Spanish Fork’s Morgan Beckstrom caps high school rodeo career with world championship
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- Morgan Beckstrom of the South Utah County club gets congratulated after winning the state title in barrel racing on the final day of the Utah State High School Rodeo Finals at the Wasatch County Events Complex in Heber on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
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- Morgan Beckstrom of the South Utah County club competes in the barrel racing competition on the final day of the Utah State High School Rodeo Finals at the Wasatch County Events Complex in Heber on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
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- Morgan Beckstrom of the South Utah County club smiles as she sees her time in the barrel racing competition at the Utah State High School Rodeo Finals at the Wasatch County Events Complex in Heber on Friday, June 7, 2024.
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- Morgan Beckstrom of the South Utah County club poses for a photo after winning the state title in barrel racing on the final day of the Utah State High School Rodeo Finals at the Wasatch County Events Complex in Heber on Saturday, June 8, 2024.
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- Morgan Beckstrom of the South Utah County club competes in the barrel racing competition at the Utah State High School Rodeo Finals at the Wasatch County Events Complex in Heber on Friday, June 7, 2024.
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- Morgan Beckstrom of the South Utah County club competes in the barrel racing competition at the Utah State High School Rodeo Finals at the Wasatch County Events Complex in Heber on Friday, June 7, 2024.
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- Morgan Beckstrom of the South Utah County club competes in the barrel racing competition at the Utah State High School Rodeo Finals at the Wasatch County Events Complex in Heber on Friday, June 7, 2024.
Spanish Fork’s Morgan Beckstrom had a friend make a couple of nice saddle stands that include a place to display belt buckles for her to display her high school rodeo trophies.
But there is a small problem.
She has too many saddles from her Utah and national high school barrel racing accomplishments.
“I don’t know what to do with all of them,” Beckstrom said with a laugh in a phone interview on Tuesday. “I need to get my friend to make some more stands and find a place for them.”
Beckstrom and her talented horse Slingshot have compiled a stunning record of success in her specialty during her four years in high school, winning the state championship all four years.
She capped her career in impressive fashion last week at the National High School Rodeo Finals in Rock Springs, Wyoming, winning her second world title in barrel racing.
“It was amazing,” Beckstrom said. “Since I won the title at nationals in 2022, I wanted to get it back and have that feeling again. I tried my hardest and Slingshot wanted it too.”
She recalled how she felt like she did well at nationals in 2023 but ended up third. Since she just graduated from high school, this was her last chance.
“I felt some pressure but not too much,” Beckstrom said. “I knew if I didn’t win, I had done a lot already in high school rodeo. But I wanted it.”
The first goal for every barrel racer is to complete the run without knocking over any of the three barrels, since the five-second penalty is tough to overcome in a competition that can come down to thousandths of a second.
“I wanted to go out on my first run and get into the average,” Beckstrom said. “I ended up finishing in 17.157 seconds on the standard pattern and won the go-round, so that put me in the lead. I was so happy with that time, and then in the second go-round I ended up with a 16.943, which was even better.”
Knowing they were in front, Beckstrom and Slingshot stayed away from the barrels in the short-go and did enough to edge the second-place finisher (Abagail Olson of Sheridan, Wyo.) by 0.22 seconds to win the title.
“When you go to nationals, you’ve made it,” Beckstrom said. “Just being there is hard to do. But then to win it again was amazing.”
As always, she was quick to credit Slingshot, who was recognized as the Horse of the Year in barrel racing. She said the connection she has with her horse is difficult to describe.
“I still get nervous and when I do, Slingshot knows it,” Beckstrom said. “I do better when I’m nervous, so I knew she would run well at nationals. She always shows up. It’s great knowing she’s going to do her best like that.”
With the excitement of her final high school competition now past, Beckstrom took a moment to look back and savor all she was able to accomplish.
“To win four state titles and two world titles and to do it all on the same horse is amazing,” Beckstrom said.
Now she’s closed the book on that chapter of her life and is turning her attention to competing in barrel racing at professional rodeos.
She ended up coming back from nationals with more than $5,000 in jackpot winnings, which she said will be great to have as she gets ready to professional competition.
“That’s going to be money that can go to travel, to gas, rodeo entries, vet bills, tack, everything,” Beckstrom said. “You put so much into it, so it’s very beneficial when you win.”
The Spanish Fork star said she’s excited to see what she is now able to do as a pro, something that she’s already started.
“I got done with nationals on Saturday (July 20) and drove back on Sunday to compete in Ogden,” Beckstrom said. “But I think high school prepared me well, so I’m looking forward to it.”
