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| I am 18 from Wisconsin. I love barrel racing and I am willing to work very hard to get to the pros. I have not started with much, but I have four horses which I barrel race at the county fair. I am planning on going to college in Oklahoma and hoping to join their Rodeo team. Right now I don't have a lot, but it is my dream and I want to know the steps that I need to take to get to the top. Any advice would be helpful I really would like to have all the advice I can get. Please help me achieve my dreams. |
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 Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | If you want to college rodeo, you need a really competitive horse, especially in OK. I would suggest selling all four of your horses, taking that money, and buying the nicest horse you can. Plus, I don't know if you pay for all care/feed for your horses, but it's hard to do when you're trying to go to school. One is a lot easier/cheaper to take care of. |
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Member
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| My horses are not worth very much, and I will probably leave the rest of my horses with my mom. I was thinking about taking out a loan to buy a barrel horse, what would you recommend I get? how old, mare or gelding, and about the price range of a competitive barrel horse? |
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Elite Veteran
Posts: 838
 
Location: Georgia | I think a lot of it would depend on your riding ability. If you're looking for an aggressive top notch college/pro horse, depending on age, you could see one go from 10k-100k. It really depends on what you're looking for. Gender doesn't make much of a difference, that's just more of a personal preference. Age range, I would look for something more seasoned in the rodeo arena, not something that is just getting started on the pattern. Most of your top notch horses start hitting their prime around 10, and I've also seen girls/women ride horses in the rodeo arena that are knocking on the 20yr old door. Again, I think a lot has to do on your ability to ride and maintain a Professional Rodeo Caliber Horse. If you have the time, money, blood, sweat, and tears to shed, then hit the road baby and the BEST OF LUCK TO YOU  |
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Member
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| Thank you so much. Your advise is very helpful.  |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
 
| Do not take a loan out on a horse, you are starting college, I would worry about paying for college first.
Horses will be there when you are done.
If you are wanting to rodeo professionally you have to have a very well paying job, or money behind you before you even start.
Become a lawyer, or a doctor then you will be able to afford to rodeo. |
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Member
Posts: 11
| 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. |
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Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | cheryl makofka - 2013-11-13 1:15 PM Do not take a loan out on a horse, you are starting college, I would worry about paying for college first. Horses will be there when you are done. If you are wanting to rodeo professionally you have to have a very well paying job, or money behind you before you even start. Become a lawyer, or a doctor then you will be able to afford to rodeo.
At this phase in your life, I have to agree with this. I know people who have used student loans to buy horses, cars, other toys, and they regretted it later, like when it came time to pay those loans back!
Are your horses possibly worth $1000 each? If not, can you get them to the point that they are? That's $4000 right there, plus all the money you will be saving on expenses for the four of them. Take your time, find a horse that really fits what you want to do, save as much money up as you can while you're looking. Ride that new horse to the best of its and your ability. Save up more money in the mean time. When you have progressed as far as you can with that one horse, sell it, take that money and what you have saved and buy a nicer horse. Keep doing this until you have one that is competing at the level you'd like to be at.
Besides the money, if you've never ran a 1D/prorodeo horse before, then you may not be ready for one anyway, but you can learn and develop your ability over time up to that level. |
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Veteran
Posts: 220
| If it is something you truely want to do go for it! Roll the dice and see what happens. I agree with the loan part. Do not take one out. What are you going to do if God forbid the horse dies or gets hurt? Don't let yourself get into that situation. On another note though, be prepared to spend lots and lots of money. I am just a weekend warrior now due to home life. And it is an expensive hobby. The gas, lodging, entry fees, vet etc. add up faster than the checks come in. I believe not to long ago someone asked about how the NFR girls come out and they stated that if the broke even for the year they did good. Not trying to sway from chasing dreams I have some rather big ones of my own. I just don't want want you to be shocked when you find out how expensive this sport can truely be. You never know either, you could find a diamond in the rough. Scamper was a Sale Barn work horse and turned out to be a champion! |
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Veteran
Posts: 220
| Another thing you can do, is start finding sponsors. That can help with some of the money part. |
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The Advice Guru
Posts: 6419
| 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.
I think you should live within your means, look at the economy many people lost their houses due to too high of mortgages, lay offs, unable to get a job. Most people who did loose everything when the economy turned were living outside of what they could afford.
Learn from past experiences.
And if you are going into ag, have you researched the job opportunities, pay etc, as it costs about
50,000 per horse. With vet, chiro, massage, feed, farrier, teeth floating supplements, it all adds up very fast.
