Barrel racing is one of the most grueling events in rodeo. A woman on a horse competes to be the fastest around three barrels in a set pattern. A good barrel racer can make a complete run in less than a quarter of a minute and win big prizes. The sport has a long history. It was first seen in Texas and was later popularized by a legendary cowgirl, Martha Josey.
Barrel Horse News is an equestrian magazine that features information about the sport of barrel racing. It covers topics ranging from major barrel racing events to training tips. The magazine also provides readers with a variety of other useful information about horses and their care. Its goal is to help people learn how to train and prepare their horses for barrel racing competitions.
This equestrian publication is published by the National Barrel Racing Association. Its articles provide valuable tips about horse training, nutrition, and health care. The magazine also publishes interviews with some of the most renowned barrel racers in the country. It also includes a calendar of major barrel races and brief futurity round-ups.
Although women have been participating in rodeo since Annie Oakley dazzled audiences in Buffalo Bill’s wild west shows in the 1800s, barrel racing was a male-dominated sport until 1948. That year a group of women who had previously participated in full rodeo as part of military maneuvers during World War II met in San Angelo, Texas, and formed the Girls Rodeo Association, with barrel racing as its premier event.
Barrel racing’s emergence into a fully sanctioned sport brought gender equality to the sport. Today prize money is equal to that of bull riding and other male-dominated events. A successful barrel racer can earn as much as $7 million annually, and a proven barrel racing horse can fetch as much as a new Ford F350.
The sport demands a special type of horse. A top-ranked barrel racer must have a horse with an incredible heart, excellent speed, and the ability to turn quickly around the barrels. A good barrel racing horse must also have stamina to endure being hauled to different venues for competitions day after day. The average rider spends about fourteen hours a week on the road traveling with her horse.
One of the most famous barrel racers is Charmayne James, who won eleven world championship titles in her career and was crowned the top female competitor at the National Finals Rodeo seven times. She has won more career earnings in barrel racing than any other competitor in the sport. She is a member of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame, and her horse Scamper is in the WPRA’s Hall of Fame. James recently attempted to continue Scamper’s legacy through cloning.
The magazine has won acclaim for its reporting on the treatment of horses in the industry. Its article on 1986 Kentucky Derby winner Ferdinand’s slaughter as a stud resulted in greater efforts to save retired racehorses. In addition, the magazine’s exposé on a breeder who sold horses for slaughter led to a federal investigation and the closure of his facility.