by Shari Barr
McKenzie dropped her backpack to the floor, and then the girls headed back outside to the stables. They needed to help the stable hands with the extra chores because Emma was gone.
The rest of the afternoon flew by in a blur, and in the early evening, they went inside and found Mrs. Wilson cooking in the kitchen.
“I found a recipe for orange chicken and fried rice on the counter,” Mrs. Wilson said cheerfully. “Emma must have been planning on fixing it for supper, so I decided to try it.”
Bailey’s eyes lit up. “My grandma from China sent the recipe to my mom. It’s my favorite. I told Emma about it and she wanted to try it.”
McKenzie was glad Mrs. Wilson was staying with them. She knew Bailey was worried about not doing well in the rodeo. Ever since Emma had gotten hurt, Bailey had been quieter, but having Mrs. Wilson in the house seemed to perk her up.
After supper the girls practiced barrel racing. McKenzie and Bailey timed each other. McKenzie gave Bailey a few pointers on tightening her turns around the barrels. Soon, she had improved her time by a couple of seconds.
After heading inside the house, McKenzie noticed the backpack she had dropped earlier. As she picked it up, she noticed the zipper was partially open. She was sure she had zipped it closed before going into the post office earlier in the day. Who would have opened it? As she flung the backpack onto her shoulder, she noticed a sheet of paper stuffed inside. She pulled it out and gasped.
A handwritten message read: “Tell no one about the mystery horse if you ever want to see it alive again.”
At the Rodeo
“Who wrote this note and put it in my backpack?” McKenzie’s hand trembled as she handed it to Bailey.
“Didn’t you have it with you all the time we were in town?” Bailey asked.
McKenzie thought for a minute. “I left it in the pickup when I went to the hospital, the post office, and the feed store.”
“Derek waited in the pickup while we went to the post office,” Bailey said as she chewed on a fingernail.
McKenzie didn’t answer. Derek was the only person who had been alone with the backpack. Had he written the note? Could he really be the thief after all?
More than anything, McKenzie wanted to talk to Emma. But that was out of the question now. The thief had threatened to kill the horse if they told anyone.
McKenzie was getting more scared by the minute. She needed time to think. She had to find some way to get help without Diamond Girl getting hurt. She clenched her eyes shut and prayed, asking God to help her and to keep the horse safe.
McKenzie was so concerned about the threatening note that she had little time to think about the Rodeo Queen contest tomorrow.
When she woke in the morning, worrisome thoughts filled her mind. She peered at Bailey, who was lying wide-awake on the bottom bunk.
“I can’t believe the rodeo starts today,” McKenzie said. “I am so nervous about the pageant. What if I mess up?”
“You won’t, but I’ll take your place if you want,” Bailey said with a slight grin.
“Believe me, I’d let you if I could.” McKenzie sat up and swung her legs over the side of the top bunk. “I’d rather be in the sheep chase with you.”
“You’re kidding,” Bailey said. Then she added longingly. “I would give anything to be in the pageant.”
McKenzie hopped from her bunk and pulled on a pair of jeans. After finishing chores, Derek planned to take the horses to the rodeo grounds. He would settle them into their stalls until Mrs. Wilson brought the girls in later. That way McKenzie would have plenty of time to get ready for the pageant.
Then, after the crowning of the Rodeo Queen and the Junior Miss Rodeo Queen, Bailey would take part in the kids’ sheep chase. Following that, the girls would compete in the barrel-racing and calf-roping contests.
Finally, the girls finished the morning chores and helped Derek and Ian load their horses into the trailer. They watched as Derek pulled out of the driveway and disappeared down the road in a cloud of dust.
McKenzie glanced at her watch. “Kate should have received our package by now. I’m going to call her and see if she’s found out anything about the hair yet.”
She scrolled through the list of names in her cell phone and clicked on Kate’s name. After a few rings, a familiar voice came on the line. McKenzie heard a dog bark in the background.
“Hi, Kate. Did you get the package?” McKenzie asked.
“I don’t know. I haven’t been home all morning. Mom made an appointment for Biscuit to get his shots. We won’t be home till after lunch,” Kate said.
