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 Own It and Move On
 
Location: The edge of no where | For me - it's a chance to go run my horse. Every chance I get to play this crazy game is a gift. |
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 Undercover Amish Mafia Member
Posts: 9992
  
Location: Kansas | meeting new people |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 595
Location: North Dakota | Good times with friends and the lessons learned (good and bad) either way it helps us make progress for next time. 
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 912
Location: Alabama | Barrel races usually are "family" time for at least part of my family. Plus, I enjoy visiting with life long friends. The chance at some money is always nice along with friendly competition. Of course I like riding my horse as well.  |
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 Expert
Posts: 2128
| Cheering on other barrel racers. |
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 Ms. Elvis
Posts: 9606
Location: Running barrels or watching nascar | Traveling, running in different places. |
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 Saint Stacey
| I'm not a huge fan of all day barrel races. I do love the rodeo world though. I love watching a good horse work. Whether it is a bucking horse, tie down horse, barrel horse, etc. I love the atmosphere and how much the crowds get into it. I'm a HUGE fan of a great hospitality tent, lol! High on that list is Denver, Spanish Fork and Estes Park. Worst one? Ft Worth hands down. |
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 Serious Snap Trapper
Posts: 4275
Location: In The Snow, AZ | I love having the opportunity to run my mare and feel so blessed to have a loving husband who supports and cheers me on.
I have enjoyed meeting a lot of new people. And absolutely love watching the different horses out there running. |
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 Poor Cracker Girl
Posts: 12150
Location: Feeding mosquitos, FL | Running to the first barrel. Working together with my kickass horses. Catching up with my friends. Watching somebody lay down a smokin run. Seeing someone make a breakthrough. Making my own breakthrough on a young horse. Lucking into a check when you weren't expecting one. Encouraging others, usually loudly. Getting complimented when things go right. Being supported when things go wrong.  |
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Ms. Elvis
Posts: 9606
Location: Running barrels or watching nascar | Really, it is when I place. Makes everything worth it. |
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| The jackpots are usually "me time". I get to go spend time on my horse without any distractions. I enjoy seeing my fellow barrel racing pals. Its calm and leisurely. I get to relax and unwind all while having fun.
The rodeos are literally like a family outing. My best friends and many of my family members compete and we all get to see each other as well as enjoy the thrill of competition. Rodeos are just so exciting. There is something about the atmosphere that has had me hooked since I was a kid. The sound of the announcer echoing from the arena when you pull up, the music, the crowd, the smell of "rodeo" food. I FREAKING LOVE IT! |
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| SKM - 2016-05-19 1:49 PM I'm not a huge fan of all day barrel races. I do love the rodeo world though. I love watching a good horse work. Whether it is a bucking horse, tie down horse, barrel horse, etc. I love the atmosphere and how much the crowds get into it. I'm a HUGE fan of a great hospitality tent, lol! High on that list is Denver, Spanish Fork and Estes Park. Worst one? Ft Worth hands down. Hospitality is a nice perk! I am surprised to hear the one in Fort Worth wasnt good. I cannot remember what they had. Some of the smaller rodeos out-did themselves. We went to a CPRA hosted by a cowboy church a couple of weeks ago and the hospitality was fantastic!
Edited by scwebster 2016-05-19 2:13 PM
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 I Want a "MAN"
Posts: 3610
Location: MD | Running my horse and spending time with my friends. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 678
Location: Canada | I love rodeos for the family aspect of it. We haul 10 horses and travel with 25 other people so it's a camping experience as well. We have a portable firepit we bring and we roast marshmellow and hot dogs, play cards, and have fun.
At jackpots I'm usually hosting them so I'm too busy to really socialize or enjoy it much but at the rodeo I get a chance to have fun and relax. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 823
Location: East Texas | 1. Family time
2. Getting to see friends and extended family
3. Enjoy getting to see my daughter learn and become a better rider, and watching the joy she gets from riding. |
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Saint Stacey
| scwebster - 2016-05-19 1:12 PM
SKM - 2016-05-19 1:49 PM I'm not a huge fan of all day barrel races. I do love the rodeo world though. I love watching a good horse work. Whether it is a bucking horse, tie down horse, barrel horse, etc. I love the atmosphere and how much the crowds get into it. I'm a HUGE fan of a great hospitality tent, lol! High on that list is Denver, Spanish Fork and Estes Park. Worst one? Ft Worth hands down. Hospitality is a nice perk! I am surprised to hear the one in Fort Worth wasnt good. I cannot remember what they had. Some of the smaller rodeos out-did themselves. We went to a CPRA hosted by a cowboy church a couple of weeks ago and the hospitality was fantastic!
