It’s been a while, I know I know. Things are nuts, and I know that’s what I always say, but, seeeeeeriously… not kidding.

I just wanted to stop by and remind y’all to catch the Best Little Panty Raid in Ohio that On the Road with Dawn and Clea are producing! It’s going to be TOPS. If you can’t be at the Champions Center to enter up yourself, catch it online here.

Dawn and Clea have put up TONS of cash and prizes, not to mention one BAD-A Cactus Saddle that my lovely friend Cherie designed for us!

This show is to raise money for our September show, and we can’t wait to tell you about all the awesome sponsors who are back on board with us for 2013, and the NEW sponsors who are signing up by the day.

Check it out!

http://www.headwestoutfitters.com/

Eeek! My friends at Head West Outfitters (who also were a sponsor of The Best of the Best in Ohio Charity Slot Race!) are having a 20% off everything in the store sale, with FREE shipping.

Did I mention I LOVE the Rock & Roll Cowgirl jeans they sent me last month? They were mid-rise so they hit in just the right place in the saddle (that means my butt wasn’t hanging out, NOT a pretty view, really) and they looked ADORABLE.

The Rock & Roll Cowgirl jeans are definitely some of the best, sturdiest denim in the industry, and after a whole day at a barrel race they aren’t three sizes bigger like some of their competitors. Hurray!

So ch-ch-ch-check out the sale going on today! This is a Pennsylvania-based company that’s got everything going for it, and it’s awesome to shop in our area for this kick-A stuff.

Miss you all, by the way! See ya in VEGAS… And stay tuned for some fun goodies…

We drove in the rain with gloominess getting worse we started to panic but then as we usually say ” Everything happens for a reason” – plus what the heck is the sense in worrying  about it  Mother Nature will do what she wants – just like any good woman.

We would pull in at 10 AM with a great group of people there willing to help get things started.  With the arena set, the banners hung, the Corral stocked, the stalls tagged, the panels set for a safe alley way, the entry booth organized, the picture back ground set, we are ready for Friday and people to start rolling in.  Well they started rolling in on Thursday and they would continue until Saturday Night…  We can not thank Joe Johnson and Kelly Bowser enough for getting the ground ready all week for the show to start Friday.  THANK YOU   Heather & Joe Johnson for all the work the week prior to us getting the WB Ranch and thank you Barbie Jimison, Becky Johnson, Helen Chambers, Don and Kristina Holden, The Meyer’s Family, Lisa Wylie and her Crew for helping set up from the beginning.   NBHA 07 ROCKED for helping.  We Thank CHELSEA TOY for all her contacts to great companies who helped make the awards great.  We could not have done it without all of you helping get the place ready!   For anyone we don’t list in this today & you had any part of it please know we appreciated each of you did.  Your selfless act of kindness is known and appreciated.

During the weekend we would run just over 1100 barrel and pole runs not including exhibitions from Friday Night at 7 PM til  Sunday at 1:30 PM and we would run all night long.  For those of you who were there and ran at 2 in the morning, or 4 in the morning or if you were the last horse to run at 5:48 AM we THANK YOU for hanging in there.   We never thought in a million years we would have the numbers we did.  We said from day one.  If we keep the ground good, start on time and keep the show running we will be good.  We started on time, when the ground started to get a little sketchy we fix it and the show never stopped running – except with our intro for the Best of the Best riders (with a broken PA system) but all in all it was what it was and people hung in there.  For those of you who scratched and never complained WE THANK YOU for those of you who stayed up to cheer on your friends when they ran at 3AM  WE THANK YOU.  For everyone who graced the WB Ranch that weekend WE THANK YOU!!

We can not thank the sponsors enough for stepping forward to help with this wonderful event. Christmas is almost here and perhaps some of our sponsors can help you get your shopping done.   We will be highlighting each of them in the days to come.  If they have a business that will help you or your family in any way please take a minute and check out their website, call for a quote or if you see them somewhere say   THANK YOU-THANK YOU for making the BOTB show possible.