McKenzie groaned. “This is really important. I have the feeling that guy will move the horse soon. We need to find out if the horse is Diamond Girl so we can rescue her before she disappears again.”
“Mom wants to stop at a sale at the shoe store, but I’ll see if I can hurry her. I’ll tell her it’s important that we get home,” Kate said.
“Thanks, Kate. Call me as soon as you get the results, okay? And give Biscuit a hug from his auntie McKenzie.” After saying goodbye, McKenzie filled Bailey in on the conversation.
After eating a quick lunch, the girls headed to their bedroom. McKenzie pulled on her new black jeans and the sparkly green blouse. Bailey looked longingly at McKenzie as she helped apply her makeup. But a smile twitched the corners of Bailey’s mouth when McKenzie asked her to french braid her hair.
As Bailey worked, McKenzie thought about the contest. Her stomach churned at the thought of the judging. She had an interview with the judges and then she must ride her horse in a specific pattern before them.
“Are you girls about ready to go?” Mrs. Wilson hollered up the stairs.
“Just finishing up,” Bailey called through the open door. Then she tied a green bow onto McKenzie’s braid. “There. We’re done.”
The girls grabbed their backpacks filled with a change of clothes for the rodeo events. McKenzie grabbed the threatening note and stuffed it into her jeans pocket. A few minutes later, the girls tossed their bags and cowboy hats into the backseat of Mrs. Wilson’s car.
Mrs. Wilson told them that Emma would soon be released from the hospital. The doctors had found no sign of a concussion. Once she’d dropped the girls off at the rodeo, Mrs. Wilson would pick up her daughter.
The girls sighed with relief at the news. All too soon they pulled into the parking lot of the rodeo grounds. Mrs. Wilson stopped the car outside the building where the judges were waiting. McKenzie agreed to meet Bailey at the stalls after the interview, and then Mrs. Wilson and Bailey went on to the stables to find Derek and the horses.
McKenzie clutched her cowboy hat as she headed to the building where the judges held the interviews. She sat on a folding chair in the room with ten other girls. As she waited her turn, she glanced at the other competitors. She knew they were all probably wondering who would be crowned the next Junior Miss Rodeo Queen.
A young woman arrived carrying a clipboard and called McKenzie’s name. After wiping her sweaty palms on her jeans, McKenzie followed the woman to a row of judges in the next room. They sat behind a table, staring at her. A white-haired woman with dark-rimmed glasses perched on the end of her nose asked her questions about her family and school. A chubby man with a black goatee asked her why she wanted to be crowned Junior Miss Rodeo Queen.
McKenzie managed to answer their questions, though afterward she couldn’t even remember what the questions were. She breathed a sigh of relief when she finished her interview and returned to her chair in the other room. When all the contestants had been interviewed, the woman with the clipboard returned. She told them to bring their horses to the show ring in ten minutes to begin the horsemanship contest.
Sahara had the same stall every year at the rodeo, so McKenzie knew where to find her. Derek, who had been at the rodeo grounds all day, was running a brush over the horse’s backside when McKenzie arrived. Bailey was sitting cross-legged on the tack box and jumped to her feet when McKenzie app
roached.
“How’d you do?” Bailey asked.
McKenzie shrugged. “Not very good. I was nervous and talked too fast. I didn’t know how to answer some of the questions. I really messed up.”
Before Bailey could answer, Derek spoke up. “Let’s get your horse over to the arena.”
McKenzie waited her turn outside the arena, wondering if her parents and brother had arrived. She hoped Emma would get here in time to see the performance too. As she listened to the announcer’s voice over the loudspeaker, she watched the faces of the other girls as they finished their routines. Some of them beamed with pride, while others hung their heads in disappointment.
McKenzie mounted Sahara, scanning the crowd outside the arena, looking for her family. When she didn’t see them, she turned to Bailey. “I think I’m going to be sick.”
“You can’t be sick now. The announcer just called your name,” Bailey said.
McKenzie prepared to enter the arena but turned as a familiar voice called her name. Emma stood several feet away giving her a thumbs-up.