Ft Worth had hot dogs and a nacho machine. Coke, Diet Coke or Sprite. They didn't even offer water.
Denver was Texas Roadhouse and Olive Garden. Estes Park has local restaurants cater the meals. Spanish Fork offers free golf and swimming to contestants along with an air conditioned lounge area and local catering. Castle Rock CO is also a good one that usually has Olive Garden and Dairy Queen ice cream bars. |
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Veteran
Posts: 111
| I love watching people that are better than me and learning from them. Not just when they're running, but watching how they handle their horses, how they warmup/cool down, and especially watching them do exhibitions. |
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Expert
Posts: 2531
Location: WI | Seeing my hard work pay off! Or discovering new holes, leading to more hard work, leading to the reward again!
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 It's not my fault I'm perfect
Posts: 13739
Location: Where the long tails flow, ND | Being with my horses and seeing all the hours we put in at home pay off.
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Saint Stacey
| IdahoBarrelRacer756 - 2016-05-19 1:33 PM
I love watching people that are better than me and learning from them. Not just when they're running, but watching how they handle their horses, how they warmup/cool down, and especially watching them do exhibitions.
Usually I hate to watch exhibitions. A lot of people ruin good horses by how they exhibition. Recently some Brazilians moved to this area. Fallon takes lessons from the one. I love watching this guy exhibition. He's the only person I've seen that uses his exhibitions differently depending on the horse he's on. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | My husbands family does rodeo and I love how the whole family works together! It's really made great people out of Hubby's cousins who are in college and high school rodeo now.
Love the great venders too lol.
I love a lot about jackpots. The traveling is like a high for me haha. I don't know why but I just love trailering my horse around to new places and riding around, running barrels is just a perk! When I have a good consistent horse it's the best feeling riding there, knowing that you'll do good and you will have fun. Riding an inconsistent horse isn't near as much fun. The speed, the other great horses, watching really good riders and getting tips from them is the best thing too! |
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Veteran
Posts: 111
| SKM - 2016-05-19 1:51 PM
IdahoBarrelRacer756 - 2016-05-19 1:33 PM
I love watching people that are better than me and learning from them. Not just when they're running, but watching how they handle their horses, how they warmup/cool down, and especially watching them do exhibitions.
Usually I hate to watch exhibitions. A lot of people ruin good horses by how they exhibition. Recently some Brazilians moved to this area. Fallon takes lessons from the one. I love watching this guy exhibition. He's the only person I've seen that uses his exhibitions differently depending on the horse he's on.
I agree. You learn a lot of what not to do in exhibitions as well. But man, when someone is a good hand, you can sure learn a lot from watching them. There's a girl here that I always make sure to watch. I learn a lot from her. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 823
Location: East Texas | SKM - 2016-05-19 2:29 PM
scwebster - 2016-05-19 1:12 PM
SKM - 2016-05-19 1:49 PM I'm not a huge fan of all day barrel races. I do love the rodeo world though. I love watching a good horse work. Whether it is a bucking horse, tie down horse, barrel horse, etc. I love the atmosphere and how much the crowds get into it. I'm a HUGE fan of a great hospitality tent, lol! High on that list is Denver, Spanish Fork and Estes Park. Worst one? Ft Worth hands down. Hospitality is a nice perk! I am surprised to hear the one in Fort Worth wasnt good. I cannot remember what they had. Some of the smaller rodeos out-did themselves. We went to a CPRA hosted by a cowboy church a couple of weeks ago and the hospitality was fantastic!
Ft Worth had hot dogs and a nacho machine. Coke, Diet Coke or Sprite. They didn't even offer water.
Denver was Texas Roadhouse and Olive Garden. Estes Park has local restaurants cater the meals. Spanish Fork offers free golf and swimming to contestants along with an air conditioned lounge area and local catering. Castle Rock CO is also a good one that usually has Olive Garden and Dairy Queen ice cream bars.
Lol, you sound like me and how I rate football stadiums..... by what they are serving in the press box. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1304
| I love just being around horses, meeting new people, learning new things, riding of course, being outside, the smells, etc etc. Just the whole atmosphere! |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 788
| The smell of jackpots always gets me giddy! 
Rodeos it is the atmosphere.