We hope you enjoy the days to come with the stories, play by plays and reviews for the weekends since The Best of the Best….   AGAIN WE THANK YOU

As always please be kind to everyone – at the end of the day your kindness says so much.

On the Road with Dawn and Clea

Dawn & Clea

No Brakes trophy saddles

When The Barrel Racing Blog started in 2009, I was living in Athens, Ohio, working for the Athens NEWS, a junior at Ohio University, and occasionally running Onyx at some amateur rodeos.

Well, let’s just say: Times have changed. I’m living in Eaton, Colo., next to Spicer Arena, where they put on barrel races every Tuesday night and many weekends. I’m pretty lucky, I can actually hear the announcer from my house, that’s how close we are. It’s a 16-17-second pen, with some of the best ground you can hope for.

I have so much fun working with barrel racers and our great sponsors at The Best of the Best in Ohio, that I didn’t want to just do it once a year. And, I’ve got to say, I’m also guilty of wanting to help with a barrel race that I can run at. (Don’t hate me for being a LITTLE selfish…) So, moral of the story: I want to tell you all about the No Brakes Tour.

Last year, some awesome barrel racers in Colorado wanted to put on top-of-the-line productions, with great ground and tough competition. In it’s first year, the No Brakes Tour paid out $14,000 in prize money and gave away $10,000 in awards, including five Cactus Champion Trophy Saddles from Cactus Saddlery.

The kicker: It’s all with NO membership fees. 

I mentioned the barrel races at Spicer Arena, and there’s races at Burns Arena, the Norris-Penrose Events Center and the State Fairgrounds in Pueblo. Check out the full schedule here: No Brakes Tour Event Schedule. This gives us races at big and small indoor pens and two of the best outdoor pens in the state. To qualify for awards, you’ve got to hit just 15 races. And there’s nothing too complicated about how you can win awards; it’s based on how much money you win in each division. Most money wins at the end of the year!

The No Brakes Tour gives out a Novice Horse saddle, too, for horses who haven’t won over $1,000 before nomination into the division.

If you’re in Colorado, Wyoming, Kansas, or just passing through, consider stopping by these shows. Most of the No Brakes stops have no processing/administration/grounds fees, and the entry fees are WAY affordable.

If you’re on Facebook, go LIKE the No Brakes Tour by clicking here!

Since I’ve been back in Colorado, I’ve shipped three magazines, launched #RoadtoNFR12 with Cinch, Cactus Saddlery, Cactus Ropes, Resistol Hats, Fast Back Ropes, and Heel-O-Matic Training Systems. It’s a pretty cool deal: We’re bringing you every ounce of pre-NFR coverage you could ever want, so keep up with Spin To Win Rodeo on Facebook and Twitter so you don’t miss out.

In the meantime, I’m getting started helping out with the No Brakes Tour here in Northern Colorado. It’s a pretty rockin’ deal if you haven’t seen any posts from it! Last year they handed out five Cactus Saddles (those of you at the BOTB know how smokin’ hot they are!) and jackets to the top 10 finishers in each division. We get to run in great ground, big pens, and have AWESOME company. Stay tuned for more Facebook updates about the No Brakes Tour (and for those of you thinking about making a trip out to visit, let’s plan it around one of our big races here so you can enjoy it!).

So anyways, if you haven’t stopped over to any of The Best of the Best in Ohio Barrel Race’s Sponsor’s Facebook pages (at LEAST!) and said a big ole THANK YOU, don’t wait much longer! And while you’re at it, go by some of their booths at the Congress while you’re shopping and say a THANK YOU in person : )

Macie Davidson aboard Three Bar Meyers

Ok, two days and two plane rides later, I’m finally caught up A LITTLE on sleep. And Ohio’s rainy weather got me darn sick, but we’re rolling right along anyways…

So you’ve heard by now, Macie Davidson won The Best of the Best in Ohio Charity Slot Race. She took home that gorgeous Cactus Trophy Saddle, Macie Bean Boots, Charlie 1 Horse hat, USRider Membership, and Bob Berg Belt Buckle, all aboard Three Bar Meyers.

