COVE — In the West, the love of a girl for her horse is a well-known story.

For Hayden Johnson, 9, a barrel racer from Cove, that love for horses is taking her to the Vegas Tuffest Jr. World Championship this December.

Johnson qualified for the event and will be one of 840 contestants from 28 different states and four Canadian provinces competing Dec. 1-5, the first weekend of the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas.

According to a press release from organizers Sherrylnn and Mike Johnson (no relation), 38 rodeos were held for young rodeo contestants to qualify for the Nevada event. Contestants will compete in four age groups. Hayden Johnson will compete in the 12 and under division as one of the younger barrel racers in the age group.

The contestants will vie for cash and prizes worth $1 million in events such as barrel racing, double mugging, goat tying, breakaway roping and tie-down roping, and each event champion will take home $10,000-30,000 in cash, according to Mike Johnson.

“We’re the highest stakes payout in four events for youth in rodeo history,” he said. “Winners will take home saddles, rope cans, buckles, World Champion rings and plenty of swag from our A-list group of sponsors.”

Hayden Johnson said she started riding in a saddle solo at the age of 3 and was barrel racing when she was 4. Her mother, Hannah, is a barrel racer and is her teacher and coach.

“Hayden always went with me when I raced barrels,” Hannah Johnson said.

Thinking she was doing her daughter a favor, Hannah Johnson said she bought her an “old horse who would be safe,” but those trips to mom’s races stirred her.

“I like to ride fast,” Hayden Johnson said. “It’s pretty fun.”

Hannah Johnson said she bought her daughter a different horse, on which she raced until she was 6 years old, then Hayden took over one of her mother’s barrel horses, Moxie, who was “super competitive.”

“I rode Moxie until last year when I took on another of mom’s horses and was able to qualify to go to Las Vegas,” she said.

The Johnsons own Conley Farms in Cove, a farm established in the 1880s that grows alfalfa, grass seed and forage hay. Hannah Johnson grew up in Joseph and raced barrels in college and still competes in open jackpots. The farm has an arena where Hayden Johnson can practice between rodeos.

Many weeks of the year, Hannah, Hayden and sometimes brother Baylen Johnson will hit the road for the rodeo circuit.

“My brother comes along most of the time, when he can,” Hayden Johnson said. “He is very helpful riding horses, boots them up, unboots them and saddles and unsaddles them.”

At home, Hannah Johnson said Baylen waters and smooths out the arena and rides with her and his sister.

“He likes to rope, ride and condition the horses,” she said.

Racing barrels is what Hayden Johnson lives, eats and breathes. She recently competed at a rodeo in Homedale, Idaho, and has another lined up for the middle of November ahead of the championships in Las Vegas.

Running the farm is a family affair as well as rodeo. Hannah Johnson said while it’s tough to get away from the farm, the whole family will be going to Las Vegas not only to watch Hayden race, but to celebrate a wedding anniversary. Hannah Johnson said she and her husband were married during the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas 15 years ago.

Vegas Tuffest Jr. World Championships is free to attend, starting each morning at 8:15 a.m. at The Expo at World Market Center, 435 S. Grand Central Parkway, Las Vegas. The event will also be live webcasted at www.johnsonsportline.com.