They've come a long way from the event's humble beginnings as a competition among 74 members in the Girl's Rodeo Association for purse money totaling $29,000 at 60 events. The sport has now evolved into an association of more than 2,000 contestants competing for more than $2 million, under the umbrella of the Women's Professional Rodeo Association. Barrel racing, plain and simple, is nothing more than a horse race. The contestant with the fastest time wins. With hair flying and attire glittering, the women of barrel racing charge out of the gate with horses at a full run. They circle three barrels set up like points on a triangle. Horse and rider must make a right and two left turns around the obstacles, or vice versa, to complete what's called a clover-leaf pattern. A five-second penalty is added to the rider's time for knocking over a barrel. Electronic timing devices clock the contestants to thousandths of a second -- the only rodeo event to be so closely timed. To compete at the
top level of this sport, the mental aspect of the competition can mean the
difference between a championship buckle and a disappointing trip across
thousands of miles. "You have to have the mental toughness and competitive
nature to drive 12 hours, run for 15 seconds and then drive home,"
said World Champion Kristi Peterson. "Before a run, I get rid of negative
thoughts, concentrate on positive things and focus on exactly what my job
is." Visualizing the run in her mind and watching some of the early
runs to get a feel for the arena conditions are two mental keys for Peterson.
"I try to prepare in my mind and get a game plan," she said.
That mental preparation is put to the test when contestants roll into Houston. Most barrel racers agree the Astrodome is the toughest arena in the sport. In most barrel racing contests, the arenas are so small the barrels are usually near a fence line. But, with the expanse of the Dome floor, that boundary is missing. Psycholo-gically, it is a daunting course for both horse and rider. "The noise in the Astrodome is so deafening that it almost drove my horse berserk. I'd never heard such noise in all my life, and then think what that's like to a horse whose ears are far more sensitive than ours," said Vietor, who competed in Houston in 1991. "It's the most unbelievable experience the first time you compete in the Dome and see the incredible crowd." Though her familiar voice might contribute to frightening the keyed-up horses running on the dirt in front of 60,000 Houston fans, color commentator Sharon Camarillo understands the pressure on the women and their horses. "When you look up and see the sheer magnitude and size of the Dome, it's pretty overwhelming, even for a seasoned professional," said Camarillo, who not only shares announcing duties with Bob Tallman and Boyd Polhamus, but also has competed in Houston several times. "When you get to the quality of women competing in the Dome, the external factors like the crowd really allow the cream of the crop to rise to the top. One sign of a champion is that she will adapt her competitive strategy to the elements." Peterson, who has
been competing professionally since 1989, said it's up to the rider to try
and calm her horse and give it the confidence to do its best in the din
of the Dome. "One of the most challenging aspects of the sport is going
to different places and having to compete in different weather and arena
conditions," said Peterson. "When you come to the Dome, you have
to make a mental adjustment that it's just another barrel pattern and not
be intimidated because it's in that awesome building. You need to help your
horse do its best in that situation." Because the equine athlete is such a vital part of the sport, barrel racing is one of the few competitions where 15-year-olds can successfully compete against 50-year-olds. "What other sport can a child and a grandmother compete against each other in the same arena?" said Vietor, who added that as the popularity and purse values of the sport increase, so does the caliber of the horse. Finding a good barrel horse can be a tough job. "A great horse has the athletic ability and conformation to be able to perform the long strides necessary between the barrels as well as make the quick, balanced turns around the barrels," said Camarillo, who teaches about 20 clinics a year on barrel racing. Besides the conformation, breeding and quality training, one of the most vital ingredients to make a champion barrel horse is "heart," she added. "And that's something you might not know until you've invested a lot of time and money to get him trained," Camarillo said. Peterson said the horses are getting better every year, which enhances the competition, and a great horse might turn up anywhere. Ten-time World Champion Charmayne James bought her famous horse, Scamper, at a feedlot for $400. For years, barrel racing paid considerably less than the men's events. But in the mid-'80s, the women began a strong push to be paid prize money equivalent to the other rodeo events. A major milestone was reached in 1996 when the Calgary Stampede agreed to include barrel racing in its $50,000 bonus round. Today, all regular-season rodeos offer the women equal money. A win at Houston can make or break the year for a contestant. With the large amount of prize money, doing well in the Dome can go a long way toward guaranteeing one of the 15 coveted slots for a year-end trip to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. "Everybody's goal is to go to Houston, especially since you have to qualify. It's one of the most prestigious contests in the sport," Vietor said. James, who has won Houston's barrel racing title more than any other woman in history, said the trip to the Bayou City is worth bringing Scamper out of retirement annually. "I'll continue to bring Scamper there to compete as long as I'm successful," said James. "I was so scared the first time I competed in Houston, but now it's my favorite. There is so much money available in the Dome that it makes it the best rodeo."
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t was almost 50
years ago when a group of Texas ranch women decided to add a fast dash of
flare and femininity to the rough sport of rodeo. Barrel racing was born.
