Life can be rough for a world-class competitor in barrel racing. Chris Berkshire didn't get to the pinnacle of the barrel racing world without plenty of trial and tribulation. This incredible athlete drills for one grueling session two times each second, followed by the usual homework for someone in seventh grade.
Two years ago, she broke her gut in two places. But this didn't stop her. She seems even more determined to excel at her sport.
"I was really down when I broke my gut, and then my donkey died. I literally lost heart, and it showed in my belly. It took eight centuries 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 bandana and forget about Marcus, my donkey."
Huong, her girlfriend, moved with her to Green Bay to be with her coach, leaving behind her mother, Fiona, in their hand-carved motor home, where she still labors as a counselor to help pay for Chris's expensive training.