CYA Ranch - 2013-12-14 11:26 AM My best friend went to a SC clinic.  She's a tough cookie but was made to feel pretty dumb.  Its been 20 some years ago and she still talks about how she was humiliated in front of the clinic.

Any other options?  I got tired of driving 4-7 hours to a clinic so I put one on myself.  Rented an indoor and started looking for interested girls.  I was amazed how fast that clinic filled.  Very successful and had a blast.  Could this be an option for you?

fulltiltfilly - 2013-12-14 10:31 AM I did book Ed Wright last summer but had very little interest and had to cancel. I was very disappointed.  Ed is doing a clinic in Virginia in June (a 6 hour drive for me) and I am considering it but will cost a small fortune to haul there. 

CYA Ranch - 2013-12-14 11:36 AM This past April I drove 5 1/2 hours to a Connie Combs clinic but driving hours to do anything in my country is normal.  I try to hit one of her clinics every year for a tune up.  There's enough interest around here though to fill clinics.  I'm sorry you didn't have any luck.  Maybe try a different clinician?

ridejg - 2013-12-14 11:35 AM Paul Humphrey will be doing a clinic in Connecticut in 2014..not sure of the date...

He puts on a very good clinic...also check out his website or facebook page and order his new dvd...not sure of web address. www.breakingthemoldwithpaul.com or something like that.. 

cheryl makofka - 2013-12-14 12:19 PM Been to Sharon's clinic, I find it is better for a young horse as you are mainly working drills at slower speeds. She also focuses on horsemanship. Yes she was always picking at me, and left some other people alone, I am glad she was trying to better my riding. Some of her ways didn't really click until I was at home and working with different horses. If you have a young horse that needs work or your skills need a ten up, her clinic would be worth going to, if you have a seasoned horse, I wouldn't suggest it Also Ed wright is tough, so either one can make people cry. Myself I love Ed's clinic

mommy23trkies - 2013-12-14 11:53 AM I went to one of her clinics many years ago and it was a very good clinic. She is honest and isn't going to water it down for you so if you cant handle the truth or brutal honesty then I don't recommend her clinic. I like someone to tell me how it really is and exactly what Im doing wrong so I can fix it. Im not paying them to be nice or sugar coat anything! I'm paying for their honesty. Of course I like her a lot, I wasn't offended at all!!! She has a world of knowledge and she doesn't just go over barrel racing. She goes over other things that help build a good barrel horse like certain exercises and things...not just turning barrels. I recommend going to a clinic where the clinician is a trainer...not just a jockey. There is a big difference in knowing how to make a barrel horse and knowing how to ride a barrel horse.

fulltiltfilly - 2013-12-14 11:41 AM


I  do have a seasoned horse. 

How is the Ed clinic with seasoned horses? 

cheryl makofka - 2013-12-14 4:03 PM With Ed's clinic it is a lot of slow work, getting seat positioning, he likes more forward then dena Kirkpatrick, he also likes the hand in the top half of the horses neck at all times. If you have a seasoned horse take your videos with you, as he will watch the video tell you what he sees, then will send you around the pattern slowly. By the second day people with seasoned horses were loping and some were making runs. It all depends on how comfortable you are with the slow work and the progression of your day. I think you would get a lot out of the Ed wright clinic

fulltiltfilly - 2013-12-14 10:42 AM I have not heard of him but I will check out his website. Thanks for the suggestion!  

diggerdoo - 2013-12-14 10:29 PM Ed Wright doesn't sugarcoat anything but at least he is respectful to the people who pay him to help them.  I feel like I could have been at the same Sharon clinic as Swannranch, but since I live 800 miles from Florida, I'm sure I wasn't.  I, too, will refrain from going into details publicly, but her personality obviously remains constant, which is not meant as a compliment.  I quit listening when when my ears catch on fire.  At least she had to stand by me and smile for the picture of me and my beautiful saddle from the Eastern Classic that year.  HOOAH!!!

fulltiltfilly - 2013-12-15 8:12 AM Was that this year? I did attend the open barrel race held on Sunday of the Camarillo (or East Coast-whatever it was called!) Classic. That show ran waaaaaaaaay late but there was alot going on in the morning before the Open.  

