Run around three barrels as quickly as you can without knocking any of them over—sounds simple, right? But in practice, the sport of barrel racing requires a solid foundation of horsemanship and hundreds of hours in the saddle. Successful competitors must develop an understanding of good footwork and efficiency on the pattern, fine-tuning their runs to shave hundredths or even thousandths of a second off their times.
Initially introduced to carve out a place for women in the broader sport of rodeo, barrel racing has evolved through the years to include a place for anyone interested in participating. And with classes for professionals, amateurs, youth riders, adults and seniors, it’s easier than ever to find your place in the barrel racing arena.
What Is Barrel Racing?
Barrel racing is a timed event in which riders must cross a timer line, turn three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern, and exit the arena across the same timer line. Riders may begin by turning either the left or right barrel first, and the rider with the fastest time wins. Depending upon association rules, riders may receive a time penalty for knocking down a barrel or may be disqualified altogether. Other disqualifying faults include going off pattern or dismounting before crossing the final timer line.
Types of Barrel Racing Events
◆ Divisional barrel races: In the early 1990s, the sport of barrel racing was revolutionized when the National Barrel Horse Association introduced the concept of divisional placings for barrel racing events. Designed to level the playing field and give competitors at all skill levels a chance to share in the payout and prizes, the format was quickly adopted by barrel racing organizations across the country.
Divisional races may be organized into two, three, four or five divisions, with the number of placings in each division dependent upon association rules and number of participants. The fastest time sets the pace for the first division (1D). The second and subsequent divisions (2D, 3D, and so on) have slower times than the first division.
◆ Rodeos: Unlike divisional barrel racing, rodeos utilize a straight pay system in which only the fastest times are awarded. Fast-paced and exciting, rodeos offer barrel racers the opportunity to compete alongside bull riders, team ropers, and other rodeo competitors—often in front of a crowd.
Rodeo competitors may compete as amateurs or professionals. Barrel racers who wish to compete professionally through the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association must first apply for and fill their Women’s Professional Rodeo Association permit. In rodeos, barrel racing is limited to female athletes.
◆ Aged-event barrel races: These events only allow horses that meet certain age requirements to compete. Aged-event classes consist of two broad categories: futurities and derbies. Futurities include horses that are coming 4- or 5-year-olds, while derbies may stretch to include horses up to 8 years old.
Major Competitions
◆ National Barrel Horse Association Youth & Teen World Championships; NBHA Open & Senior World Championships: Each year, contestants gather in Perry, Ga., at the Georgia National Fairgrounds and Agriculture Center for a chance to win an NBHA World Championship. The Youth & Teen World Championships show runs in July, with the Open & Senior World Championships show rounding out the year in the late fall.
◆ Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (NFR): Every December, rodeo’s best competitors make their way to Las Vegas, Nev., to compete on its biggest stage. The NFR spans the breadth of 10 days—and 10 grueling rounds—as the top 15 WPRA money-earning barrel racers join 15 competitors from other rodeo events to compete for top spots in each event’s rounds and an average race.
◆ Barrel Futurities of America (BFA) World Championship: November kicks off a new year for aged-event competitors—many of whom gather at Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla., full of hope for their young horses’ budding careers. The BFA showcases 3-coming-4-year-olds making their debut runs in the event’s Juvenile class and draws top trainers and competitors from across the country to compete in futurity and derby classes. The BFA also offers separate classes for youth and amateur competitors.
| Getting Started in Barrel Racing Interested in trying barrel racing yourself? In this sport, there is truly a place for competitors of every skill level to compete. For more information, visit: ◆ National Barrel Horse Association ◆ Women’s Professional Rodeo Association ◆ Barrel Futurities of America |
This article about barrel racing appeared in the August 2023 issue of Western Life Today magazine. Click here to subscribe!
