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 Go For It!
   
Location: Texas | At what level do you have to win, to consider yourself a success in the field of barrel racing? Do you have to be in the top 15 or win the world? Maybe just a local association champ? Or do you HAVE to win at rodeos?
And why do we seem to elevate those who are in the WPRA, running at the rodeos? Just curious what other people's thoughts are on this topic?
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  Playing the Waiting Game
Posts: 2304
| Every person has their own definition.. You need to make that determination for yourself. |
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 You get what you give
Posts: 13030
 
Location: Texas | I don't have a clue Joy! |
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 Chasin my Dream
Posts: 13651
Location: Alberta | suzy2qtee - 2014-08-28 8:54 PM Every person has their own definition.. You need to make that determination for yourself.
This.......while I admire all those who have done well, how far I have come in my own journey to become a barrel racer I consider success!!! |
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Rad Dork
Posts: 5218
Location: Oklahoma | I would think it varies by the person. If someone is able to make barrel racing their sole income, I'd say that's successful.... Or just fulfilling goals you set for yourself.
A big goal of mine is to someday fill a permit and be a WPRA card holder.... But given where I'm at right now in the grand scheme of things if I was to go to a jackpot and win the 3d I'd consider myself successful because I would know that all the hard work I've been recently putting into my gelding would be starting to pay off.... But no outsider would say "That girl? Yeah, she's successful" |
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Go For It!
Location: Texas | casualdust07 - 2014-08-28 10:03 PM
I don't have a clue Joy!
LOL… Your success is not graded by others, Miss Lauren, but is a personal journey that records your ups your downs your failures, I prefer to refer to them as lessons ;), and your victories. We sit back one day and review all these things and only then can we decide if we have arrived at the place we have been searching for.
As for me… Well my ideas have changed with the compilation of events over the years. When I was young, the NFR was what I viewed as a success… And now, I see success in a totally different light… If I am able to climb on and make a decent run on a decent horse, then THAT is success! :-)
Good Luck this weekend sweet-pea, I'll be cheering for ya!
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10D Crack Champion
| If a barrel racer can win or make more money than he or she spends, I consider that a huge success! LOL |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | I have my goals (I want to rodeo, raise my own horses, do amateur and pro rodeos locally, have my own horse place, but at this point in time I know that is down the road a bit as I'm only 22), but I feel successful when we leave the arena leaving all the barrels standing, making good turns, being safe, and having no issues...a good time is a plus, and a check is a definite plus. But I'm also in the seasoning process on my horse, so perhaps as I get further down the road, success will mean something different to me.
Now I admire what people like Sherry Cervi and Mary Walker have attained...as for me, I'm not sure I would want to go all the way to the NFR. It was a goal for me at one time, and maybe it will be again. But there is a saying by Zig Ziglar that I first saw on my horse trainer's FB page, and it says, "Success is not measured by what you do compared to what others do, it is measured by what you do with the ability God gave." Needless to say, that has become one of my favorite sayings.
All right, I'm done now. LOL.
ETA: Sodapop, how in the world does a barrel racer spend less than they make/win???
Edited by mtcanchazer 2014-08-28 10:37 PM
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 Don't Wanna Make This Awkward
Posts: 3106
Location: Texas | IMO for others to see you as successful I believe you would have be very consistent at what you do. Personal success comes from setting goals and achieving them. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| grinandbareit - 2014-08-28 9:52 PM
At what level do you have to win, to consider yourself a success in the field of barrel racing? Do you have to be in the top 15 or win the world? Maybe just a local association champ? Or do you HAVE to win at rodeos?
And why do we seem to elevate those who are in the WPRA, running at the rodeos? Just curious what other people's thoughts are on this topic?
I don't believe there is a cut and dry answer.
There is success in rodeos
Success in futurities
Success in open races and
Success in training
Then as spectators we also label one hit wonders
I am not sure why there has to be the success label in barrel racing, who cares. We all can't be number one, we all don't ride the same, nor do all horses run the same, we all don't have the finances, nor do we all have the same opportunities.
I think the most important thing is to enjoy what you are doing, barrel racing or not, and as long as you are happy with your run, with your horse who cares what others think.
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 Queen Boobie 2
Posts: 7521
| When I land that sugar daddy that can afford me and my horses...success! |
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Expert
Posts: 1561
| Train and pattern your own horse and be very competitive in the 1-Ds,rodeos and futurities=success
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10D Crack Champion
| bennie1 - 2014-08-28 11:03 PM
When I land that sugar daddy that can afford me and my horses...success!