Anne Johnson and Show Me Some Glory

Macie rode hard and earned that big win. We’re so excited she could take that saddle home, even if her tiny body frame might not be able to ride it any time soon!

Tausha Schneider aboard War Bug Meyers

Also, congratulations to Anne Johnson, our reserve champ! Third place went to Tausha Schneider and War Bug Meyers, who previously owned and rode Three Bar Meyers! (Schneider also won the Warm Up 4D that day!)

Lots more to come!

Tell us about your horse.
I own an 11-year-old registered Appendix mare, Ruthies Mattie Jo. She has nothing spectacular on her papers, the Ole Man in her background and the mare’s side is all Thoroughbred.

What has been your biggest win this year and of all time?
I have won a few barrel races this year in NBHA and PennOhio. She consistently tries and will usually run with the top horses. I went to the Youth World when I was 19 and had a rough time in the pen, but still won a division. It was still an accomplishment for me!

What is your ultimate goal in barrel racing?
Like a lot of barrel racers I would like to make the NFR someday.

What saddle do you ride?
A Circle Y

What bit do you use?
A running gag

What supplements do you feed?
I don’t feed any yet.

What won’t you leave home without?
Extra cloths! You never know what you might need to change into!

To whom do you owe most of your success?
My mom. She is my number one fan and comes to every show and supports me always.

Tell us one fun fact about you and your horse.
My horse and I have a love-hate relationship. She knows when I walk into the barn or up to her at the show it’s time to ride, so her nerves go crazy, which make mine go crazy!

What charity is closest to your heart?
I think the best kind of charity is anything to do with cancer, it’s such an aggressive disease.

What horse are you running?

War Bug Meyers, 10. He goes back to War Bar Meyers and Lady Bug Moon.

What is your biggest win this year and of all time?

My biggest win this year was in between winning the Hoppels Rodeo or winning the barrel race at the Good Evening Ranch in Canvas, WV. Those could be my biggest wins of all time, too.

What is your ultimate goal in barrel racing?

To have fun! Ride to the best of my ability and learn something new about the sport I love.

What saddle do you ride?

I ride in a Molly Powell Flex Tree from Reinsman.

What bit do your ride in?

Ted runs in an o ring combo with a noseband.

What supplements do you feed?

I don’t use any.

What won’t you leave home for a barrel race without?

My horse!

To whom do you owe your success?

My mom, Joanne Schneider.

Tell us one fun fact about you or your horse.

The drag before I run, I always clean his feet and pull up my saddle and tighten it. Then the horse before I get on and gumband my feet in. I have my whip in my hand, and as I enter the pen I wake him up and drop it in the alley before we make our run.

Tell us about your horses.
I’m running Whiskey River, a 5 year old by Barred From Wagering and out of I Can’t Won’t You. He qualified for The Best of the Best in his second barrel race entered. He is still very green and this will be his seventh run ever. I ride him in a Circle Y Proven, and I ride him in a rope-nose combination bit. He is on Omolene 500 and Succeed.

I’m also running Crown N Sevens, a 4-year-old by Im Packin Sevens. He has only been able to run one futurity and he has a big problem with stalling away from home, so he has limited hauling because of this issue. I ride him in a Circle Y Proven, too, and a chain mouthed combination bit. He’s on Omolene 500, Succeed, and calcium and magnesium.

What won’t you leave home for a barrel race without?
I always have plenty of hay in my trailer, and I always carry my own water.

To whom do you owe most of your barrel racing success?
My dad put me on every barrel horse there was when I was younger. My husband Curt pushed me to keep going when we rodeoed hard. I was ready to come home and he never let me.

Tell us one fun fact about your or your horses.
Whiskey is a huge guy, 16.2 hands, but cows a barrel like a 14 hand horse. He’s fun to ride.

Arrow has to have soothing music played the entire time he’s stalled away from home.

What charity is closest to your heart?
Breast cancer awareness