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Overview
Barrel Racing is a timed rodeo event that demands some of the most athletic horses and dedicated riders in order to be successful in terms of financial earnings.
The sport in itself consists of horse and rider combining the horse's athletic ability and the rider's superb horsemanship skills in order to safely and successfully maneuver the horse around three 55 gallon closed end metal barrels placed in a cloverleaf pattern in the center of an arena at breakneck speeds. In timed rodeo events, the purpose is to make a run as fast as possible while the time is being clocked either by an electric eye, a device using a laser system to record times, or by an arena attendant or judge who manually takes the time using a keen eye and a flag to let a clocker know when to hit the timer stop.
The timer begins when horse and rider cross the start line, and ends when the barrel pattern has been successfully executed and horse and rider cross the finish line. The riders time, depending on several factors most commonly, The horse's physical and mental condition, the riders horsemanship abilities, and type of ground or footing (the quality, depth, content etc. of the sand or dirt in each arena) will ultimately decide who the winner will be.
The Pattern
During a barrel race, the horse and rider will enter the arena usually at a run or at a walk, depending on the preference of the team at hand. Once the horse is in the arena, the rider will “set the horse up” to begin running the barrel pattern. The rider will guide her/his horse in two turns in one direction of the pattern and in one turn in the other direction. It may sound befuddling, but the barrel racing pattern is quiet possibly the most simplistic aspect of barrel racing. Standard barrel racing patterns call for a precise distance between the start line and the first barrel, from the first to the second barrel, and from the second to the third barrel. The pattern from every point of the cloverleaf will have a precisely measured distance from one point to the next.
Usually this highly organized distance is as follows:
90 feet between barrel 1 and 2. 105 feet between barrel 1 and 3 and between 2 and 3. 60 feet from barrels 1 and 2 to score line.
Note: In a standard WPRA pattern, the score line begins at the plane of arena, meaning from fence to fence regardless of the position of the electric eye or timer.
Maximum distance of 105 feet between barrels 1 and 2 and 120 feet between 2 and 3,and 1 and 3. Score line must never be more than 90 feet. Above rule is for unusually large arenas.
Barrels 1 and 2 must be at least 18 feet from the sides of the arena. In extra small arenas they may be less.
In no instance should the barrels be any closer than 15 feet from the sides of the arena. Barrel 3 should be no closer than 25 feet to the end of the arena, and should be set NOT MORE THAN 15 feet longer than the first and second barrel. If arena size permits, barrels must be set 60 feet or further apart. In small arenas it is recommended the pattern be reduced proportionately to a standard barrel pattern.
The above pattern is the set pattern for the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), and The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA).
The National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) use the following layout for governing patterns:
A minimum of 15 feet between each of the first two barrels and the side fence. A minimum of 30 feet between the third barrel and the back fence. A minimum of 30 feet between the time line and the first barrel.
Rules
Since Barrel Racing has no judges, it is not under any subjective points of view other than those of fellow competitors. When competing at speeds well over that of any human beings' abilities on their own two feet, things can become hazy if a barrel racer is not keen to pay attention to detail. Barrel Racers in competition at the professional level are acutely aware of all of their surroundings. From the tiniest movement in their hips and hands to the smallest anticipations of her horse, a barrel racer is always mentally preparing herself for the unexpected.
During a run, a barrel racer can hit a barrel. This means she can knock a barrel over most commonly with either with her horses shoulder or with her knee. When someone competing for big bucks does this, she knows that's she's lost all chances of winning her race. So much time and effort goes into teaching a horse not to hit a barrel and into concentrating on body position when going into and coming out of a turn that to hit a barrel is harsh way to lose a race. But as all barrel racers know, you can't win them all. WPRA Rules govern that when a barrel is hit, the rider shall be assessed a five second penalty in addition to her run time.
Running past a barrel will result in a no time for disqualification.
Though things can get tough in the arena, Barrel Racers seem to have a somewhat of family amongst themselves. Even though the competition is stiff, most barrel racers are enthusiastic towards one another and often cheer and encourage one another on their runs. When times of loss are at hand most barrel racers are supportive and encouraging to fellow competitors.
