Barrel Racing

Barrel racing has no judges but time and accuracy. It is graceful and simplistic – a cowgirl, three barrels, a horse and a stopwatch. But what a horse – a proven barrel racing horse can cost $50,000! The objective – ride the horse as quickly as possible around a cloverleaf course of three barrels and win. Hesitate and lose. 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. The cowgirl may elect to execute the pattern to the left, completing the pattern to the right, or from the right and complete from the left. Not only must the horse be quick, but intelligent enough to avoid tipping the barrels. An infraction of five second time penalties per barrel assures no reward of winning.

PHOTO BY MILLER PHOTO

2020 WORLD’S OLDEST RODEO® BUCKLE WINNER Wenda Johnson

2020 World Champion Hailey Kinsel

CAREER EARNINGS: $1,294,478 2020 Earnings: $349,076 World titles: 3 (2018-20) Wrangler NFR average titles: 1 (2020) Wrangler NFR qualifications: 4 (2017-20) RAM Top Gun: 1 (2020) Education: Texas A&M University (College Station), graduated May 2017 with a degree in agriculture economics