I really like seeing if what I have been tirelessly working on is working lol |
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Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | Another thing I really enjoy about the jackpots in our area is getting to see some TOUGH competition! There's almost always top futurity trainers and girls that go to the NFR around to watch. It's a great chance to study what they're doing and see where I can improve. |
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Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | IdahoBarrelRacer756 - 2016-05-19 3:04 PM SKM - 2016-05-19 1:51 PM IdahoBarrelRacer756 - 2016-05-19 1:33 PM I love watching people that are better than me and learning from them. Not just when they're running, but watching how they handle their horses, how they warmup/cool down, and especially watching them do exhibitions. Usually I hate to watch exhibitions. A lot of people ruin good horses by how they exhibition. Recently some Brazilians moved to this area. Fallon takes lessons from the one. I love watching this guy exhibition. He's the only person I've seen that uses his exhibitions differently depending on the horse he's on. I agree. You learn a lot of what not to do in exhibitions as well. But man, when someone is a good hand, you can sure learn a lot from watching them. There's a girl here that I always make sure to watch. I learn a lot from her.
If I'm not super busy - I'll camp out and watch exhibitions to study what some of the top trainers are doing and see how they work horses. |
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Ms. Elvis
Posts: 9606
Location: Running barrels or watching nascar | IdahoBarrelRacer756 - 2016-05-19 1:04 PM
SKM - 2016-05-19 1:51 PM
IdahoBarrelRacer756 - 2016-05-19 1:33 PM
I love watching people that are better than me and learning from them. Not just when they're running, but watching how they handle their horses, how they warmup/cool down, and especially watching them do exhibitions.
Usually I hate to watch exhibitions. A lot of people ruin good horses by how they exhibition. Recently some Brazilians moved to this area. Fallon takes lessons from the one. I love watching this guy exhibition. He's the only person I've seen that uses his exhibitions differently depending on the horse he's on.
I agree. You learn a lot of what not to do in exhibitions as well. But man, when someone is a good hand, you can sure learn a lot from watching them. There's a girl here that I always make sure to watch. I learn a lot from her.
I used to watch exhibitions and then it got to where I was watching what not to do instead of what to do. Same with others' runs. I just don't learn that way anymore. Rather than watching others, I like to find my own style. |
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Ms. Elvis
Posts: 9606
Location: Running barrels or watching nascar | CrossDRanch - 2016-05-19 1:15 PM
SKM - 2016-05-19 2:29 PM
scwebster - 2016-05-19 1:12 PM
SKM - 2016-05-19 1:49 PM I'm not a huge fan of all day barrel races. I do love the rodeo world though. I love watching a good horse work. Whether it is a bucking horse, tie down horse, barrel horse, etc. I love the atmosphere and how much the crowds get into it. I'm a HUGE fan of a great hospitality tent, lol! High on that list is Denver, Spanish Fork and Estes Park. Worst one? Ft Worth hands down. Hospitality is a nice perk! I am surprised to hear the one in Fort Worth wasnt good. I cannot remember what they had. Some of the smaller rodeos out-did themselves. We went to a CPRA hosted by a cowboy church a couple of weeks ago and the hospitality was fantastic!
Ft Worth had hot dogs and a nacho machine. Coke, Diet Coke or Sprite. They didn't even offer water.
Denver was Texas Roadhouse and Olive Garden. Estes Park has local restaurants cater the meals. Spanish Fork offers free golf and swimming to contestants along with an air conditioned lounge area and local catering. Castle Rock CO is also a good one that usually has Olive Garden and Dairy Queen ice cream bars.
Lol, you sound like me and how I rate football stadiums..... by what they are serving in the press box.
You've been in a football press box? lol The NASCAR press box hospitality was awesome!
I do wish there was hospitality at the barrel races, especially ones that do last all day. I've only been to one rodeo with it. |
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 352
Location: Texas | I love watching and looking at the horses.
I like to come away knowing if I've gotten better or worse.
Probably the best part is my kids cheering for me. They'll tell anyone who will listen how good I am (even though I've never pulled a check or finished in the top at all - and not in a bragging my mom is better than you way). It's so funny to hear them say "My mom is so good at barrel racing. She never forgets which way to go." lol Not so much my 16 year old anymore but she still cheers me on, pampers my horse and tells me I did good - even the day I got tossed going out of the arena. |
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| Hmmm....so much I don't know where to begin. The adrenalin of running barrels, of course. The friendships that I've made over the years and the new friends that I meet all the time. The comaraderie and fellowship. The fact that even people who tend to disagree or just plain not get along will always be there to support each other when times are hard...i.e. sickness or death in families etc. The horses, of course, as it's our common love for these beautiful creatures that bring us all together to begin with. I love that when I go to a barrel race, I tend to leave my cares at home....for a few hours, I"m me...I'm happy and I don't stress over the drama that might be going on in my life at any given time!
