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Barrel Racing
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Barrel Racing: A rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to complete a cloverleaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. It is primarily an event for women; although open to both sexes, depending upon governing sponsors.
Rules:
- No age limit
- Participants: Horse and rider
- The rider's time depends on several factors:
- The horse's physical and mental condition
- The rider's horsemanship abilities
- The type of ground or footing (the quality, depth, content, etc. of the sand or dirt in the arena)
- The fastest time wins
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Diagram of a Barrel Racing Course →
Riders enter at the red line, circle around the 1st barrel, proceed to the 2nd barrel, and then continue on to the 3rd where they will complete the pattern and finally exit the course crossing the red line a second time. This pattern is often referred to as a "Cloverleaf". The pattern from every point of the cloverleaf will have a precisely measured distance from one point to the next. The pattern may also begin with the left barrel first.
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Strategy:
The approach to the first barrel is a critical moment in the life of a successful pattern; the rider must rate their horse's speed at the right moment to enter the "pocket" (the area around the barrel in which the horse should use to make the fastest possible turn). As the horse sets up to take the turn, the rider must be in position as well (i.e., sitting deeply in the saddle, using one hand on the pommel to keep themselves steady and still, the other hand to guide the horse through and around the barrel turn). The rider's legs will grip the horse’s sides; the leg to the inside of the turn should be held securely along the girth to support the horse's rib cage and give them a focal point for the turn. The athleticism required for this maneuvering comes from optimum physical fitness of the rider and especially the horse.
What the judges look for:
- When a barrel is hit or over-turned (5 seconds added to the run time)
- Going "off pattern" (These faults result in disqualificationin as a “no time”)
- Horse and rider “turned” a barrel in the wrong direction
- Lost forward motion
- Ran past a barrel
- Or, on the trip back to the timer from the third barrel, went outside of the other two barrels
Note: 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.
CHART BELOW: We added these winter "one-pagers" to our
Sports Know-How category in time for the
Winter Youth Olympic Games (YOG) that were held in January 2012. We got inspired by the
2012 London Summer Games to add to our Summer Sports category. We'll be adding sports periodically so keep checking back. If the titles are shining brightly in white text, they're ready for you to click on! ^.^