Barrel Racing often also requires a certain bond between horse and rider in order for them to successfully compete as a team. Just as rider must trust horse, horse must trust rider. The bond that is achieved allows the horse to want to give everything he/she has in order to please its master. This willingness to please, is often referred to as “heart.” Most barrel racers who have competed at high levels of completion such as the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR), or NBHA World Championships will often refer to their winning horse as bearing allot of heart.
Associations and Sanctioning Bodies
Barrel racing is a sport that developed just as most other rodeo events did, with no set of set rules. Since its beginnings, the sport has developed over the years into a highly organized and generally more exciting yet governed sport. Several organizations can be considered the "elite" of barrel racing. The first and foremost, is probably the one most Americans have had the chance to witness on ESPN or some other sports broadcast at some point in time, The Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) has been the main sanctioning body of professional women rodeo athletes.
The WPRA was developed in 1948 by a group of women from Texas who were looking to make a home for themselves and women in general in the sport of rodeo. When it initially began, the WPRA was called the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA). It consisted of only 74 members with as little as 60 approved tour events. Today, the WPRA boasts some of the best female athletes in the world and has a total of over 800 sanctioned tour events with an annual payout of more than a three million dollars. The WPRA is divided into 12 divisional circuits. Average and overall winners from their circuit will compete for Divisional Tour (DT) Finals.
Other Bodies:
* PWBR - Professional Women's Barrel Racing
* NBHA - National Barrel Horse Association
* NIRA - National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association
* NHSRA - National High School Rodeo Association
* NLBRA - National Little Britches Rodeo Association (National Junior Rodeo)
* BBR - Better Barrel Races
Statistics
Though not much information is available on the statistics of barrel racing, it can be inferred that barrel racing in the United States is becoming a common enterprise, and is one of the fastest growing sports among women in the country. Not only does barrel racing not have an age limit, but barrel racing is open to both sexes. Both men and women can compete in Barrel Racing, however, certain governing bodies of the sport such as the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) and Professional Women's Barrel Racing (PWBR) are maintained for women only. Therefore, a man would not be eligible to compete at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) under current rules. The National Barrel Racing Association (NBHA), does however, allow men to compete at high levels of competition.
Barrel Racing has come a long way from the days of the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA). Barrel Horses are no longer considered just horses, but more so as athletes. The maintenance and time that goes into horses used for barrel racing is intricate and often extreme. Costs for the purchase of a high caliber barrel racer can currently reach well over the $60,000 mark depending on the ability and individuality of the horse. While breeding plays a huge role in the sale price of a horse, athletic ability, intelligence, drive, and willingness to please also “make or break” the sale of a horse. Not only must a barrel horse be quick and catty in order to win the run, but he must also be intelligent and athletic enough to know when to do what and when not to do what. A barrel horse must also be highly seasoned meaning he must be at the top of his physical abilities in order to sustain the demands required of him as an athlete. Horses go through months, and even years of training to make them into the athletes they become as truly competitive barrel racers.
History of Barrel Racing
Barrel racing originally developed as an event for women. While their husbands roped or rode bulls and broncs, the women barrel raced. Not much is known about the exact dates and details of barrel racing developments. It is believed that Barrel Racing first saw competitive light in the state of Texas. The Girls Rodeo Association (GRA), instituted in 1949, was the first body of rodeo developed specifically for women. Women were allowed to compete in several events of rodeo. The GRA eventually officially became the WPRA in 1981, and the WPRA still allows women to compete in the various rodeo events as they like, but barrel racing remains the most popular event of competition.
Athletes
* Kay Blandford
* Charmayne James
* Jackie Dube
* Mary Burger
* Kelly Kaminski
* Kelly Maben
* Janet Stover
* Fallon Taylor
* Sharon Camarillo
* Martha Josey
* Cheri Cervi
* Molly Powell
* Kristie Peterson owner of Bozo
Stallions, Mares and Geldings with Major or Notable Contributions to Barrel Racing
* Firewater Flit (S)
* Letta Hank Do It (S)
* Easily Smashed (S)
* Dash for Cash (S)
* Frenchman's Guy (S)
* Streakin' Sixes (S)
* Dynas Plain Special (M)
* Scamper (G)
* Bozo (G)
* Bugs Alive In 75 (S)
* PC Frenchman (S)
* Jet of Honor (S)
* Bully Bullion (S)
* Dash For Perks (S)
* On The Money Red (S)
Barrel Racing is a timed rodeo event that demands some of the most athletic horses and dedicated riders in order to be successful in terms of financial earnings.
