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 Own It and Move On
 
Location: The edge of no where | faithdilly - 2013-11-15 9:07 AM UW-Riverfalls is a college and I would have to be enrolled there, but I don't want to go there. I believe I'm too old for little britches, but I did email them asking if I am. The URA seems to be for already professionals. and none of them have next years schedual posted. This is why I asked how you get started, because I have no Idea what I need to do to get involved with these associations, and I figured if I go into college my coach would help me. I don't know where these things are, when they are and I don't even know how points work. All I know is how to run. All the entrys and things confuse me.
Lots of the college rodeo girls in OK and TX already have their WPRA cards and run at the pro shows. College rodeos in this area are TOUGH! I'm not trying to put a damper on your dreams, but you would be far ahead to get into your local scene instead of trying to start at the college rodeos down here. |
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  Fact Checker
Posts: 16571
   
Location: Displaced Iowegian | faithdilly - 2013-11-15 9:07 AM UW-Riverfalls is a college and I would have to be enrolled there, but I don't want to go there. I believe I'm too old for little britches, but I did email them asking if I am. The URA seems to be for already professionals. and none of them have next years schedual posted. This is why I asked how you get started, because I have no Idea what I need to do to get involved with these associations, and I figured if I go into college my coach would help me. I don't know where these things are, when they are and I don't even know how points work. All I know is how to run. All the entrys and things confuse me.
Little Britches' age limit is 18 & under....
The URA is NOT a "pro" rodeo association but a very good place to get started. Most "pro" ladies have worked their way up to the WPRA....They didn't just jump in and go. I would suggest that route for you. Get your (and your horse's) experience at the amateur rodeos and jackpots. |
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 Veteran
Posts: 173
Location: Somewhere over the rainbow | I have read some of the bio's of the horses going to the NFR this year. Some of them cost lest than $2000. A fast horse gets even faster when connected to the right rider. The right combo can't be bought. You could be handed a $50,000 horse tomorrow and you may not be successful if you aren't the right rider for that horse. Find a horse that runs fast and has a lot of heart.
Do not go into debt, don't buy a horse without trying it several times. Do not buy a horse that needs maintenance. Do buy a horse with a lot of heart. |
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 Wishing on a star
Posts: 7935
Location: Where if you don't like the weather...wait 5 mins! | Do not take out a loan. And Do Not COLLEGE RODEO!! It's a waste of time to try to start there. Get an education and spend that money you would have spent on rodeo to find a local PROFESSIONAL trainer and bang on their door begging for a part time job or internship to learn what it takes.
If they take you on and keep you around you know you have what it takes. If you find it's not for you, at least you haven't wasted a ton of money and time chasing a "DREAM".
Rodeo is not as romantic as everyone makes it out to be. If you have the guts to leave everyone else behind and chase it then you'll love it, if not, find out now. You can't take it back.
Edited by BrlRcrMT 2013-12-07 10:14 AM
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 Expert
Posts: 1304
| I say go for your dreams!! But I do have to say that, in my opinion, taking out a loan isn't a very good idea unless you have a scholarship for school or someone paying for it! Just be smart about your priorities and you'll go far! |
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Member
Posts: 19
| I do not think at your age a loan on a barrel horse is what you need. your gonna have a lot of bills to pay off down the line and there are no garentees this will work out. What are your horses bred maybe one of them will work out? Do your research and save as much money as you can here and there. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 824
| faithdilly - 2013-11-13 1:35 PM If I don't get a horse now I will not be able to college rodeo? I know that college is going to cost a lot, but I'm planning on going into Agribusiness at a technical college in Oklahoma. If I don't get experience in college I fear that I will never fallow my dreams? Should I not try, because I don't have the money? I really appreciate the advice and want to know if there is anyway I can do this.
College rodeoing is expensive and doesn't pay very well. My suggestion would be to go to school and find a trainer in the area that you can ride with. Then take one of your horses down, learn to get them going right, then work your way up. Jackpots, to rodeos, and maybe college rodeo your last 2 years. Do NOT take a loan out, you WILL be broke in college and a barrel horse will cost money. Have you thought about how much it costs to feed/board this horse? vet care (all the good ones need some maintence!) , a truck/trailer, entry fees, fuel??? Not trying to be mean but you have to be relaistic! College is only 4 years, my suggestion would be to get in and out as fast as you can, learn from a trainer while your there, and then when you get out- follow your dreams! 4 years is a short sacrifice to be set $$ wise for the rest of your life |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 306
| If you have only competed in local county events you need to get involved in some local and state barrel racing associations. Good ones are the United Barrel Racing Association (UBRA), National Barrel Racing Association(NBHA), and Minnesota Rodeo Association (MRA). I am from MN I'm unsure that WI has their own state rodeo association. If you aren't running in the 1D or 2D, your won't have much luck at the rodeos.
As far as buying horses go, I sold a trained 3D/4D barrel horse for $3,000. My friend bought a $30,000 barrel horse when she went to start college rodeo at NDSU, and she never won any college championships with him. Not only the horse costs a lot of money but so does a horse trailer, truck, hay, grain, farrier, ect.
My advice would be to possibly look into leasing a nice horse, that way if you cannot afford to pay for it anymore it has a home to go back to and your not defaulting on a loan.
Do some research. Try to get in contact with girls who currently college rodeo and ask how they pay for it and how much it costs. I think it will be a big reality check to know how it's actually accomplished.