What you need's a sugar daddy, diamond rings and a brand new caddy. Little things to help a girl make it through...... |
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Draw the Line
Posts: 1371
Location: Too Far North | To me it would be to be a consistently good rider on multiple types of horses. To be able to take any horse and make it run to it's full potential on a consistent basis. |
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 Fact Checker
Posts: 16575
Location: Displaced Iowegian | sodapop - 2014-08-28 10:33 PM If a barrel racer can win or make more money than he or she spends, I consider that a huge success! LOL
^^^^^ THIS.......when at the end of the year, you have more money than what you spent trying to win that money (all expenses) whether you are Rodeo, 1D, 4D, local competitiors......... |
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 Miss Laundry Misshap
Posts: 5271
| I think success comes when the person specifically feels successful. I could care less what anyone else thinks of me and my accomplishments, because their standards might be different than mine. If I'm happy, that's success. |
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 Cute Little Imp
Posts: 2747
Location: N Texas | NJJ - 2014-08-29 8:31 AM
sodapop - 2014-08-28 10:33 PM If a barrel racer can win or make more money than he or she spends, I consider that a huge success! LOL
^^^^^ THIS.......when at the end of the year, you have more money than what you spent trying to win that money (all expenses) whether you are Rodeo, 1D, 4D, local competitiors.........
I also agree with this. Personal goals aside, I would consider a person a successful barrel racer when they're so good and win so much that they make a living off it. |
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 Accident Prone
Posts: 22277
Location: 100 miles from Nowhere, AR | Clean run plus not falling off equals success. I just take it one day at a time...  |
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 Whack and Roll
Posts: 6342
Location: NE Texas | grinandbareit - 2014-08-28 10:17 PM casualdust07 - 2014-08-28 10:03 PM I don't have a clue Joy! LOL… Your success is not graded by others, Miss Lauren, but is a personal journey that records your ups your downs your failures, I prefer to refer to them as lessons ; ), and your victories. We sit back one day and review all these things and only then can we decide if we have arrived at the place we have been searching for. As for me… Well my ideas have changed with the compilation of events over the years. When I was young, the NFR was what I viewed as a success… And now, I see success in a totally different light… If I am able to climb on and make a decent run on a decent horse, then THAT is success! :- ) Good Luck this weekend sweet-pea, I'll be cheering for ya!
^^^^I think this is a great answer. Success isn't measured as by how others evaluate you and your program, but rather how you evaluate your own program and what you have accomplished. For example, there are some of us who enjoy starting young horses and getting them ready for others to enjoy. I don't haul nearly as much as I used to and when I do it's usually a trailer load of young horses or first time exhibitioners. I rarely have anything to enter in the open, and if I do, they are just beginning their career as barrel horses, so if they run in the 3D i'm thrilled! That being said, I do consider myself as having a successful program and am proud of my accomplishments. I measure my success by the successes of those who ride behind me.
Success is different to each individual and can be as simple as just GOING to a barrel race all the way up to those who are competing at the top levels and running at the top of the 1D.
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Expert
Posts: 1343
Location: East Texas | I personally feel successful if I just go and compete! Sometimes that is hard for some of us. Sometimes it's not the result, but the effort (for me, at least!). |
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Miracle in the Making
Posts: 4013
| Three 4 Luck - 2014-08-29 9:57 AM Clean run plus not falling off equals success. I just take it one day at a time...
love and when i use to run if i was happy with the way they horses worked
as barrel racing was my hobby not my job |
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 Hugs to You
Posts: 7551
Location: In The Land of Cotton | Three 4 Luck - 2014-08-29 9:57 AM Clean run plus not falling off equals success. I just take it one day at a time...
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 Guys Just Wanna Have Fun
Posts: 5530
Location: OH | HAVE FUN--then it is a success. |
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 Night Watchman
Posts: 5516
Location: Central Montana | Setting a goal and meeting it............. |
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 Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | I don't really care if anyone else thinks I'm successful or not. I have very defined goals for myself and my horses both long term and short term. You have to pick ones that are really tough, but attainable if you work your butt off for it. All I've got to run right now is a 4 year old that I started last fall...somedays I love her and some days it's so humbling. We keep studying, working, watching runs, reading, riding with the best people I can.....and it has to pay off at some point.
I elevate those that I see consistently running/training good horses. There's a few girls in the top 15 that are riding horses they made, to me....that's the biggest accomplishment there is!
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Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | Three 4 Luck - 2014-08-29 7:57 AM Clean run plus not falling off equals success. I just take it one day at a time...