The sport in itself consists of horse and rider combining the horse's athletic ability and the rider's superb horsemanship skills in order to safely and successfully maneuver the horse around three 55 gallon closed end metal barrels placed in a cloverleaf pattern in the center of an arena at breakneck speeds. In timed rodeo events, the purpose is to make a run as fast as possible while the time is being clocked either by an electric eye, a device using a laser system to record times, or by an arena attendant or judge who manually takes the time using a keen eye and a flag to let a clocker know when to hit the timer stop.
The timer begins when horse and rider cross the start line, and ends when the barrel pattern has been successfully executed and horse and rider cross the finish line. The riders time, depending on several factors most commonly, The horse's physical and mental condition, the riders horsemanship abilities, and type of ground or footing (the quality, depth, content etc. of the sand or dirt in each arena) will ultimately decide who the winner will be.
The Pattern
During a barrel race, the horse and rider will enter the arena usually at a run or at a walk, depending on the preference of the team at hand. Once the horse is in the arena, the rider will “set the horse up” to begin running the barrel pattern. The rider will guide her/his horse in two turns in one direction of the pattern and in one turn in the other direction. It may sound befuddling, but the barrel racing pattern is quiet possibly the most simplistic aspect of barrel racing. Standard barrel racing patterns call for a precise distance between the start line and the first barrel, from the first to the second barrel, and from the second to the third barrel. The pattern from every point of the cloverleaf will have a precisely measured distance from one point to the next.
Usually this highly organized distance is as follows:
90 feet between barrel 1 and 2. 105 feet between barrel 1 and 3 and between 2 and 3. 60 feet from barrels 1 and 2 to score line.
Note: In a standard WPRA pattern, the score line begins at the plane of arena, meaning from fence to fence regardless of the position of the electric eye or timer.
Maximum distance of 105 feet between barrels 1 and 2 and 120 feet between 2 and 3,and 1 and 3. Score line must never be more than 90 feet. Above rule is for unusually large arenas.
Barrels 1 and 2 must be at least 18 feet from the sides of the arena. In extra small arenas they may be less.
In no instance should the barrels be any closer than 15 feet from the sides of the arena. Barrel 3 should be no closer than 25 feet to the end of the arena, and should be set NOT MORE THAN 15 feet longer than the first and second barrel. If arena size permits, barrels must be set 60 feet or further apart. In small arenas it is recommended the pattern be reduced proportionately to a standard barrel pattern.
The above pattern is the set pattern for the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), and The National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA).
The National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) use the following layout for governing patterns:
A minimum of 15 feet between each of the first two barrels and the side fence. A minimum of 30 feet between the third barrel and the back fence. A minimum of 30 feet between the time line and the first barrel.
Rules
Since Barrel Racing has no judges, it is not under any subjective points of view other than those of fellow competitors. When competing at speeds well over that of any human beings' abilities on their own two feet, things can become hazy if a barrel racer is not keen to pay attention to detail. Barrel Racers in competition at the professional level are acutely aware of all of their surroundings. From the tiniest movement in their hips and hands to the smallest anticipations of her horse, a barrel racer is always mentally preparing herself for the unexpected.
During a run, a barrel racer can hit a barrel. This means she can knock a barrel over most commonly with either with her horses shoulder or with her knee. When someone competing for big bucks does this, she knows that's she's lost all chances of winning her race. So much time and effort goes into teaching a horse not to hit a barrel and into concentrating on body position when going into and coming out of a turn that to hit a barrel is harsh way to lose a race. But as all barrel racers know, you can't win them all. WPRA Rules govern that when a barrel is hit, the rider shall be assessed a five second penalty in addition to her run time.
Running past a barrel will result in a no time for disqualification.
Though things can get tough in the arena, Barrel Racers seem to have a somewhat of family amongst themselves. Even though the competition is stiff, most barrel racers are enthusiastic towards one another and often cheer and encourage one another on their runs. When times of loss are at hand most barrel racers are supportive and encouraging to fellow competitors.