Good luck and have patience. It might not happen and quickly as you would like. |
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Veteran
Posts: 159
Location: Central TX | To actually be competitive at college rodeos in OK ( I am from OK and college rodeo'd all 4 years) you'll need to spend upwards of 50,60,70+ grand...to even think of making more than the odd check here and there. I fortunately had the money to do that growing up..BUT, i wouldnt waste my time if i didnt. college rodeo really doesnt do anything for you financially...at all. |
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 Elite Veteran
Posts: 1067
Location: Kansas | You are in WI which is the great lakes circuit. Ever heard of Black Hawk College? They have a good equine porgram Please check them out. |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 1034
| I didn't college rodeo and I don't regret it. Start out at amateur rodeos, jackpots,etc to get your feet wet. Find a pro who needs an intern for a summer and soak up all you can. |
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Extreme Veteran
Posts: 425
Location: Some where between there and here. | You dont have to spend 40, 50, 60 thousand to have a good horse. There are alot of horses that initially cost less than 5K that run at the top. Start one young, start it slow and take your time and learn from every one you can. My daughter has 2 horses ( one more 4 year old that was free that is showing alot of promise) that are 1D/2D at any show in the country and and will run with the pro rodeo horses ( she has run against several ) and they cost very little. We started them, trained them and finished them. Just takes time. Don't rush it. |
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Itchy Boobs
Posts: 360
| Buy a well bred prospect and train it through college. Get the horse seasoned and then professional rodeo. Its hard to buy a expensive horse and try to college rodeo and at the same time trying to click with it. Train your own and be patient:) |
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Location: Keeping up with the numbers! | Ok, I am going to be the odd man out and truely do not want to rain on your parade. I think if you are passionate enough about barrel racing but are smart enough to know you need to go to school you should thinkg about the following:
*Go to school (there will always be horses and you may be in a better financial situation once you complete)
*While in school try and see if you can intern for a local barrel trainer...trade out riding/exercising/chores for lessons and maybe a stall to keep a horse (prospect).
*Look for a prospect and start taking prospect to local jackpots. If you are in OK, I am sure there will be plenty to find. Season this prospect and in a couple of years while you are still in shcool you may be able to run him in some rodeos wether it be college or amateur rodeos.
Just my two cents for what it is worth. Any way you decide I wish you the best! |
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 I"m Jealous!
Posts: 1737
Location: Benton City, WA | When I was in vet school, I decided to sell my current horse and buy the type of prospect I had dreamed of owning (a Dr Nick Bar bred horse). I sold my mare to a gal in Kansas for 2500 and hauled her down there, then continued on to Texas, to check try out a bunch of Dr Nick Bar bred colts.
I picked out a 3 year old I liked and paid 5000 for him. In order to get him bought, I did have to use student loan $$. Of course it wasn't a huge sum of money, but I have never regretted buying him.
He turned out to be even more awesome than I would have dared hope :-) Last year I filled my permit on him and he clocked a 16 on a WPRA standard pattern...so sometimes dreams do come true! BTW everyone thought I was nuts when I bought him. The haul from texas to WA was hard on him and he was not the big beautiful horse he is now.... |
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 Not Afraid to Work
Posts: 4717
| OP - I am in Minnesota and know of several organizations you can start it. From the sounds of it, you're not quite ready to hit the rodeo scene. You should look into WSCA and open barrel races first. You will get a feel for a competitive atmosphere but its still very family friends. We have a lot of people who overlap, so it gives you a good idea to know who you are up against.
I went to UW-River Falls and rodeos for a semester. It gave me a general idea of life on the road. But it was also very disorganized through out program and extremely expensive. I believe your card alone is approx $400 and then you pay about $100 per rodeo to haul down the road which is actually cheap for where you're going. Then you pay entries at $60 a piece and you have to be darn good to make it into the short go and win money back. You also have to consider shavings and stall cost. I easily went through 3000 in 5 rodeos and I lived very conservatively.
I am not saying dont chase your dreams. But start lower and build into what you want to become. You dont want to go in blind like I did, it wasnt very much fun for me because I was overwhelmed.
PM if you need more info on our local organizations.
ETA I also suggest getting involved with a trainer or small club. Ive gotten to where I am today with starting there.
Edited by stayceem 2014-03-02 8:51 PM
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boon
Posts: 3
| I believe you have six years of eligibility from the date of your high school graduation to purchase 4 NIRA membership cards. So technically you have 6 years to choose to college rodeo. If I were you I would call or email the school rodeo team your were interested in to get more information on how to join. It never hurts to educate yourself this way. The reason I say to contact them is, because some rodeo teams even recruit students for their team. As they recruit for other College sports like basketball and football. This recruiting begins in high school or even in junior high. I think you should do your best to find a reasonably priced, seasoned horse that fits you. This is hard, because a good amount of barrel racers out there are trying to do the same. Go to some pro rodeos or amateur rodeos in your area and just watch the girls there as this is level of competition you want to be at. College rodeo competition is at that par. Watch how they warm up, stay calm, and overall run. Barrel racing isn't all riding a lot of it is mental. The most important thing is once you find your horse keep him/her healthy. Go to some barrel racing clinics with your current horse and see what the "expert" thinks. You may already have a horse that just needs some tuning or you just need tuning. The best things never come easy. So if your certain this is what you want to do you will find a way to make it happen. Do not take a loan, your better off saving up or as someone mentioned selling your other horses. Getting a loan that you must repay may only frustrate you more if you and the horse don't get along. Remember this does not happen overnight, as many of us have been at it for years. I hope this advice helps you out. Good Luck!
Edited by ponderosa32 2014-04-01 9:26 PM
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