Wow, my friends at On The Rodeo Road are doing a great job getting these stories up! I’m sorry I’ve been behind everyone, work has been crazy as of late, and I haven’t been giving The Barrel Racing Blog the time it deserves. Here’s to changing that for the rest of this month! Check here for all of the IFR coverage I can muster, and in the meantime, read all about Ohio-native Amber Mostoller at On The Rodeo Road!

So the last few months have been full of changes for me.  After the rodeos in September were over, the chances of making the IFR were VERY slim.  I was making money but so was everyone else that was ahead of me.  I had been staying in North Carolina to go to the last few rodeos and was given the opportunity to stay and ride some outside horses for a few people including Jeanette Nelson who owns and operates Triple N Ranch.  Jeanette has had owned … Read More

via On The Rodeo Road

Wow, my friends at On The Rodeo Road are doing a great job getting these stories up! I’m sorry I’ve been behind everyone, work has been crazy as of late, and I haven’t been giving The Barrel Racing Blog the time it deserves. Here’s to changing that for the rest of this month! Check here for all of the IFR coverage I can muster, and in the meantime, read all about Ohio-native Amber Mostoller at On The Rodeo Road!

So the last few months have been full of changes for me.  After the rodeos in September were over, the chances of making the IFR were VERY slim.  I was making money but so was everyone else that was ahead of me.  I had been staying in North Carolina to go to the last few rodeos and was given the opportunity to stay and ride some outside horses for a few people including Jeanette Nelson who owns and operates Triple N Ranch.  Jeanette has had owned … Read More

via On The Rodeo Road

Wow, my friends at On The Rodeo Road are doing a great job getting these stories up! I’m sorry I’ve been behind everyone, work has been crazy as of late, and I haven’t been giving The Barrel Racing Blog the time it deserves. Here’s to changing that for the rest of this month! Check here for all of the IFR coverage I can muster, and in the meantime, read all about Ohio-native Amber Mostoller at On The Rodeo Road!

So the last few months have been full of changes for me.  After the rodeos in September were over, the chances of making the IFR were VERY slim.  I was making money but so was everyone else that was ahead of me.  I had been staying in North Carolina to go to the last few rodeos and was given the opportunity to stay and ride some outside horses for a few people including Jeanette Nelson who owns and operates Triple N Ranch.  Jeanette has had owned … Read More

via On The Rodeo Road

Merry Christmas everyone! I sincerely hope you and your horses found everything you asked for under your Christmas trees. I know I sure did, thanks to some of the most amazing family and friends in the world. Enjoy your time off and catch up with me again soon.

Chelsea

Because the NFR has been on at strange times across the country, a kind YouTube user has uploaded the *pirated* version of the barrel racing. The footage is rough, but it’s worth watching if you’ve missed it! Best of luck to The Barrel Racing Blog’s good friend, Tana Poppino, who has had two great runs at the Thomas and Mack so far!

Last year, I wrote “A Barrel Racer’s Letter to Santa,” and Santa really listened. He didn’t necessarily bring me exactly everything I asked for exactly on Christmas morning, but “he” certainly delivered throughout the year.

First, I asked for a year’s supply of Lubrysin. Ok, so I never got that. BUT, I did get plenty of ActiFlex 4000, which has been working great, and is used by the #1 and #2 cowgirls in the IPRA World Standings, both of whom you’ve met on this very blog.

Yes, I now own this set! (Not this exact set, but an identical one!)

Second and third, I asked Santa to bring me an Ed Hardy tack set from Bar~N~LLC and an Ed Hardy halter from Billie Ann Sexton. No Ed Hardy set, but the wonderful Nikki who runs Bar~N introduced me to Renee Clair Bearss of Cowboy Couture, and I got an ever more fabulous set than I could have ever hoped for, plus a matching halter.

The fourth item I asked for, a Cowgirl is the New Black shirt, I just had to have for myself right away, so that was already taken care of. And everytime I wear it around the office (Yes, the perks of working for a Western magazine include being able to wear all of the fun Western fashion I can!) it draws comments from my coworkers. Plus, I’ve gotten to sport all of the new Cowboy Militia gear I can afford, because thankfully their team works to keep fashion affordable.

Last but certainly not least, I asked Santa to bring me a new horse. Yes, it’s the age-old “I want a pony for Christmas!” request that every little girl has made at one point or another. Did I think I would actually get me a pony? Maybe. Did I get a pony on Christmas morning? No. But just a few short months later, Santa delivered. And I’m now the proud owner of Miss Casady De Vor, another awesome black mare who I love with all of my heart and who continues to surprise me and teach me things about myself and my riding.

Casady De Vor -- Casady -- and I on a Horse&Rider photo shoot.

So, all in all, last year’s letter to Santa was a smashing success. And in reflecting on it this morning, I’ve learned a thing or two about myself and my friends. First, “Santa” is a really great metaphor for exactly what Saint Nick stood for in the first place. The amazing people I’ve met throughout the horse industry served as great “Santas” year round, looking out for me, helping me, and making my life infinitely better simply by knowing them.

I’ve also learned that through these friends and plenty of hard work, I can be my own “Santa.” That new horse didn’t come free; paying for her took hard work, and it still does. But because of a few people that believed in me and in me and this horse, I was able to buy her for myself, making the whole deal a lot sweeter.

With this reflection on last year’s wishes, I’m thankful that every single thing on my list came to me one way or another, and I’m even more thankful for those amazing saints who made it all possible. On that note, I’ll start thinking of my next letter to Santa, but I’m pretty sure I’ve got everything I need in the people who helped me with last year’s.

Have you heard of Rope Afghanistan yet? Either way, check out this interview by my friends at On The Rodeo Road, and I promise you won’t be disappointed!

Tell us how the idea of Rope Afghanistan originated? The idea started when my husband was asked to go to Afghanistan for the USDA (who he has worked for almost 40 years).  He could not think about not swinging a rope for a year, so he took along two ropes. He then called me and asked that I send him one of the plastic steer heads we had. I did and he built his first dummy (called MRAP 1) from used MRAP parts and odds & ends there on the base. … Read More

via On The Rodeo Road

…what would it be?

Click the link below to vote! It doesn’t require you entering any of your information, all you need to do is answer.

If you could win any barrel race, what would it be?

(polls)

Sharing this video that’s been all over Facebook and the blogs. I’ll have to second what my good friends at On The Rodeo Road said, but it doesn’t just want to make me call in sick… it makes me want to say, “Why am I working, when there’s nothing else I’d rather do than rodeo?” (Then I check my bank account and remember why!)

Ladies! If this doesn't make you want to call in sick to work and go chase some cans………nothing will!! … Read More

via On The Rodeo Road

If you were at Crooked Creek or Simmons Equestrian Center the past two weekends, head over to www.tri-colorphotography.com to see your photo! They have package deals available.