Local youth barrel racer has strong showing at Georgia tournament

(PERRY, GA.) – A Jac-Cen-Del seventh grader had a strong showing last week at one of the biggest events for youth barrel racing. 

12-year-old Mia Hoegeman qualified and competed at the National Barrel Horse Association’s (NBHA) Youth & Teen World Championships in Perry, Georgia. 

She and her horse, Poncho, advanced to the finals and ended up finishing fourth overall in their division. 

Hoegeman is no stranger to riding horses as she began when she was just 3-years-old with her grandparents

Her barrel racing tenure began in 2023 and she also competed in the NBHA World Championships last year as well as various other state and national competitions.