Hometown: Elkland, Mo.
County: Dallas County
Parents: Brad and Becky Phillips; Christie and Caleb Thompson
Siblings: sister, Ruby, age 8 & brothers, Brantley, age 6 & Kansas, age 4
What is your interest in agriculture? “I’m a barrel racer,” Rilee shared proudly. “We’ve always had my horse, Whiskey and my dad told me, ‘that’s gonna be your barrel racing horse’.”
For someone who is still a fairly young competitor, Rilee is already learning the ins and outs of the sport. “In my last competition in Humansville, I didn’t do so well but I plan to do better on the next one. I won first at Burfordville [in southeast Missouri] near Palmyra. We – Whiskey and I – won the entire division at the American Royal in Kansas City in 2023.” She added with a shy smile. “I was only 12 at the time.
“We also placed fifth in the Bonus Place in Shawnee Oklahoma. That was out of 1400 horses that day.””
Rilee added. “I’ve been rodeoing for several years now and I do the barrel racing at a lot of high school rodeos around Missouri and I just love it.
“It’s the best feeling ever. I feel really free when I’m on my horse in a race, running the barrels. I don’t worry about anything – it’s just the adrenaline, my horse, three barrels and me. Some say that in barrel racing, the horse does all the work but that’s not really true. It’s a team effort. If I’m not on the top of my game, it’s not going to come out well. The same is true if my horse is not having a good day. We have to work together as a team.”
What are your plans for the future? Rilee has big plans both at home and also in the next few years in her chosen sport. “I’d like to continue in the racing and with helping with the horses and the training here. Then I want to get my Pro-card in barrel racing. That’s how you can go on to the big races like the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas as a professional.”
She concluded. “There are rough days that might not go the way that you want but with practice and determination, you’ll make it through.” While that’s Rilee’s description of life with a barrel-racing horse, it’s also a pretty good prescription for just about every chosen path in life.
