Barrel Racing
What is Barrel Racing?
Barrel racing is a truly special event in the rodeo world, and one of the fastest. While cowboys are holding down bucking broncs and spinning bulls, cowgirls are charging through the gate in a race against the clock. The faster the rider completes the pattern, the higher up on the leaderboard the pair will land.
Barrel Racing Basics
Barrel racing pairs horse and rider in a race against the clock. The rider enters the arena at a gallop and runs toward the first barrel. A rider can choose between starting at the left-most or right-most barrel and turns a complete circle around the barrel. The rider then steers her horse toward barrel two, circles it, and charges toward barrel three. After rounding barrel three, the rider pushes her horse toward the finish line at top speed.
Emily’s story: 3 barrels 2 hearts 1 dream!
Every time you go into that arena you look through your horses ears straight at the first barrel you feel them get ready underneath you and just like that, you are no longer two things, you are one team that isunstoppable.
The first time I got on Blue, my 15-year-old barrel horse, it was like he knew what I was thinking it was like he was not just another horse; he was my horse and we were a team. The day that I did my first run on him it was like I was in heaven. That horse took me to the places I didn’t think I would dream of going; all because we became a team.
After Blue got hurt I started a new horse this horse is a firecracker. I couldn’t imagine what I would do without being able to run this horse around the three barrels.
Carlie Bowditch’s Story
Carlie Bowditch grew up in Sylvania SK. She attended high school in
Tisdale where she was very involved in figure skating. During high school she competed in rodeo in many associations including SBRA, KCRA, CCA, MRCA and SHSRA. Carlie followed her love for rodeo to Dickinson State University in North Dakota on a rodeo scholarship. She competed in the National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association in
Breakaway and Barrel Racing representing the Blue Hawks. She graduated spring 2018 with a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture and a Minor in leadership. Carlie is currently back in Sylvania and working for the Ministry of Agriculture.
Carlie is thankful for all the opportunities rodeo has given her and the lessons it has taught her. Choosing rodeo as a life long passion has made such a large and positive impact on her life. She is happy to be back rodeoing with her KCRA family for the summer and representing the northern region every where she goes!