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 512
| Success for me?=staying on, staying safe, and leaving the arena with a smile on your face and joy in your heart.
But success can come in all ways. Money success, putting a nice start on a horse, finishing a horse, NFR, futurities... list goes on.
I also think anyone who is striving to learn and advance their knowledge is being successful. We all take steps forward and steps backwards. But the people who keep trying and turn out nice, solid, well trained horses are successful. |
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 Saint Stacey
| To answer the last part of the original post... I think the WPRA rodeos tend to be the highest elevated because that is were barrel racing originated. Plus the WPRA is the oldest women only sanctioned sporting event in the world. If those Turtle Association wives wouldn't have come up with something they could also do at the rodeos, something anyone can now do and enjoy might not have ever come into existence. |
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You get what you give
Posts: 13030
Location: Texas | grinandbareit - 2014-08-28 10:17 PM
casualdust07 - 2014-08-28 10:03 PM
I don't have a clue Joy!
LOL… Your success is not graded by others, Miss Lauren, but is a personal journey that records your ups your downs your failures, I prefer to refer to them as lessons ; ), and your victories. We sit back one day and review all these things and only then can we decide if we have arrived at the place we have been searching for.
As for me… Well my ideas have changed with the compilation of events over the years. When I was young, the NFR was what I viewed as a success… And now, I see success in a totally different light… If I am able to climb on and make a decent run on a decent horse, then THAT is success! :- )
Good Luck this weekend sweet-pea, I'll be cheering for ya!
Did you enter ANHA? :) |
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Location: OK | If YOU are having fun and not taking something away from your family. THEN you are a true success. Don't worry about what others think should signify being a success. |
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| bennie1 - 2014-08-28 11:03 PM
When I land that sugar daddy that can afford me and my horses...success!
I know this was meant to be light hearted but I'm gonna play devil's advocate---->would you really, honestly be a true success if you had everything (horse, trailer, entry fees, diesel, trainer) paid for by a sugar daddy??
How would you (and others) handle it if the sugar daddy was married when he was buying all this for you? What if you destroyed families in the process of getting all of the things instantly that others work for years to earn? Would you still truly be a successful? or just lucky??
What if you attained the highest of the high but stepped on and hurt a lot of people (including kids) in the process?
Personally, I think real success is the product of where you want to be, the steps you take to get there, if God has the same plan or a different plan for you and whether you follow that path. |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| I consider success for myself - setting goals and achieving them. Remembering why I love this sport and having fun. On the more technical aspect, if I have nice smooth clean runs, ill be happer than if I had a sloppy fast fun.
I see success in others (for example if I were to be seeking a trainer), it would have to be someone who has done well on multiple horses. And well can mean 1D on one horse and 3D on another but if the horse has a nice set and gives a good run then I find that to be success.
Dont flame me but there are some super fast horses out there that have some really sloppy runs and i know they clock but that to me is a dealbreaker. Not that i will trash them by any means or be disrespectful but not what I personally look for. I like a horse that goes out and works and its fun, not work.
ETA as much as I respect those in WPRA, there are many others that I respect equally if not more because I've seen them succeed on so many horses, in so many situations. I am also a believer that not all people get to chase that rodeo dream or that want to for that matter. Its a long journey, that isnt for everyone but doesnt mean they couldnt hold their own if they tried.
Edited by stayceem 2014-09-01 1:38 AM
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| When they show up and try, when they focus on achieving goals, when they keep throwing that saddle up on that horses back and don't lose the joy of owning and caring for these amazing animals despite the setbacks. |
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10D Crack Champion
| farmer's tan - 2014-09-01 1:16 AM bennie1 - 2014-08-28 11:03 PM When I land that sugar daddy that can afford me and my horses...success! I know this was meant to be light hearted but I'm gonna play devil's advocate---->would you really, honestly be a true success if you had everything (horse, trailer, entry fees, diesel, trainer ) paid for by a sugar daddy?? How would you (and others ) handle it if the sugar daddy was married when he was buying all this for you? What if you destroyed families in the process of getting all of the things instantly that others work for years to earn? Would you still truly be a successful? or just lucky?? What if you attained the highest of the high but stepped on and hurt a lot of people (including kids ) in the process? Personally, I think real success is the product of where you want to be, the steps you take to get there, if God has the same plan or a different plan for you and whether you follow that path.
