Amee Riley, 19, practices barrel racing with her horses in front of her house on Tuesday, May 6, 2014.
Amee races on her horse Banjo at a rodeo in Sedalia, Mo. When she isn't racing, she's at school or working at Boonslick Animal Hospital. Amee says her dad wants her to be a vet, but after working for one, she doesn't think that's what she wants to do.
During a competition, Amee scrapes mud off the bottom of Banjo's hoof to help with his traction. Banjo is much calmer when he's around Amee's other horse, Pistol. "She's his girlfriend," Amee says.
Amee puts on mascara before leaving for the rodeo. "You never know who you're gonna see," Amee says. She likes to attend rodeos with her friends, many of whom also barrel race.
Amee stands with her dad, Bob Riley, shortly before a barrel racing competition in Eldon, Mo. Bob likes to keep Amee company at rodeos, which they attend almost every weekend in the summertime. "He doesn't like me to go by myself," she says.
Several ribbons from barrel racing hang from Amee's bedroom wall. She was crowned the Missouri High School Rodeo Queen for the 2011-2012 season.
Amee typically gets faster times when she rides Pistol, her female horse because she's older and tends to get less nervous.
Before a rodeo, Amee takes a minute to snap a few selfies. "My friends call me the selfie queen," she says. For fun, they like to go to country music concerts and muddin' with their vehicles, but the movies aren't Amee's style. She says she tends to fall asleep in the theater.
Amee Riley races on her horse Banjo at a rodeo in Eldon, Mo. Amee won first place and a belt buckle at the rodeo for having the most points in her age division. "I don't really have spare time," she says. "I just ride my horses."
Amee feeds cattle at her home before leaving for a rodeo. "My dad won't say I do a lot (on the farm), but I do," Amee says. "I do some." When her friends need assistance with barrel racing, they come over to Amee's so she can help them out.
Amee and her friend Jonathan "Possum" Gibson talk while they make their way to a barrel racing competition. Gibson drove from Arkansas to watch her race in Centerview, Mo.
Amee walks with her horses Banjo and Pistol before a barrel racing competition in Centerview, Mo. To deal with nerves before competing, Amee says she will "take a deep breath and tell myself, 'It's just a race, there will be more.' I don't need to be all nervous."
Amee Riley, 19, practices barrel racing with her horses in front of her house on Tuesday, May 6, 2014.
Amee races on her horse Banjo at a rodeo in Sedalia, Mo. When she isn't racing, she's at school or working at Boonslick Animal Hospital. Amee says her dad wants her to be a vet, but after working for one, she doesn't think that's what she wants to do.
During a competition, Amee scrapes mud off the bottom of Banjo's hoof to help with his traction. Banjo is much calmer when he's around Amee's other horse, Pistol. "She's his girlfriend," Amee says.
Amee puts on mascara before leaving for the rodeo. "You never know who you're gonna see," Amee says. She likes to attend rodeos with her friends, many of whom also barrel race.
Amee stands with her dad, Bob Riley, shortly before a barrel racing competition in Eldon, Mo. Bob likes to keep Amee company at rodeos, which they attend almost every weekend in the summertime. "He doesn't like me to go by myself," she says.
Several ribbons from barrel racing hang from Amee's bedroom wall. She was crowned the Missouri High School Rodeo Queen for the 2011-2012 season.
Amee typically gets faster times when she rides Pistol, her female horse because she's older and tends to get less nervous.
Before a rodeo, Amee takes a minute to snap a few selfies. "My friends call me the selfie queen," she says. For fun, they like to go to country music concerts and muddin' with their vehicles, but the movies aren't Amee's style. She says she tends to fall asleep in the theater.
Amee Riley races on her horse Banjo at a rodeo in Eldon, Mo. Amee won first place and a belt buckle at the rodeo for having the most points in her age division. "I don't really have spare time," she says. "I just ride my horses."
Amee feeds cattle at her home before leaving for a rodeo. "My dad won't say I do a lot (on the farm), but I do," Amee says. "I do some." When her friends need assistance with barrel racing, they come over to Amee's so she can help them out.
Amee and her friend Jonathan "Possum" Gibson talk while they make their way to a barrel racing competition. Gibson drove from Arkansas to watch her race in Centerview, Mo.
Amee walks with her horses Banjo and Pistol before a barrel racing competition in Centerview, Mo. To deal with nerves before competing, Amee says she will "take a deep breath and tell myself, 'It's just a race, there will be more.' I don't need to be all nervous."