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Barrel Racing
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Sponsored By
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Barrel racing has no
judges, which means the event has no subjective points of view. Time is the
determining factor.
Barrel racing is graceful and simplistic -- one woman, three barrels, a horse
and the ever-present stopwatch. The horse is ridden as quickly as possible
around a cloverleaf course of three barrels. At the end of the performance,
after all of the racers have finished their runs, the clock is the one and only
judge.
Ride quickly and win. Hesitate and lose.
Not only have the best of the sport spent countless hours practicing and honing
their skill, but they also have invested many dollars in the purchase and
maintenance of the talented horses they ride. A proven barrel racing horse can
cost $50,000. For the professional barrel racer, this is indeed a small price
to pay.
Not only must the horse be swift, but it also must be intelligent enough to
avoid tipping the barrels, an infraction that adds five penalty seconds to the
time and kills any chance for victory.
The horse also must be able to withstand the long roads a cowgirl must travel
to reach the next rodeo. If a horse is fast, competitive and reacts calmly to
the demands of travel, chances are good that horse can stop the clock as
quickly or quicker than the animal in the next trailer.
Because so many barrel racers have finely tuned their skill, the sport is timed
to the hundredth of a second. When the racer enters the arena, an electronic
eye starts the clock. The clock is stopped the instant the horse completes the
pattern.
Barrel racing at its core has changed little from the days when cowgirls raced
for minimal, if any, prize money and support. And though the prizes and
exposure are greater now than ever, the ultimate goal remains essentially the
same as in the past: stop the clock as quickly as possible.
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