LAS VEGAS — Two Montanans are living out a lifelong dream this week as they make their debuts at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. But as they’ve learned under the bright lights of Las Vegas, a first trip to the sport’s biggest stage comes with both rewards and unexpected challenges.
For Three Forks barrel racer Tayla Moeykens, the adversity began before the opening run. A nationwide outbreak of Equine Herpesvirus (EHV-1) forced her to make a difficult decision: leave her main horses, Yeti and Lizard, at home for their safety and compete on a borrowed mount instead.
HEAR FROM SAM PETERSEN AND TAYLA MOEYKENS:
“It’s been a lot, I'm not going to lie,” Moeykens said. “Not having my own horses it’s been a little rough, but we’re taking it one day at a time and doing the best we can for that day.”
Moeykens said the hardest part has been running without the partners that carried her into the top 10 of the WPRA standings. She entered the NFR ranked 10th, but has struggled to find a groove inside the Thomas & Mack Center. Through seven rounds, she has yet to place and has slipped to 14th in the world.
She said leaving her horses at home is like leaving part of yourself.
“They’re your partners. You go through life with them every single day,” she said. “Not having them here has been really hard, especially where they’re the ones that did the work that got me here.”
Moeykens said she stands by the call to prioritize their health amid the EHV-1 concerns, and believes getting her first NFR out of the way will pay off.
“When we get back here, we’ll have the first one out of the way,” she said. “We’ll just be able to go have some fun.”
On the roughstock side, Helena bareback rider Sam Petersen is making the most of his debut. After finishing outside the money in the opening round, Petersen has rallied, placing in five of seven rounds and holding on to second in the world standings, trailing only world No. 1 Rocker Steiner by a little over $100k.
“It’s been everything I’ve dreamed of,” Petersen said. “My goal every night is to capitalize on each and every horse and each and every opportunity.”
He said the consistency comes from a shift in mindset after watching his traveling partner, Weston Timberman, qualify last year — a moment that “lit a fire” and pushed him to overhaul his approach to training and competition.
Petersen said he embraces the pressure that comes with being in the world-title conversation.
“I put pressure on myself because I see myself as a world champion,” he said. “If you don’t put some sort of pressure on yourself, you can fall short.”
Both Montanans say the support from home helps steady them amid the roar of the Thomas & Mack.
“I love my home state,” Petersen said. “The people are so great and so supportive.”
With three rounds remaining, Petersen remains firmly in the hunt for the average title and a gold buckle, while Moeykens aims to build momentum in the final stretch of her rookie NFR.