McKenzie beamed. She turned and rode into the arena. She took a deep breath and began her routine, trying to remember everything Emma had taught her. The judges expected her to keep her seat in the saddle and her hands in view the entire time, and of course, she must smile constantly.
As she finished her routine, she saluted the judges. They scribbled notes on pieces of paper. Though the judges smiled back, McKenzie couldn’t tell what they thought of her performance. They probably smiled at everybody. She and the other contestants would have to wait awhile longer to learn who would be crowned queen.
McKenzie led Sahara back to the stables. As she watered her horse, she heard voices shouting. Turning, she saw her mom, dad, and little brother, Evan.
“McKenzie, you did a wonderful job!” Mrs. Phillips exclaimed.
After giving her family a round of hugs, McKenzie saw Emma and Bailey approaching. Everyone told McKenzie she had done well, but she knew she had made several small mistakes. Several contestants had performed perfectly. She wished she had done better, but she was also glad the contest was almost over. Now, she only had to wait.
McKenzie watched the remaining girls perform. After the contestants took their horses to their stalls, they all returned to the arena. McKenzie’s palms grew sweaty as she climbed the steps of the stage at one end of the arena.
One by one, each of the girls walked across the stage to the microphone. Each girl introduced herself to the crowd then returned to her place in line.
McKenzie’s heart fluttered wildly as she waited her turn. She closed her eyes and prayed, “Dear God, help me to not forget my name.”
When she opened her eyes, the announcer, a middle-aged man with graying hair, was staring at her. The girl next to her nudged her with her elbow. McKenzie’s legs felt rubbery as she walked to the microphone. She took a deep breath and smiled at the crowd.
A voice she didn’t recognize came out of her mouth. “Hi. I’m McKenzie Phillips. My parents are Dan and Jen Phillips, and I have a little brother, Evan, who is eight years old. I will be an eighth grader this fall at White Sulfur Springs Junior High.”
The crowd clapped as she returned to her place in line. She felt the butterflies in her stomach settle down as she listened to the other girls’ introductions.
“Well, there you have it, folks. Let’s give all of these lovely young ladies a round of applause,” the announcer exclaimed.
When the applause died down, he continued. “Our judges had quite a time choosing a winner. In a few minutes we’ll crown our new Junior Miss Rodeo Queen. But first let’s hear it for our second runner-up—Amanda Bradford!”
McKenzie clapped for the tall black-haired girl next to her. She knew she didn’t stand a chance of being crowned queen, but secretly she had wished to be a runner-up. She held her breath as the announcer continued.
“Our first runner-up is—Taylor McCowen!” The announcer’s voice boomed above the cheering crowd.
As McKenzie’s gaze darted over the audience, she wondered who would be crowned queen. She thought about the brown-haired girl on the end. Her performance had looked almost perfect, and she had the confidence of a much older girl.
McKenzie barely heard the announcer as he continued. “And now is the moment we’ve all been waiting for. Our new Junior Miss Rodeo Queen is…McKenzie Phillips!”
McKenzie heard the cheering crowd as she forced herself to center stage. Her knees wobbled as a young woman placed a sparkly crown over her black cowboy hat and pinned a sash across her green blouse.
For a minute, McKenzie forgot the duties of the Junior Miss Rodeo Queen, then she remembered and walked to the front of the stage. As cameras flashed, she waved to the crowd.
Before she knew it, she was whisked off stage. Soon her family, Emma, and Bailey surrounded her. Everyone talked at once, hugging and congratulating her.
Bailey stood to the back and finally came forward sheepishly. “You did great, McKenzie. I guess if I couldn’t win, I’m glad you did.”
McKenzie felt better knowing that Bailey was okay with her winning. Later she would let Bailey wear the crown.
After a photographer took her picture for the newspaper, the woman with the clipboard walked up to her. “We need to get you and your horse over to the arena. It’s time for the rodeo to start.”
McKenzie knew that the Junior Miss Rodeo Queen got to carry the Montana state flag around the arena, while the Rodeo Queen carried the American flag.
