Although
barrel racing may look less
harrowing than some other rodeo
events, it certainly is not for
the faint-hearted. The
horsemanship skills and
competitive drive in this fast
and furious event make it a
crowd favorite.
In barrel racing, the contestant
enters the arena at full speed
on a sprinting American Quarter
Horse. As they start the
pattern, the horse and rider
trigger an electronic eye that
starts the clock. Then the racer
rides a cloverleaf pattern
around three barrels positioned
in the arena, and sprints back
out of the arena, tripping the
eye and stopping the clock as
she leaves.
The contestant can touch or even
move the barrels, but receives a
five-second penalty for each
barrel that is overturned. With
the margin of victory measured
in hundredths of seconds,
knocking over one barrel spells
disaster for a barrel racing
competitor.
Although
barrel racing may look less
harrowing than some other rodeo
events, it certainly is not for
the faint-hearted. The
horsemanship skills and
competitive drive in this fast
and furious event make it a
crowd favorite.