Edited by runs4fun 2016-05-23 2:46 PM
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  Witty Enough
Posts: 2954
Location: CTX | The rush of the run, expecially if we are improving our time or turns. Spending time with my horses. Hanging out with friends, meeting new people. Watching other people run. Cheering friends on.
When we have multiple day races we love to camp out. That exciting feeking when you hear your name when they call out the results..... So much to enjoy, that's why we keep going.
Edited by cranky B4 10am 2016-05-19 9:30 PM
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 Expert
Posts: 4121
Location: SE Louisiana | Observing all the fine horses.  |
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 Total Germophobe
Posts: 6443
Location: Montana | Running my horse, being out where I "belong" for a while. I love barrel racing and being on my horse, I love the excitement as I wait my turn to run, the excitement during the run, then when we had a new personal best whether it is a faster time than we have ever run before at that particular arena or we nailed the first barrel, I just love it. I haven't had any experience with rodeos yet...hope to one day. :) |
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 Keeper of the King Snake
Posts: 7622
Location: Dubach, LA | Seeing a really great run.
Edited by CanCan 2016-05-20 5:28 AM
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 Midget Lover
Location: Kentucky | Being with my buddies and drinking beer :) |
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 Shelter Dog Lover
Posts: 10277
| Time spent with my horses and good friends!! |
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 Expert
Posts: 2161
Location: NW. Florida | Leaving with a check and hanging out with friends. |
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Expert
Posts: 2128
| My hauling partner and I have this thing when they are calling out names for checks at the end. If either of us or someone close to us gets called out (no matter if last hole in the 4D) we break out into this silly dance. We did it in the back of the parking lot one day while others were leaving. We didnt realize we were being watched. A couple of folks honked at us and gave us a thumbs up. LOL. Its the little things.. |
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 On the Countdown
Posts: 2934
Location: Texas | Spending time with my horse and just me time! |
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Expert
Posts: 1631
Location: Somewhere around here | Another thing to add from the other thread; puppies!! I love seeing people selling their puppies at places, so cute! But sometimes I wonder if that's the best place to sell them at... |
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Regular
Posts: 62
| Hanging out and chatting with friends! Cheering them on and seeing them improve! I love to run my gray mare. She is a whole lot of athletic but difficult with timing. I have recently learned a few things with her and now I am excited to see how far that can take us! I have just sold a horse and I am helping and watching the girl running him and another friend is leasing my old horse and I love helping her and her daughter learn a whole new realm of horsemanship. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1395
Location: Missouri | Like others mentioned, I usually have a few people I watch because I like to learn from them. Also, when the sun is shining with a light breeze at an outdoor arena, I'm just plain giddy to make a run on those days!
Can't run right now bc I'm 24 weeks prego with #2, but recently went to a barrel race to watch some of my friends. Took my 18 mo old daughter. Sitting in the stands with her watching her be absolutely mesmerized by it was so fun for me! And getting to cheer on and watch those that normally I'd be hauling with made my day. And the post-jackpot junk meal at DQ or something. Yes please!
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 Extreme Veteran
Posts: 456
Location: SW MO | I just like to go and spend the time with my horses. When I was first going I spent a lot of time socializing and catching up with friends all the time. Anymore, I just would rather make sure my horse is feeling tip top and ready to go. I have really loved spending more time with my horses, the past year I haven't had the time to ride and haul as much so getting that time with them is more special to me than it used to be. Making sure they have everything they need and that we both are ready; physically and mentally is what I really enjoy. |
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 Three in a Bikini
Posts: 2035
| The atmosphere.
I just love going. Camping out in the trailer. Caring for my horses. Spending time with family.
