Local teen is barrel racing and pole bending across the country

By Laurie Gordon
NEWTON — Brooke Klinger will be a junior at Kittatinny Regional High School. She's a dynamic, outgoing young lady and is amazingly talented at a sport she does that isn't available at high school. Klinger and her horses compete in barrel racing and pole bending. She's traveled all over and become very well known for her skills. She's won and placed in numerous competitions and somehow balances a huge commitment to her sport with her studies.
Barrel racing consist of three barrels set up in a cloverleaf pattern.
“You either make one right and two left turns or one left and two right turns,” Klinger explains. “Both my horses go to the right first. Pole bending is six poles set up in a straight line and you must run down weave through them going down and back than run home. It's all about how fast you are. I've learned everything from my trainer Jim Tenhoeve, who recently passed away. I would go up to his facility in Montague, New Jersey and train with him.”
Klinger became involved with horseback riding when she was four years old. “Our family friends owned horses and my parents brought me for lessons. I stuck with it ever since.”
When it comes to practice, she said, “It's not just the horse that needs to practice. It's the way the rider and horse work together that makes a good team. I don't practice the barrel or pole pattern a lot at home, only if we need to fix something. I don’t want my horses to get bored of doing the same thing over and over again. I work more on building muscle in my horses and keeping them in shape! I ride my horses everyday. After a weekend of competing ill give my horses the day off.”
Then there's the travel.
“In October my parents and I travel to Columbus, Ohio to attend the All American Quarter Horse Congress,” Klinger said. “They run this show from the beginning of October to the last weekend in October. Every discipline and class is held there. The barrel and pole classes are the last week of the month. People from all over come and compete. It is the biggest one breeded horse show in the world.” She added, “In 2016 I won the Youth 14-18 Pole Bending. The previous year I was Reserve Champion. I finished in the top 6 in barrel racing and qualified back to the finals of the Pole bending Sweepstakes in 2016. Many of the barrel races that we attend have many tough competitors. June, 2017 held In Syracuse New York was the NBHA Syracuse Super Show. Dancer and I placed fifth out of over 400 competitors.”
Balancing her sport with school can be a challenge, but it's one Klinger has figured out.
“When I get home from school I'll do my homework right away so that I can go ride. Missing school for shows can hold me back in what we are learning but I request ahead of time the work I'll be missing so I can complete it while traveling.”
Klinger has some high aspirations for her future, “In my future I plan on becoming a equine veterinarian technician and continuing to compete,” she said.