Ten-year-old Presley Clark’s mom had her on a pony before she could walk. The Owensboro youngster has been riding horses and barrel racing for as long as she can remember, and it’s translating to plenty of success. She’s already got some state awards under her belt, and is heading to a national event early next year.
Clark’s mom, Ashley Arnold, grew up riding and competing, so it was natural for Clark to follow in those footsteps.
Clark said it was hard to put into words the thrill of riding in a competition.
“It is a feeling I can hardly describe,” she said. “I just do my best to get around the barrels without knocking them over. It is a team effort for me and my horse. Sometimes you have bad runs and that is part of it. We all have bad days including the horses.”
Clark doesn’t let a bad competition drag her down, instead using it to hone her skills and work with her horse Toby, which they nicknamed “Turbo Tobe.”
“If I have a bad weekend, I come home and work on it and prepare to get ready for the next show by doing drills working the horse on the wall and working on our “pocket” for the turns,” she said. “I ride my horse several times a week to keep him in tip-top shape to make sure he is ready for the next show.”
Arnold said she’s proud of the dedication her daughter has shown over the years.
“Presley is dedicated, hard-working, and does everything she can to better herself in riding,” Arnold said. “She has come a long way over the last couple of years and has brought her horse to a level I didn’t really know he was capable of.”
Arnold noted that Clark understands while riding and competing are fun, there are many responsibilities associated with the sport.
“She helps feed, clean the stalls, and exercise not only her horses but the others at home that she doesn’t show,” Arnold said. “She has learned a lot of responsibility and understands that more comes with this hobby than just riding. We do different therapies and treatments at home to make sure the horses feel their best for competition and she helps with all of it.
Clark said her favorite memory is the first time she computed with Turbo Tobe, when she won a belt buckle. They’ve since won four buckles and several other awards.
Clark recently won the Hopkinsville Youth Rodeo and was the National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) state youth reserve champion. She has also achieved her main goal for this year, which was to qualify for the Jr. Patriot competition being held in Fort Worth, Texas, in March 2025.
“I am so proud of Presley and her accomplishments,” Arnold said. “She deserves all opportunities to advance in this because of all the hard work she puts in.”