I am not even sure I enjoy actually running the barrels lol. |
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 Expert
Posts: 1482
Location: on my horse | I just love to go on my OWN horse, the thrill never wears off that I have this amazing beautiful well trained animal that is MINE and I'm usually by myself. I just love spending time with my mare and enjoying her and I am so lucky I live in an area with a great producer who almost always starts on time, and who lets us pay cash if we feel like we need a time only after etc. Tonight I made a really bad run on my mare, I'm not sure what my brain was doing but she was super lost and I just sat there and didn't help her out at all and it hurt her confidence a little. I just asked the ladies if I could buy a time only for after and pay after I did it and they let me. I wanted to get her back into the arena and lope through slow and correct so she could leave feeling like a winner, there's not a ton of places that will let you do that. |
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 I hate cooking and cleaning
Posts: 3314
Location: Jersey Girl | My favorite is the weekend races....I enjoy the time away, the opportunity to use my LQ, hanging with friends, caring for my horse and just having fun. There is nothing like when its getting close to your run and you have to go get your horse ready and get them warmed up. |
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Veteran
Posts: 180
| The world stops the moment I enter the gate. It's just me and my horse. Nothing else matters in that moment. Every run is a fresh start and new opportunity to get closer to my goals. The rush of adrenaline to the first barrel is unlike any other feeling. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 602
| Im a weirdo but the early mornings. Walking out to the stall with a cup of coffee and its quiet.Enjoying the small things...... |
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Own It and Move On
Location: The edge of no where | spitzh - 2016-05-23 9:26 AM Im a weirdo but the early mornings. Walking out to the stall with a cup of coffee and its quiet.Enjoying the small things......
I love the quiet early in the mornings before everyone is stirring around. Take my horse & dogs for a walk and get ready for the day. |
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 A Somebody to Everybody
Posts: 41354
Location: Under The Big Sky Of Texas | spitzh - 2016-05-23 9:26 AM Im a weirdo but the early mornings. Walking out to the stall with a cup of coffee and its quiet.Enjoying the small things......
And the sounds of horses muching on their feed and hay, love it  |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 352
Location: Texas | fulltiltfilly - 2016-05-21 7:10 AM
My favorite is the weekend races....I enjoy the time away, the opportunity to use my LQ, hanging with friends, caring for my horse and just having fun. There is nothing like when its getting close to your run and you have to go get your horse ready and get them warmed up.
I don't know what is it about using your LQ, but I just want to use it. I have a trailer with a weekender package that I got last year. Since then I haven't taken it anywhere I would need the LQ portion. But I want to go to a race just so I can use the LQ portion. lol My husband thinks I'm crazy! |
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 Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | I love it all. Being on a horse is my church.
I also very much appreciate the fact that we have a nice facility and an organized association, close to home where I can go run. I always want to help, but I always seem to have my hands full with doing everything else. I know they work their butts off to put a barrel race together like that and I just love and appreciate them all for it!! |
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 Veteran
Posts: 268
| Napping in my trailer or anti gravity chair while waiting for my run (and not feeling badly about it- because there is nothing else to do)! 
Edited by CocoChex 2016-05-25 3:07 PM
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 725
| I love working hard and seeing my results pay off, improvement is what keeps me going. I love the family you develop with the other contestants and even if you don't know someone you have a mutual understanding and respect for eachother. I love the crowd, the rodeo atmosphere, bright lights, night air, and even the long hauls. I love the quiet bonfires after the rodeos, to catch a quick nap before you haul all day. And most of all the little kids that stop and want to pet your horse, to them you're a hero. |
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| Seeing someone coming out the arena ecstatic about their run and patting their horse, even if they clocked 2 seconds off. That right there is why we do it!  |
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 pressure dripper
Posts: 8699
Location: the end of the rainbow | I love taking my young horses and seeing them improve. And right now I'm getting a lot of satisfaction out of seeing my mare that's been pretty lame come back sound and strong. I enjoy spending time with my hauling buddies and seeing them do well. |
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Expert
Posts: 1718
Location: Southeast Louisiana | Making a *Smokin* run! And it doesn't have to be a 1D time, either. When I was getting back into barrel racing, I can remember the first time I ran in the 3D. When you get that feeling of "yes!" and you know your turns were smoother and your run was faster than you had been last time. It's a great feeling. When hours in the saddle and all the hard work pay off in the form of being together with your horse. Or, seeing one of your friends experience that. There is nothing else like it. |
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 Brains Behind the Operation...
Posts: 4543
Location: Arizona | I enjoy training way more than competing, molding and fine tuning a blank slate into an athlete is far more rewarding for me. Competing is stressful for me, I have horrible nerves. Time onlys don't phase me, but as soon as I'm running for money I feel like I'm going to throw up, lol. I do enjoy the rush of a great run. Mostly I enjoy the "yardstick" aspect of competing; seeing where you measure up to your previous runs, other competitors, how you've progressed (or maybe regressed), and deciding where you need to go from there. |
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 Ms. Marine
Posts: 4641
Location: Texas | Spending time with my family and trying to make a better run than my last. I learn something from every single person I meet. |
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What do you enjoy most about Barrel Races/Rodeos?