Sorry guys, I ride english. I’m just curious and going down rabbit holes. I googled lessons for barrel racing and pole bending in my area and all I’m seeing are reigning trainers. I’ve looked at three states around me as well. It seems like trainers in those areas are hard to come by. Am I missing something? Is it mostly self taught?
4H, Little Britches rodeo, local western riding clubs. that is where most learn here.
For adults, go to barrel races and find local competitors and they will know who gives lessons or can help get started.
Barrel racing is very competitive and has all kinds of levels, from the tiniest kids to open.
Most times all run as they enter and you won’t know where you stand until is over.
Then they score each division by times.
Some barrel racing and most play-days have pole bending and flag races and other events.
Warning, western speed events can be wild, you see it all, some real nice riding and some you close your eyes afraid of a wreck about to happen.
The little I know about all that is because here many participate in those and love it and that is all they talk about.
Warning, western speed events are addictive to many that try them. 
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You used “areas” to mean barrel racing and pole bending. However, the reality is that it’s not the “area” (discipline of riding), it’s the “area” (where you live).
In some places. you will find a whole lot more Little Britches rodeo and local western riding clubs than you will anyone who rides English. In other places, you will be hard pressed to find a barrel racer. And yes, if you live in an area where gaming is popular, you will find trainers and instructors who teach barrel racing and pole bending.
See, for example, the Georgia Federation of Saddle Clubs (http://www.georgiafsc.com/). Click on one of the ten associations and you will get the web page for that association. You will find the show schedule and contact information. With that, you could track down a place to get lessons.
Where I used to live, one of the local youth rodeo clubs had stick horse, lead line, and walk-trot barrel racing (using a much smaller course). The first time I saw it I thought I had died and gone to cute heaven. 
For pole bending, find a Pony Club that is active in Pony Club Games, and ask who they use.
We have quite a few barrel racing specialists where I live, but I have never heard of an overall gymkhana specialist (for pole bending). Have you tried posting for recommendations on Facebook?
If you have a local gymkhana club, go to the races and see who’s winning. Ask them. They’ll either know someone or maybe even give you a lesson or two themselves. All of those speed events are mostly good riding. Basic dressage training and then just add in strategy for turns. I was a dressage rider for years when I started racing. People made fun of me, but when I started beating them, they all wanted to know where they could take dressage lessons.
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Martha Josey was the name to follow for years. She’s still alive and has a business running clinics, camps etc, according to wiki, and she has books out, video. You might look her up and see if they are running one in your area.
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