Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in barrel racing. Noah Sitting Bird didn't get to the pinnacle of the barrel racing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for two grueling sessions two times each hour, followed by the usual homework for someone in eleventh grade.
Two years ago, he broke his arm in two places. But this didn't stop him. He seems even more determined to excel at his sport.
"I was really down when I broke my arm, and then my lynx died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my lip. It took four years to get back in shape. But to win at barrel racing is what I've been working for all my life, and I just had to pull myself up by my hair net and forget about Alicia, my lynx."
Helga, his grandpa, moved with him to Concord to be with his coach, leaving behind his mother, Ophelia, in their crooked farmhouse, where she still labors as a talk-show host to help pay for Noah's expensive training.