LONG BEACH — A dream run is approaching the finish line for a local professional barrel racer that galloped to a top-10 finish in her rookie season.

After logging more than 10,000 miles and competing in almost 30 rodeos across the Pacific Northwest, Wylie McHale is approaching the finish line on what she calls a “picture perfect” rookie season.

Born to barrel race

A former Long Beach resident and Ilwaco grad, McHale, 24, recently completed her first season on the Northwest Professional Rodeo Association (NPRA) in September, after officially joining the circuit in January.

The daughter of Amy and Bryan McHale, of Long Beach, Wylie was raised with barrel-racing roots.

“This was the first year I really jumped in,” said Wylie, 24, who competed ‘sporadically’ in the past few years with her mom, Amy, before going all-in earlier this year. She competes on her horse, Cruz who was raised and has been trained by Wylie since she was 13 years old.

Wylie competed in her first rodeo of the season back in March, before deciding to go “all in” around April, which meant purchasing a car and traveling more than 10,000 miles over the course of the NPRA circuit season — including nearly 30 competitions before the final event of the season in Burns, Oregon in September.

“At times there were as many as five rodeos in a week,” she reflected.

The top 12 competitors advance to the NPRA finals later this month, with Wylie and Cruz sitting firmly in sixth overall in barrel racing — and first in the rookie point standings.

The NPRA finals, being held in Salem, Oregon Oct. 16-17, will be the “final hurrah,” Wylie said.

“It’s been a picture-perfect first year.”

Racing roots

A rider “all her life,” Wylie got her first pony, Cookie, from her parents when she was just two.

“I remember going up to the barn and they opened up the stall door, there was this pony right there and she was all mine,” she recalled.

Cruz, the horse she currently competes on, is 11. The family raised and trained Cruz themselves, born from special stock with a special bond.

“I can tell you what he’s thinking,” Wylie said regarding their special connection.

“He was the last one [from the mama]. We felt the registered name ‘Cruz’ was fitting, because it was like a last ride with her. It’s been really special getting to compete on an animal we raised and trained, getting to see all that come to fruition.”

The entire experience, including traveling all around the Pacific Northwest as a part of the NPRA circuit and pushing herself to new levels, has been a special one that Wylie will never forget.

“I think we went a little over 10,000 miles this summer, so I’ve really gotten to see a lot of the Northwest, pretty much every corner of Oregon I left unturned, that’s been really special. The new levels of competition that I have never experienced have been really good for me, just getting to challenge myself more than I ever expected.”

A race to remember

Wylie got her first win of the season in Glenwood, Washington in June, a race she said she’ll never forget.

“It was my fastest run [at the time] and we did it in circumstances not many people would like, and we just made the best of everything and came out on top — that first one is something I’ll never forget,” she reflected.

Her favorite arenas to compete in are those that feature big patterns, allowing more space between the barrels and the fence where Cruz can truly unleash.

“Those are the ones that made my horse excel the most,” Wylie summed.

As for pre-race superstitions, Wylie admits she doesn’t have many, but was always mindful of her attire.

“If I had a shirt that I didn’t do well in, I wasn’t going to wear it again,” she conceded.

As for goals next season, Wylie isn’t entirely sure what the future will hold. She intends to enroll in a dental hygiene program, but is hopeful to compete “a little bit” down the road.

“This was kind of my one year that I got to really dive deep and compete hard,” she said.

2026 NPRA Barrel Racing Season Standings Top 10

1. Summer Huston, La Center, ($17,419.44)

2. Sharon Gow, Rosburg, ($11,126.48)

3. Jackie Gudmundson, Monroe, ($10,754.88)

4. Angie Powell, Marsing, ($10,019.28)

5. Teagan Cline, Roseburg,($9,968.16)

6. Wylie McHale, Long Beach, ($8,207.97)

7. Carissa Westbrooks, Junction City, ($7,692.33)

8. Kaycie Kayser, Ellensburg ($7,347.43)

9. Eva Gow, Roseburg, ($6,967.49)

10. Kaedence Loomis, Buena, ($6,774.42)