b"Running the RaceThe Evolution of Barrel Racing In ArizonaBy Betsy Nunnhowfastdouwannab@gmail.com, facebook.com/Willnunnp3, youtube.com/user/howfastdouwannabH ow about a history lessonspot in someones heart and barn now. It was pretty neat. It of where things were intruly changed the horse market and everything about barrel Arizona and what they haveracing. Everyone still knew everyone at this point since it now become in this realm? Whenwas growing but it wasnt huge yet! Time onlies were $2 or I was a kid/teenager back in the$3 and they actually announced your time. 70s and 80s the open jackpot cost $12. Folks wanted to win but unfortunately, they couldnt ride that open horse,In the 2000 era, these barrel races went to 4Ds. They and therefore they were out mounted. There were nowere half-second splits. The fees at a weekly jackpot were 3D/4D/5D barrel races. They may have gotten a dozen or soanywhere from $25-$40 and they started taking 30-35% entries in the open barrel race. They had open and noviceout of the total pots that included the entry fees. They also classes. Many of the clubs had many classes in the novicestarted charging an arena fee of $10 a head. These jackpots division. The green horse who hadnt won anythingstarted paying better for sure. could enter in theI believe this is about the novice. They had atime that the American West(some are still $3) per time only, no longer announced your $250 novice, $500Association was born. Theytime or your name, rushed you through since there was novice, and a $1000had great finals in Nevadausually a line, and they took your ticket at the gate. novice. It was a lotthat awarded trailers and more inexpensiveother amazing prizes. I got toThese days, from 2011 to 2021, the barrel races are mostly to season and makewin one on a futurity horse5Ds. These are half-second splits from first place in each a horse back thenof mine in the 2D in 2002.division. The weekly jackpots run anywhere from $30- $60 but you dang sureThey drew a pile of entries. Iplus the arena fee which is usually $10-15 per rider. Time didnt win a lotam guessing but I would sayonlies are still $5, some are $3 which is a blessing, and there either. The locals300-400 back then was a bigare either time slots, tickets, or a line. Local clubs for the policed each otherdeal. Again the horse marketweekend warrior competitor will usually charge anywhere as a select few wouldevolved and this brought infrom $60 -$85 which is better for the pot and the winners try to pull a fast oneso many more runners. Thebut its harder to afford to season horses. The thing here is and enter a horsementality was almost like thethat these horses are worth far more, as it costs so much that had won toolittle kid soccer games whereto build them anymore, so that is a plus. There are also so much in the wrongall would get a participationmany big jackpots now that the entry fees can range from class knowingly or unknowingly of the offense. Time onliestrophy. I dont mean that in a bad way either. Everyone$700- $1500 but the payoff in each division can reach the where they actually called your name and gave you a timecould play and anyone could win on any given day. It was a$100k area. Its crazy! What an amazing feat in the barrel were a dollar. Things have changed a bunch in this sport.crapshoot because you never knew whenracing world! The horse I love thinking of the good ole days as this is partly whatit was your day in the lower divisions andmarket changed yet again molded me as a person and a horseman. We would go everyyour time to make it to the pay window.as even the futurities Tuesday night to Desert Hills along with some jackpots onNow, the folks that ran at the top of thewere going 2D. Those the weekends. We would enter the PRCA rodeos as well1D always knew where they would fallhorses are now running since the girl kids could enter them. I seemed to come aliveunless something happened like a horseat incentives and thats about the time I turned eight years old. My mom and dadslipping, etc. This also changed how youhuge! A prospect that is packed me everywhere. I had an absolute blast being theentered. If you were riding a gunner andbred a certain way could only child. I was a little big person. you knew the ground was faster at the endbe worth $15-$20k, of you sure did not enter early. You waitedcourse, depending on the The next thing I remember was the NBHA. Marvin Wycuffand ran the gunner at the end when theprospect and the progress connected with my mom (Bonnie Lemaire) in the mid-90sground was pristine and lightning fast!on that particular horse. and she was the first successful NBHA director in ArizonaThis was also the time when the barrel for four years. These were the first 3D barrel races out here.horses that were in the 1D completelyThe WPRA isnt having They were full second splits. The fees were $25 or $30. Theyskyrocketed! These horses, which couldthe rodeos that it took nothing out of the purse, probably 20% out of theset arena records on some of the fastestnormally runs due to fees and there were no arena fees. They would get a goodground on record in Buckeye, Arizona,COVID-19 so where number of entries at these barrel races. This was a newwere selling for over the $250k mark.Madelyn Todd riding her late grandmotherare all the rodeo horses? concept that used your times from that day to put you in theThere were arena records set at thatThey are at the jackpots. proper category. It truly was a great idea. Everyone ran inplace, as they had it figured down to aLori Todd's horse at the Sherry CerviThey have to make a the same barrel race and it drew many entries. The novicescience as far as the ground went. DontYouth Championships.living somewhere and by rider thought it was awesome to run against the big namesget me wrong the horses and riders ongolly, these producers are or the open riders and horses. This changed the barrelthat ground were to a point that they knew they could sendputting up the money and drawing outstanding numbers. racing industry forever. It gradually made it so the averagethose horses into those walls on a standard pattern andWe had over 1000 barrel racers in the last week in the buyer would call for a horse that would fit their ridingthe ground would hold them! Talk about some dang goodvalley. It is astounding in my opinion. If you are looking abilities instead of thinking they needed to buy the openwatching now!! And talk about fun to run in the middle offor any of your family or friends check Wickenburg. I bet horse so they could win. They would ask for a 3D horse.that!Barrel races started to last well into the night in thethey are there soaking up some sunshine and wearing their This opened the market for those that were great horses butwinter as the snowbirds figured out this was the place to behorses out! Its brought a ton of action to that Cowboy town that didnt clock up in the first division. I think this conceptto run and sell horses. The buyers were here and they werehelping to keep the restaurants, hotels, arenas, RV parks, took a little while to catch on but the neat thing was thosepacking their checkbooks. Things really escalated duringand of course the real estate market alive. God help us keep horses were actually worth some money now and not $1.95this period! The rigs got bigger and fancier and the horsesit all in perspective and be thankful for the life we get to live. just because they werent in 1st place like before. They had awere bred very similarly to one another. They charged $5Long live the Cowgirls and Cowboys! 38 March 2021"