Last year, Leah Jackson missed out on going to the High School National Finals Rodeo, taking place July 15-21, by the narrowest of margins. It nearly happened again, but her consistency paid off and she will be making the trip to Rock Springs, Wyo., to compete in barrel racing.
"I was really excited because last year I got beat by just a little bit and I was one out. This year I was really hoping, especially with it being my senior year, that I would make it. So I was pretty happy," Jackson said.
Jackson was sixth overall going into the Kentucky High School Finals and needed to move up to fourth to qualify for nationals.
She added that she was as nervous this year as she was last year. Being a senior, it was her last chance and potentially her last race.
"I think last year I was just under too much pressure (last year). I was nervous and that's probably why I didn't make it," Jackson said. "Luckily God was with me and we made it ... Having a year or two to ride and become a better rider, having more time with my horse, trusting him more, I'm sure that helped a lot, too."
"I needed to not knock a barrel down and place at least in the top five and get some points," she said of her three runs.
Jackson did just that by running all three rounds in the 15-second range.
But with the random draw of the weekend, the riders didn't compete in order, with last going first and first going last or something like that. That combined with the math of figuring out the average times down the 1/1000 of a second and the subsequent points allotted for said times, plus the points from the previous rounds and what ground Jackson had to make up, carry the one, ... nobody in the Jackson cheering section tried scoreboard watch.
Both of the riders in front of her in the standings knocked down a barrel, but it wasn't until an hour after the event finished that everything was official and Jackson knew she was going to nationals.
In her typically reserved fashion, the future Three Rivers Raider said, "Really? Wow. Ok. Are you telling me the truth?"
Her parents, Susie and Doug, were jumping up and down.
"My stomach was in knots," Susie Jackson said.
It didn't really sink in until the awards ceremony that she had made nationals.
"Whenever they called my name out, I alraedy knew, but it was just exciting. I'm happy to go to nationals," Jackson said.
After getting the news, Jackson spread the news.
"Everyone was really happy for me. I started calling my grandparents first, my boyfriend, my aunt and uncle. That day they made plans and reservations to get rooms or campsites to go to nationals," she said. "It means a lot. I know a lot of people who don't have that support from their family, fans and teammates. I was really afraid it was the last time I was going to see my teammates, but I am lucky that I am going to be able to see some of them again in Wyoming.
"I'm just looking forward to continuing to be with some of my teammates and hopefully have some good runs," Jackson said of going to nationals.