Then you have trailer expenses, truck expenses, fuel.
I know many people who started rodeoing after they had their family and have been successful. Your dream can happen after college |
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Member
Posts: 11
| My cousin said that she had a fast 5 year old that I am going to try and I'll start there hopefully it works out. I do think that you are all right that taking out a loan is not a good idea. I do have a steady job right now and I will be saving up everything I can. I am thinking about moving with family in Oklahoma for a year to see how finding a horse and working them everyday and practicing goes. I'll save money for a year and hopefully that will give me a clear idea of what exactly I want to do. I have done well enough in high school that I do have options so if in that year I decide if I do or don't have what it takes I may come back to Wisconsin. Does that sound like a good idea? any recommendations?
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Member
Posts: 11
| All of your advice can help, if you don't like my idea please tell me why? |
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Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | faithdilly - 2013-11-14 3:52 PM
My cousin said that she had a fast 5 year old that I am going to try and I'll start there hopefully it works out. I do think that you are all right that taking out a loan is not a good idea. I do have a steady job right now and I will be saving up everything I can. I am thinking about moving with family in Oklahoma for a year to see how finding a horse and working them everyday and practicing goes. I'll save money for a year and hopefully that will give me a clear idea of what exactly I want to do. I have done well enough in high school that I do have options so if in that year I decide if I do or don't have what it takes I may come back to Wisconsin. Does that sound like a good idea? any recommendations?
I think that sounds like a great idea. |
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Fire Ant Peddler
Posts: 2881
| If you want to college rodeo you need to be rodeoing in high school. Most girls participate in more than one event. Most colleges in OK and TX offer scholarships for their team members. This often includes a place to board your horse, entry fees, some tuition and maybe even housing. Whatever event you pick, these girls are tough. They have been rodeoing and winning in high school. Many have been to the HS national finals. I would try to pursue my college education and then rodeo. There are a lot of smaller rodeo associations that are fun to compete in. I rodeoed in college----I tied goats. I would borrow one of the roper's horses and do my thing. Didn't have horse expenses. This was 40+ years ago. |
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Member
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| I only have one semester of high school left. In wisconsin they don't offer very much high school or college rodeo for that matter. I really think it is something I would be good at I barrel race my horse in my pasture bareback and get about 19 seconds, that is just messing around. He has speed, when he gets in the ring he has no control. And I don't have enough opertunitites to bring him to rodeos and get him undercontrol. I am only able to do about 5 races per year. I do give riding lessons at my house and one of my lesson girls is going into high school rodeo. Whom I have been training for about four years. I feel like I have the guts I just need my oppertunity, and I think if I get in and don't have what it takes I am young enough to make that mistake and I think it is worth a try. I do have other oppertunities that I can take if this doesn't work out. Thank you all so much you have made me really think about my options and I really think I have a plan that will work for me.
~Faith |
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Expert
Posts: 2097
Location: Deep South | These were all just on the first page of a Google search for WI rodeo associations. I have heard of several of them and I'm from AL. If you want to rodeo, be proactive, get out there, I'd start at the local level first. There are plenty of facebook groups by region that list all the barrel races/rodeos that are going on in your area. Search for those. WI may not have the barrel racing scene OK does, but it has one, and you could be involved and gaining experience now.
http://www.cowboycalendar.com/wihsra/
http://www.uwrf.edu/ANFS/RodeoClub.cfm
http://www.lbwrodeo.com/
http://www.rodeoz.com/states/wisconsin
http://www.unitedrodeoassociation.com/
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Member
Posts: 11
| 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. |
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Member
Posts: 11
| Oh my, I found a barrel racing organization very close to home that runs about every other weekend thank you so much for your help. |
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Member
Posts: 12
| faithdilly - 2013-11-14 3:52 PM
My cousin said that she had a fast 5 year old that I am going to try and I'll start there hopefully it works out. I do think that you are all right that taking out a loan is not a good idea. I do have a steady job right now and I will be saving up everything I can. I am thinking about moving with family in Oklahoma for a year to see how finding a horse and working them everyday and practicing goes. I'll save money for a year and hopefully that will give me a clear idea of what exactly I want to do. I have done well enough in high school that I do have options so if in that year I decide if I do or don't have what it takes I may come back to Wisconsin. Does that sound like a good idea? any recommendations?
I think that this is a great idea, but im just starting high school, just remember that every pro was a beginner at one point good luck I hope you achieve your dreams !  |
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