As far as barrel racing goes, someone can be bought every nice horse on the planet, but you still have to be able to ride them like a winner. Not such an easy task. There is talent there whether others want to admit it or not. These are not one sided situations. These situations or circumstances are to teach others to be grateful for what they have, not take things for granted, and throw jealousy to the side.
Edited by sodapop 2014-09-01 9:44 AM
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Queen Boobie 2
Posts: 7521
| farmer's tan - 2014-09-01 1:16 AM bennie1 - 2014-08-28 11:03 PM When I land that sugar daddy that can afford me and my horses...success! I know this was meant to be light hearted but I'm gonna play devil's advocate---->would you really, honestly be a true success if you had everything (horse, trailer, entry fees, diesel, trainer ) paid for by a sugar daddy?? How would you (and others ) handle it if the sugar daddy was married when he was buying all this for you? What if you destroyed families in the process of getting all of the things instantly that others work for years to earn? Would you still truly be a successful? or just lucky?? What if you attained the highest of the high but stepped on and hurt a lot of people (including kids ) in the process? Personally, I think real success is the product of where you want to be, the steps you take to get there, if God has the same plan or a different plan for you and whether you follow that path.
It was a joke, I forget how many people in the world don't like humor. |
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10D Crack Champion
| https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=noXPeRuPsNo
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Queen Boobie 2
Posts: 7521
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Exactly ;) |
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Pig-Bear Dog Lover
| It depends on what your definition of success is and what YOUR goals are. Most people it's a hobby, a way of life, can't live without it, and they don't make a living at it. if you truly enjoy it and are happy with how your doing that's all that matters. Attitude is everything. If you want to have a business, then be business minded and that's a whole other ball game and subculture in barrel racing. It's a lot I work, it just depends what your willing to put into it and how you define your goals. I would say success is being a good horseman first and foremost. If your set a goal and achieve it, that is success.
The second part, why do we elevate those in the wpra ? Because they are at the top of the sport, it is the most competitive and prestigious events of barrel racing. They deserve That , it takes a little more effort to get a horse seasoned at rodeos. They arnt just hauling locally, the fees are higher the risk is greater an the ground isn't always perfect. They take a little bigger gamble, and I think that's what pushes all of them to bring their A game. You don't have people going " ok 2 seconds off I'm happy with that" at a wpra rodeo. For anyone at the top that speaks volumes of their work ethic, and determination. And theyr running for just a little bit more money ;)
Edited by SwishMiss 2014-09-01 11:32 AM
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 Jr. Detective
Location: Beggs, OK | StillRiding - 2014-08-29 7:15 PM If YOU are having fun and not taking something away from your family. THEN you are a true success. Don't worry about what others think should signify being a success.
Great quote from an amazing lady! I wish you'd speak up more often ;-) |
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 I am Woman hear me Roar
Posts: 3395
Location: Choctaw, Oklahoma | For me, success is personal.
I admire what pro riders are able to do and i would say they are successful. But I focus on what my capabilities are and small victories. Times when I think I have success is when my horse goes in firing, we make a very nice clean run, and I leave the arena with butterflies and a smile because it was a job well done, my 2 member team had good cooperation, and no pilot errors. And of course winning a little $$ is a nice bonus. I think it has to do with your own personal goals and ambitions. Some people keep it simple, and just enjoy the haul, others make a living by hauling and depend on their success.
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Mrs. Troy
Location: western Nebraska | I have had success at the rodeo level, some at the futurity level, and now at the nbha level. With being older and having had several bad wrecks -now with quite a few physical problems I feel successful just getting to go to the local barrel races and competing. I am now riding a herd of "rehab" type horses that I am trying to instill confidence and the "want to" to win in them and every run I make on them that isn't a wreck I feel is success. So, yes, I feel I am successful in being able to still do what I love, not totally embarrass myself, and sometimes even come home with more money than I spent to enter! haha |
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 Twin Sister to Queen Boobie
Posts: 13315
Location: East Tennessee but who knows?! | I just wrote a blog on this exact thing....it's entitled "Low Expectations" and is about my last horse show experience. Here's the link- you'll have to copy and paste. http://everybodyneedsalittleromance.com/
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Veteran
Posts: 120
| Success is different for every person...it is personal. Some people may feel success if they are winning the 1D, or pro rodeos, others may feel completely successful winning or placing in the 4D. Success for me means that I am facing my fears and challenging myself to get to a point where I feel comfortable and will get out there and compete......and frankly at this point I don't care what my time is....I would imagine as time goes on, that will change. Success is NEVER about what other people think of you. |
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When is a barrel racer considered successful?