Shawnee Junior Wins State 4-H Barrel Racing Competition, Mentors Others

When Megyn Alls and her family moved from Mississippi to Shawnee, she knew nothing about horses. But her new neighbors would change that, along with her life.

Alls’ father, Scott Alls, had taken a promotion as Oklahoma Assistant State Director of Wildlife Services for the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service in 2016 and was promoted again to the State Director in 2018, according to the Oklahoma Department of Agriculture, Food and Forestry website.

At that time, Megyn Alls was 10 years old, when she asked to ride the neighbors’ horses. 

“Ernie (Johnson) was a professional steer wrestler, and … Vicki (Johnson) barrel races, and they've taught, like, multiple kids before me how to barrel race,” said Alls. 

“For some reason, it's always the neighbor that comes over and asks them. It's weird how it works, but yeah, they taught me, and they still come out to all my barrel races and support me.” 

Alls started out on the Johnsons’ horse, Holly, who is 24 now, and she now rides Snickers, aka Brick House Bug, who is 17.

She competes in pole bending, goat tying and barrel racing, but barrel racing is her main focus. 

“I just do the other ones for fun,” she said.

When asked what she enjoys about barrel racing, Alls said, “The feeling of when you do something right, and then it's just like that feeling of, 'Okay, I finally did it,' and … it's a really proud moment for me, because I remember when I first started, and it was so hard, and now it's just that rewarding feeling.”

Alls competed in the International Finals Youth Rodeo on July 11-12 but didn’t make it to the finals. However, she did get to run after an overnight storm had left the arena knee-deep in mud.

“I didn't do well, technically; I didn't win anything,” she said. “But I had the best time ever because I ran on the muddiest day.”

“After I ran, I went straight to the water hose, and I was, like, rinsing everything off. His legs and up to his shoulders were covered in mud. It was awful.” 

Two days later, she was in Chickasha at the Grady County Fairgrounds for the State 4-H Horse Show. She had competed there before with little success, but this time, she came out as the Barrel Racing Champion.

“It was amazing. … I never thought I could do that because for so many years, I've been pushed down and down and down,” she said. “And then finally, I won it, and I was so excited because I put so much work into it every day.” 

“And I go to barrel races four or five times a week. And then it was like, ‘Finally, I did it.’ And, to a lot of people, winning that may not be like a big deal, but it is for me because it's very sentimental from when I started.”

After coming in last place at the state 4-H competition in the past and even breaking her arm while pole bending one year, Alls said she has kept trying because of “the drive to win and the bond that me and my horse have together.” 

“I mean, he loves what he does, probably more than I do,” she said. “He loves it, and that bond is something that you can't break, and it's incredible. That's kind of what keeps me going and knowing that I'm helping him do what he loves to do, and he's helping me do what I love to do.”

This summer, Alls got to know another horse who was on loan to her for the Nexus 90-Day Horse Challenge. Alls was assigned the retired racehorse “Amy Namey” by a horse rescue organization. She had to train her in walking, riding, and groundwork and perform at the 4-H state event. Alls and Amy received third place.

“That was interesting. I got an off-the-track … racing horse as my horse,” she said. “She's something else, talk about temperamental.”

Alls has been involved in 4-H Clubs for six years and is currently the Pottawatomie County 4-H Reporter.

“That was super cool how she got to teach that horse some new skills and won about three of those challenges that she faced,” said Pottawatomie County 4-H Educator Kacie Jasper about the Nexus competition.

“Megyn Alls, who is enrolled in both 4-H and FFA, spent her summer training a horse for the Nexus Equine Challenge, where she takes a horse that has some struggles and trains it to become adoptable,” said Jasper. 

“She came up with a list of goals to help her assigned horse. She wrapped up her 90-Day Challenge earlier this month, where she performed and showed what she and her horse have been able to accomplish.”

Jasper said Alls has also submitted a state 4-H record book in the horse project area.

As one of the few active 4-H members with their focus on horses, the 16-year-old Shawnee junior has been mentoring younger members, just as the Johnsons helped her.

Alls recently taught a barrel racing workshop for a 4-H Project Skills Day at North Rock Creek. Then, on July 6 in Ada, she participated in the southeast district-wide Leadership Leap event, where she taught members in fifth through eighth grade.

“As they get older, they kind of start sharing that knowledge and wisdom with other kids, and Megyn has been instrumental in teaching younger kids about her project area,” said Jasper.

“It was not like an outdoor (arena), like actually on the horse,” she said. “But she taught about the different parts of the horse, and then they did like a mini … stick horse competition to kind of get the kids familiar with the pattern.”

Jasper, who has been the county educator since January,  hopes to see a horse club started in 4-H and wishes volunteers would come forward to help with it.

“In 4-H, we don't actually have a 4-H horse club in our county right now,” she said. “We have in the past. So, if we could recruit some volunteers that have some experience in that area, I would totally be up for helping get a club started up in the horse project area.”

For those interested in volunteering, call Jasper at 405-273-7683. Visit the Pottawatomie County 4-H Facebook page for more information.