in the Midwest Barrel Racing Association and at some of the close Mid-States Rodeos. When she’s at the Mid-States events, she likes to watch the breakaway roping, and eventually hopes to learn to rope. She is the 2014 State Champion Youth Barrel Racer from NBHA State Finals. At the Nebraska State Fair this past summer, she was the 2014 Youth Barrel Racer and Reining Horse Champion for the Nebraska Foundation Quarter Horse Association.
Bailey is a member of the Levis 4-H Club in Albion. She participates in nearly every horse event in 4-H: reining, western pleasure, showmanship, trail, cutting, and working ranch.
Her favorite teacher from her school career is Mrs. Bruns, her third grade teacher at St. Isidore’s School in Columbus. Mrs. Bruns was always sweet, Bailey says, and gave prizes to not only the winners of games like Sparkle, but the losers as well. And if a student had a bad day, Mrs. Bruns was always willing to listen to them.
Bailey spends a lot of time helping her younger sister Brooke with her riding. Brooke was timid around horses, but she’s gotten more comfortable on them, thanks to her sister’s help.
Bailey wants to attend college and get a good job so she can own a good barrel horse. Someday, she’d like to compete at the National Finals Rodeo, like her rodeo model, Fallon Taylor.
In addition to Brooke, Bailey has two brothers: Walker, who is fifteen, and Calvin, who is eleven. The boys are more into four-wheelers and not horses.
She is the daughter of Joany Lehr and Lance Lehr.
