It was a busy weekend for Weyburn's Ember Schira as she represented Saskatchewan at the National High School Finals Rodeo in Lincoln, Nebraska.

Only a few other girls from Saskatchewan have ever placed in the top twenty for barrel racing at the finals and Schira has made it to the nationals three years in a row.

After a number of grueling matches between the other competitors, she ended up placing 15th in the world and even held the 10th spot at one point during the weekend.

"Knowing how hard it was to get to this place I was pretty ecstatic that my horse could even get me there," expressed Schira. "I've been riding since I was very little and I've been rodeoing since the sixth grade."

Ember Schira during the Rodeo Queen portion of the event.

She said that it was a long trip but she was really happy to be able to go back to the United States again as she hadn't even been on a plane in over two years.

Schira was happy that she was able to bring her own horse from home that she had been training with and her mother rode in the transport vehicle with her horse all the way to Nebraska.

Her family helped introduce her to the western way of life and encouraged her to take up barrel racing at a young age as she was already passionate about riding horses.

"It really took off for me in the last couple of years with running for the Saskatchewan Rodeo Queen title," Schira told. "That's what really boosted my confidence and encouraged me to get out there and try harder for nationals."

She added that her mother barrel races as well and her two sisters compete in the Saskatchewan Highschool Rodeo Association.

The family has a farm just outside of Weyburn where they raise horses and train them for competitions.

Schira said that she hopes to continue rodeoing as an adult and said that it is something that can be done without putting a lot of pressure on your body.

She is also hoping to be able to get a scholarship for when she is done high school to be able to continue her career right after finishing classes and with the extra financial support.

"If I ever have kids they will definitely be raised in the western way of life and they'll be raised at rodeos," shared Schira.

Schira says that she couldn't have accomplished all that she has so far without all of the support and encouragement from her family and she said that she hopes to see both of her sisters go very far in their own rodeo careers one day.