Home / Equestrian sports / Barrel racing
Western and rodeo
Barrel racing is a western speed event in which a rider gallops around three barrels in a cloverleaf pattern as fast as possible. The fastest time wins.
| Group | Western and rodeo |
|---|---|
| Also called | barrels, cloverleaf pattern |
| Olympic | no |
| Governing body | Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) |
| Where it is popular | Barrel racing is hugely popular in the USA and Canada and is part of almost every rodeo. The National Barrel Horse Association has over 20,000 members on five continents. |
The three barrels form a triangle; the standard professional women's distances are about 90 ft (27 m) between the first two barrels and 105 ft (32 m) to the third. The rider crosses the start line, circles the first barrel to the right or left, then the second and third, and races back to the finish. Times are taken with electronic timers. Each knocked-over barrel adds 5 seconds, and going off the pattern means no time.
The American Quarter Horse is the most common breed, thanks to its explosive starts and quick turns at speed.
Riders use a light western saddle with a high horn and cantle and a single loop rein, and the horse wears protective leg boots. More and more riders compete in safety helmets.
The most prestigious events are the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas in December and the NBHA World Championships. Barrel racing is also part of the famous Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo in Wyoming.
Riders first learn the pattern at walk and trot at a western riding school and add speed gradually. Both boys and girls compete, and there are youth gymkhanas and open jackpots for all ages.
The cloverleaf pattern around three markers is easy to run on a hobby horse and makes great practice for fast turns. What is hobby horsing →
Barrel racing grew up as a women's rodeo event: Texas women founded the Girls Rodeo Association in 1948, and barrel racing has been part of the National Finals Rodeo since 1967.
Sources: en.wikipedia.org, cfdrodeo.com, nbha.com