How to Compete in a Barrel Racing Event

Barrel racing is a fast-paced, thrilling event that keeps everyone out of their seat - even the rider!

Instructions

Difficulty: Challenging

Things You’ll Need:

• Spurs
• Cowboy Hats
• Jeans
• Long-sleeved Shirts
• Riding Boots

1. Get a fast horse. The trick to barrel racing is precision and speed. Typically barrel racers use quarter horses for this event because of their speed, but Morgans, Appaloosas, paint horses and even Arabians excel at this speedy sport.
2. Hold on. Barrel racers barely sit in their saddles; they're riding so fast they often lean forward, slightly out of their saddle, to impel the horse forward.
3. Run your pattern. The barrel racing pattern consists of three barrels placed in a triangle at the opposite end of the arena from where the horse enters, the top of the triangle being the farthest away. The pattern makes a three-leaf clover.
4. Gallop into the arena and make an outside turn (turn to the outside) at either of the side barrels.
5. Round the barrel and cross the arena to the top side of the opposite barrel, making a figure eight in the middle of the arena.
6. Make another outside turn.
7. Head up the middle to the top barrel.
8. Approach the top barrel and round it in the same direction as the second barrel, counterclockwise or clockwise.
9. Race as fast as your horse can go back to the starting line.
10. Don't knock over any barrels; a 5-second penalty is added to your time for every barrel you knock over. The fastest time wins.

Tips & Warnings

• Learn to guide your horse while galloping.
• Keep in mind that at rodeos, only women compete in barrel racing and pole bending, and only men compete in steer roping, bull riding, bucking bronc and saddle bronc riding. Smaller competitions may allow men to do barrel racing and pole bending, but not the regular rodeos.
• If you don't like speed or are afraid of falling off your horse, barrel racing isn't for you.