Moments later she settled onto Sahara’s back, gripping the flagpole tightly in her hands. As “The Star-Spangled Banner” boomed over the loudspeaker, the two flag bearers galloped around the arena. When the anthem ended, they stopped in the center of the ring while the crowd stood and cheered. Seconds later the girls rode their horses out of the ring.
After returning Sahara to her stall, McKenzie hurried back to the arena. The air was filled with the wonderful smells of rodeo foods—onion rings, hot dogs, cotton candy. She approached the fence to watch Bailey in the first rodeo event—the sheep chase. McKenzie said a silent prayer. She asked God to help Bailey do her best.
Some workers sectioned off an end of the arena and then several sheep were herded into the ring. All the kids competing in the sheep chase stood at one end and waited. When the starting pistol cracked, they all darted forward, trying to catch one of the woolly animals.
“Go, Bailey!” McKenzie cheered.
The kids raced after the sheep that were scurrying in all directions. One boy had a sheep by the hind leg, but then it squirmed out of his grasp. Bailey ran and fell as she cornered a sheep. As she scrambled to her feet, another sheep ran by her. She reached out and grabbed a hind leg, but the sheep was stronger. It pulled her across the ground. She held on tightly. As the sheep tried to run on three legs, Bailey reached out and grabbed the other hind leg.
The sheep struggled, but Bailey held on. She clutched the sheep until a worker clapped her on the shoulder. Bailey had won!
“Way to go, Bailey!” McKenzie shouted above the roaring crowd.
As the Junior Miss Rodeo Queen, McKenzie had the honor of presenting Bailey with her first-place blue ribbon. The younger girl beamed with pride as she followed McKenzie out of the arena.
McKenzie had little time to talk with Bailey. The younger riders in the barrel-racing contest would soon warm up. Bailey stuffed her blue ribbon in her back pocket and headed to the gate where Derek held Applejack’s reins.
Soon Bailey and the first riders galloped into the arena, warming up for the competition. Bailey sat stiffly on Applejack’s back, riding faster than her competitors.
McKenzie watched from behind the fence. She heard the bulls snort in their pens as they waited for the bull-riding competition. A rodeo clown wearing huge polka-dotted pants and a big, red nose teased some kids in the first row of bleachers. A toddler grabbed at his orange wig, nearly pulling it off.
As McKenzie watched the clown,
a crash sounded from the bull pens. The crowd shrieked. Turning back to the arena, she gasped. A huge white bull had broken out of its pen. The frightened young riders on their horses scattered about the arena.
McKenzie saw Bailey glance at the raging bull behind her. Terror filled Bailey’s dark eyes as she dug her heels into Applejack’s side. She flicked the reins, urging the horse to run faster.
McKenzie screamed when Bailey lost her balance and tumbled from her horse. The wild bull pawed at the ground, flinging dirt behind him. He put his head down and snorted. With his black eyes on Bailey, the bull lunged!
The Escape
Bailey screamed. The clown jumped over the fence and waved a red flag. The bull turned and pawed the ground before charging after him. The clown jumped out of the way, teasing the bull to lure it away from Bailey.
A young rodeo worker darted into the ring. He swept Bailey into his arms and lifted her over the fence to safety. Several men jumped in the ring and guided the angry bull back into his pen.
The audience cheered. McKenzie began to relax when she saw Bailey safely standing beside Applejack. Thankfully, Bailey would have time to recover from her scare before her turn came.
Finally the announcer called Bailey’s name, and she rode into the arena. She flicked the reins, dug her heels into her horse’s sides, and darted across the starting line. She raced toward the first barrel, turning a wide circle around it.
She urged Applejack faster as she headed toward the second barrel, but had trouble slowing down for the turn. Bailey made a near perfect turn on the third barrel and raced for the finish line.
“Your turn is coming soon, young lady.” McKenzie heard a man beside her speak.
Turning, she saw Derek. “I was hoping to hear the results first. I sure hope Bailey places at least third.”
“It could be a close race. There was a lot of tough competition in her group. You’d better bring Sahara to the gate. It’s almost time.” Derek hurried away to help Bailey lead Applejack back to the stall.