Barrel Racing

The thrill of speed, the glory of winning! Dust flies around you, the crowd cheers you on, your horse is amazing beneath you, turning on cue, knowing what you expect! It is barrel racing!

Timed events present the horse
person with some of the greatest
challenges. Barrel racing is one
of the most popular events. It is
a quick, technical event that
requires speed, agility, control,
timing, rhythm and balance.
The fastest time wins.

Barrel racing is a contest of three 360 degree turns in which the horse and rider run figure eights around a triangular course of three barrels forming a cloverleaf pattern.

The rider seeks tight, fast turns with the horse arcing its body around the barrel while maintaining balance on its inside hind leg. The competitions are intense and electronic timers are used with the times recorded in the hundredth's of a second. Everyone must start and finish across the same line. The rider enters the arena at a full-blown run.

AQHA rules specify that there must be 30 yards between the first two barrels and 35 yards between the second and third. The rider can start from either the right or the left. Barrels are usually 55 gallon steel drums.
The horse must make flying lead changes and fly for home after the third barrel. Mistakes cost dearly! If you knock over a barrel the 5 second time penalty will cost you the race! If the horse and rider fail to negotiate the pattern correctly, they will receive a disqualification.

Good times range from 18 to 14 seconds with average times in the 17 to 16 second range for a good, experienced team. If you are just starting and your horse is a pony or not a professional barrel horse your times will be much higher, so don't dispair! Everyone must start some place!
It can take a horse 6 months to 2 years to master the needed skills and this must be done after the basics are learned!

"The horses used in this event are highly trained athletes with racehorse pedigrees. They have to be capable of tremendous bursts of speeds with the ability to turn on a dime. The riders are just as talented and focused as the jockeys that you see riding at the nation's race tracks. Everyone loves a race and in rodeo, the barrel race is the event to watch." From the Women's Professional Rodeo Association.