Cindy Hamilton - 2015-03-20 11:19 AM I would say a lot of it has to do with the level you want to compete at and what the cost is to go at that level....like someone else said, if you just want to have fun and make runs, you can always save money by going to the cheaper playdays and smaller jackpots and still have fun on a budget.....When my son was born (long time ago...LOL), I went to little budget type shows close to home for several years and I only got to go a couple times a month...but I worked hard at upgrading my horse and doing the best with what I had to deal with at the time on training, and eventually I had a horse good enough to go to better things and rodeos and place regularly, so it paid for itself, and it kept getting better from there...



I think a major key to moving up from hobby (fun and spending money and not getting much of it back) to making money with your barrel racing is to work hard at upgrading your horse....you have to be realistic with what you are riding and be willing to let go of what isn't working and work on your training skills and horsemanship so you can recognize when you have a good horse or one you need to ship down the road and get something that works better, and then you have to have the skills to pick out a better horse and keep it working and winning....



On the other hand, if you are wanting to go to the big barrel races that charge bigger entry fees and need stalls etc, then it's harder because unless you have a consistent 1D horse, where you have a chance of getting a check most of the time, then we all know it's potluck with the D's, and that makes it a hobby deal because you can't count on placing in the lower D's unless you are lucky....



And if you are wanting to rodeo, especially in an association, you have membership dues, stock charges, higher entry fees and tough competition, so I would say don't rodeo unless you have a horse that can place enough to pay his way....rodeo is tough, and is an expensive hobby if you don't place...and maybe you could make or sell some products to horse people, or be a dealer for something...I see lots of girls who sell a product line or tack and make enough money to pay their way...good luck!

 

runnin.on.dreams - 2015-03-19 1:17 PM.........  He team ropes.........

Cindy Hamilton - 2015-03-20 1:30 PM


OK....I have an idea that your husband won't like....LOL....tell him you only get one run so he does also...limit him to entering one time and saving the money that way.....I know these guys want to run with as many partners as the producer allows and that really adds up....jmo...

classicpotatochip - 2015-03-20 1:58 PM (Whistles softly...) ****it Bobby! Do you KNOW what you just said??? Omg.

Cindy Hamilton - 2015-03-20 2:33 PM


LOL...yes, I KNOW...ha ha....I have spent time at many many open rodeos in line behind dozens of team ropers scrambling to see how many times they could get entered with each other...ugh...it's almost funny.....pulling the hundred dollar bills out of their pockets and swapping money...it ain't cheap....

classicpotatochip - 2015-03-20 2:42 PM Tell me about it! They'll spend $750 on a week night jackpot! I used to have one, it's absolutely amazing how they don't mind roping on this months rent money! I eventually gave him away at a loss to the neighbor girl, her down payment was his USTRC weekend entry money...and she thought she won...muhahahaha. Team ropers are too expensive, yet they complain about us!