Barrel Racing often also requires a certain bond between horse and rider in order for them to successfully compete as a team. Just as rider must trust horse, horse must trust rider. The bond that is achieved allows the horse to want to give everything he/she has in order to please its master. This willingness to please, is often referred to as “heart.” Most barrel racers who have competed at high levels of completion such as the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), College National Finals Rodeo (CNFR), or NBHA World Championships will often refer to their winning horse as bearing allot of heart.
Associations and Sanctioning Bodies
Barrel racing is a sport that developed just as most other rodeo events did, with no set of set rules. Since its beginnings, the sport has developed over the years into a highly organized and generally more exciting yet governed sport. Several organizations can be considered the "elite" of barrel racing. The first and foremost, is probably the one most Americans have had the chance to witness on ESPN or some other sports broadcast at some point in time, The Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) has been the main sanctioning body of professional women rodeo athletes.
The WPRA was developed in 1948 by a group of women from Texas who were looking to make a home for themselves and women in general in the sport of rodeo. When it initially began, the WPRA was called the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA). It consisted of only 74 members with as little as 60 approved tour events. Today, the WPRA boasts some of the best female athletes in the world and has a total of over 800 sanctioned tour events with an annual payout of more than a three million dollars. The WPRA is divided into 12 divisional circuits. Average and overall winners from their circuit will compete for Divisional Tour (DT) Finals.
Other Bodies:
* PWBR - Professional Women's Barrel Racing
* NBHA - National Barrel Horse Association
* NIRA - National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association
* NHSRA - National High School Rodeo Association
* NLBRA - National Little Britches Rodeo Association (National Junior Rodeo)
* BBR - Better Barrel Races
Statistics
Though not much information is available on the statistics of barrel racing, it can be inferred that barrel racing in the United States is becoming a common enterprise, and is one of the fastest growing sports among women in the country. Not only does barrel racing not have an age limit, but barrel racing is open to both sexes. Both men and women can compete in Barrel Racing, however, certain governing bodies of the sport such as the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) and Professional Women's Barrel Racing (PWBR) are maintained for women only. Therefore, a man would not be eligible to compete at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) under current rules. The National Barrel Racing Association (NBHA), does however, allow men to compete at high levels of competition.
Barrel Racing has come a long way from the days of the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA). Barrel Horses are no longer considered just horses, but more so as athletes. The maintenance and time that goes into horses used for barrel racing is intricate and often extreme. Costs for the purchase of a high caliber barrel racer can currently reach well over the $60,000 mark depending on the ability and individuality of the horse. While breeding plays a huge role in the sale price of a horse, athletic ability, intelligence, drive, and willingness to please also “make or break” the sale of a horse. Not only must a barrel horse be quick and catty in order to win the run, but he must also be intelligent and athletic enough to know when to do what and when not to do what. A barrel horse must also be highly seasoned meaning he must be at the top of his physical abilities in order to sustain the demands required of him as an athlete. Horses go through months, and even years of training to make them into the athletes they become as truly competitive barrel racers.
History of Barrel Racing
Barrel racing originally developed as an event for women. While their husbands roped or rode bulls and broncs, the women barrel raced. Not much is known about the exact dates and details of barrel racing developments. It is believed that Barrel Racing first saw competitive light in the state of Texas. The Girls Rodeo Association (GRA), instituted in 1949, was the first body of rodeo developed specifically for women. Women were allowed to compete in several events of rodeo. The GRA eventually officially became the WPRA in 1981, and the WPRA still allows women to compete in the various rodeo events as they like, but barrel racing remains the most popular event of competition.
Athletes
* Kay Blandford
* Charmayne James
* Jackie Dube
* Mary Burger
* Kelly Kaminski
* Kelly Maben
* Janet Stover
* Fallon Taylor
* Sharon Camarillo
* Martha Josey
* Cheri Cervi
* Molly Powell
* Kristie Peterson owner of Bozo
Stallions, Mares and Geldings with Major or Notable Contributions to Barrel Racing
* Firewater Flit (S)
* Letta Hank Do It (S)
* Easily Smashed (S)
* Dash for Cash (S)
* Frenchman's Guy (S)
* Streakin' Sixes (S)
* Dynas Plain Special (M)
* Scamper (G)
* Bozo (G)
* Bugs Alive In 75 (S)
* PC Frenchman (S)
* Jet of Honor (S)
* Bully Bullion (S)
* Dash For Perks (S)
* On The Money Red (S)