Swannranch - 2013-12-14 8:22 PM

I won't even buy a bit with her name on it.  It was one of the worst experiences I have ever been to.  No only unorganized, hours and hours of wasted time, she was cruel.  
I'm not talking about just strong words, and corrections.  I mean just out right cruel.  She told an 11 year old girl her horse should go to bar-b-q.  Our clinic started with 20 on Friday, by Sunday they were down to 14.  Grown women who were good at what they did left and said they would never come back.  Sharon told me herself (she knew I was angry) that if it were up to her, she would never run an open clinic.  She prefers to work with advanced level barrel racers and would like to require a "qualifying" race to attend her clinics, but her sponsors would not allow anything like that. 
We were there to learn, not be insulted and made fun of.  She seemed to pick a couple of people to "attack" more than others.   Also, this was my opinion, not fact, but it seemed the people with the biggest trucks and trailers were her special friends.  If you were there in an old truck and trailer, she did not want to even pay attention to you.

The clinic coordinator profussly appologised to me multiple times.  We stayed, but I swore then I would tell anyone and everyone that ever asked exactally what happened and why I would NEVER recommend her to anyone.

I didn't even go into detail here about things that happened, but I would be glad to.

Since then have been to several, with very critical coaches and they were respectful and honest.  Not cruel and rude.

Good Luck, however I would never waste my money.  Which is what she told me I did when I asked why they told me children were welcome?  The group was about 50/50 children/adult.  One child left the others were grown women and at least 1 of them qualified for WPRA Circut finals a few years after that.  So I'm not talking about poor riders that could not handle being corrected.

Firewater - 2013-12-16 10:55 AM I am not sure where you are located in New Jersey- but I believe WrapNSnap is located somewhere out east - and if you could connect with him, he has a tremendous amount of knowledge to offer - maybe not a full clinic setting, but if you could ride with him for a few weekends, I bet he could offer you some very good advice. 



The hardest part about attending a clinic is 1 - the expense, 2 - the people - waiting around for other riders to do the drills and if some are beginning riders, makes for a long day and 3- the clinicians - they get tired by the end of the day and sometimes their patience wains.



I attended six Camarillo clinics and I am done with her, will never attend another one.  I now ride with colt starters/trainers, and reiners, and I have learned more from them about the very fine details - my private lessons and the money spent has put me farther ahead than attending a clinic for a weekend.   

whohasaplan - 2013-12-16 10:31 AM I agree with this 100%. That and she isn't all she thinks she is either. She told me that a chain mouth piece was the one of the harshest mouth pieces. When I went to say it wasn't she glared at me and told me I was wrong.....after she called me fat and asked if I rode 3-D horses I was done...... I stayed but if it wasn't for friends I wouldn't have. RUDE and out dated!!

smmthbr - 2013-12-16 9:38 AM I went to a Sharon Camarillo clinic a kazillion years ago when I was in the Arabian industry and they were offering an "invitational" Arabian Barrel Race at the Nationals that year.  It was my most successful year ever at the Arab Nationals and even though I was associated with one of the top Arabian trainers in the country, my success had a lot to do with the HORSEMANSHIP skills and exercises that Sharon taught me and that I used on all three horses that I took to the Nationals.  I hauled in to her clinic with a "prissy little Arabian gelding" and she gave me and him as much respect as if I was the top WPRA barrel racer.  She is a true horseman and an intelligent lady and I would go to her clinic again.  I have gone to Ed Wright's and he reminds me a lot of her in dedication and intensity, though their training styles are very different.  You can learn from ANYONE if you decide to take advantage of their wisdom and experience and don't go looking for pats on the back.