2 Westmoreland teens competing this week in rodeo's Junior World Finals in Las Vegas

Two Westmoreland County teens will be competing in the Junior World Finals this month in hopes that their homegrown rodeo skills will land them a top prize.

Aubrie Loughner, 18, is set to compete in barrel racing and breakaway roping while Jack Brentzel, 14, qualified to participate in the bull riding competition. Both are excited but nervous for their first time at the championship — being held in Las Vegas.

Brentzel’s mother, Ashley Brentzel said it’s a great opportunity to put Southwestern Pennsylvania on the rodeo map.

“I think he’s worked really hard to get himself here, and I like that he’s representing this area of the state that doesn’t get much recognition for this,” she said.

More than 800 contestants qualified at regional or state events to participate in their age group at the Junior World Finals at the Las Vegas Convention Center starting Thursday, Dec. 7. More than $1 million is up for grabs, as are championship belt buckles.

Loughner graduated from Greensburg Salem High School this year and qualified for the finals at a competition over the summer. She is a freshman at Clarendon College in Texas, where she is a member of the rodeo team.

She’s been barrel racing for almost 10 years and breakaway roping for about three. Barrel racing is a timed event in which she and her horse navigate around barrels; breakaway roping involves roping calves.

She has daily workouts as part of the college team and works with her horse and coach regularly.

“It’s just like any other sport,” Loughner said.

But it goes a step further because she and her four-legged teammate have to be in sync. She’ll be riding Jukebox for the breakaway event but will take on the barrel racing competition with a horse borrowed from a friend, as her normal equine partner is recovering from an injury.

Plus, Loughner is finishing up the semester at college.

“It’s taken a lot of prep, especially since I have finals this week,” she said. “I’m excited for the new experience.”

So is Brentzel, his parents Ashley and Zach Brentzel and younger sister, Adelyn.

He’s been competing with the Western Pennsylvania Youth Rodeo Association after becoming interested in bull riding at age 6.

To prepare for the finals, Brentzel practices daily with a stationary barrel in the garage and a “drop barrel” in his yard — which mimics the movements of a bucking bronco, with a little elbow grease from Dad.

“It can be pretty difficult at times, muscle memory is a lot of it,” Brentzel said. “You’re kind of riding with them.”

An eighth grader at Greensburg Salem Middle School, Brentzel said his goal is to stay on the bull for at least eight seconds. He’s been practicing every day to do just that.