|
|
979
Folks on-line
Barrel Racing at Barrel Horse World.com - Horses, friendy active forums, articles, more. |
|
|
|
|
979
Folks on-line
|
Josey Reunion Round-UP Note from Barrel Horse World - These are
some of the most high quality and well thought out photographs we have ever
received. Thank you Kathie Bitzer - Barrel Horse World Reporter.
Friday, April 29, 2005
Race 1 A
good morning call was heard throughout the ranch on Friday morning. Race 1 was
about to start. Horses and contestants were buzzing around in every direction.
Some were fine-tuning in the huge outdoor playpen while others were getting
ready in the covered arena. I
wondered how many were practicing what Martha and Team Josey taught them at the
clinic they attended. I can still remember the talk Martha gave about the mental
end of barrel racing in 1993 when I attended a clinic in Bloomington, IN.
Visioning that perfect run is always included in my routine and I try to keep
the words I’ll try, I can’t or maybe out of my vocabulary. It
was ShowTime and when the first barrel racer came down the alleyway I got goose
bumps. It just never gets any better then this! I
snapped a few photos and watched some great runs but I needed to go and get
ready myself. It’s hard to explain the feeling when you go down the alley and
enter the famous Josey arena. It’s different then any place I’ve ever
competed at. Everyone wants to see you do well and is behind you 100%. The
positive energy takes over and the run you make is very special whether you win
or lose. Kind and encouraging words are the norm. In one way it’s sad that all
are barrel races can’t be like that. I’m at a fantasy barrel race that no
one can duplicate! After
my run I take care of my horse and then head back to the arena to watch my baby
sister, Sue Boonstra, make her run on her new horse that I found for her through
Valerie Howell and an ad on Barrel Horse World.
This is even made more special because we haven’t competed at the same
barrel race since her marriage in 1989. She had then moved first to California,
then to Mississippi and now lives in Arkansas. So many memories flashed through
my head as I went and checked to see if she needed anything, just like I did so
many times when she was a teenager, I even got the same response, “Can you
check my cinch?” I
told her, “Do good and have fun! I hurried back to get a seat and my heart
started to pound and I got very nervous just like I did in the past.
Something’s never change as I thought to myself, “If I ever got this nervous
before I ran I would have to quit!” Heisatopman,
a/k/a T, and Sue had a very nice smooth run and like always she rode well. She
was thrilled! She had fun! She loves her horse! Sue is an example of what barrel
racing and life is all about. It’s not always about the win. It’s how you
played the game. Winning is a bonus. I
jumped back into reporter mode and started taking more pictures of contestants
as they left the arena. Brooke Oden was leaving when I asked if I could take a
picture for BHW and she said, “I love that site! I just joined and I’ve
already learned so much about splints! Sure!” Little did I know at that time
she was going to make the funniest story for the weekend that happened on
Sunday. Great
fast runs continued throughout the day. A shift in the winds brought a cold
front in along with some unwanted rain. Winter
jackets and blankets became the instant fashion. The
record breaking 462 entries took the barrel race into darkness.
Despite the cold and rain, spectators came out to watch to see whom the
winner and the winning time would be. When Tami Purcell made her winning run
with a 16.162 the 2-D, 3-D and 4-D was changed after being held for many hours
by Karen Renshaw’s 16.232. One thing about 4-D barrel racing, it’s not over
until the last run is made! It
wasn’t very long after the last contestant ran that the winners and qualifiers
for the finals were announced. The running order was reversed so the last ones
that ran were going to be the first to run on Saturday. I eagerly went back to
my trailer to get a hot shower and to get good nights rest. Thursday, April 28, 2005. Don’t ask me to jump in a car and drive 20 miles or
even 6 miles to town. Please don’t ask me to get up early in the morning. I
would prefer to stay up late and sleep in. Two little words can change all of
that. “Road Trip!” Now not just an ordinary road trip will do. It needs to
involve a truck, trailer, horse and competition and I’m all over it! A 450-mile road trip can be a slice of cake when you’re
going somewhere exciting. As a fellow barrel racer, may I ask you what could be
more exciting then going to the Josey Ranch for a barrel race? Well, I’ll tell
you. It’s going to the Josey Ranch for the Josey Reunion Round-Up. I wanted to get an early start to avoid traffic. I turned
into a little kid and couldn’t wait to get on the road so with 3 hours of
sleep I was wide-awake and ready to go! I loaded up my dogs, Alma and Annie, and
my favorite horse, Pudge and we were on the road by 3:00 A.M. I double checked my map and chuckled when I saw I had my
trip planned out in yellow highlighter. I was following the yellow brick road,
but instead of Oz as my destination, it was the Josey Ranch. You know you’re getting close when you start to spot a
few pine trees mixed in with regular green leafed trees. The flat terrain starts to have a gentle roll, the pine trees
become more plentiful and the ground becomes covered with red sand. I have now
entered East Texas. I’m very close. The scenery is beautiful and my exit comes up faster then
I expected. I gratefully head North on 43. I’m almost there. I quickly reach
the town of Marshall and within a few miles I make a right turn still on 43,
towards Karnack and Caddo Lake. Like I’ve written before, you seem to be
driving into nowhere when a lighted marquis sign and a red white and blue
decorated entranceway greets you. I can’t explain the feeling, but once you enter the
driveway and rumble over the cattleguard things are very different, You have now
entered a very magical place. This is my sixth trip and the excitement I feel
has never diminished one little bit. I’m soon greeted by part of the friendly Team Josey
members. They mark my name off the sheet. My stall assignments are given along
with a map of the ranch. It’s early Thursday afternoon and the Ranch is packed
from one end to the other. This is going to be the biggest Reunion ever! I find the perfect spot to park and unload my horse and
bed him down. I’ll give him a well-deserved rest after the long trip. Contestants are lined up in the covered arena and are
making exhibition runs, practicing to make that perfect run. Other contestants
are lined up in the office waiting to check in. When checked in you are given a
back number, a schedule, key chain, a pocket cross and a poster. About 8:00 P.M. everything slowed down and contestants and family members headed to town for dinner and their motels while others headed for their living quarters to get a good nights rest. The 8:00 A.M. start was right around the corner. To be continued…
Josey Reunion Round-Up April showers bring May flowers and barrel racers galore
to the Josey Ranch in Karnack, Texas. The famous Josey Ranch holds two famous
barrel races in consecutive weekends with the first being the Josey Reunion
Round-Up followed by the Josey Junior World. Even though high fuel prices are the buzz on chat lines
and at the local barrel racing events, it didn’t slow down or stop many a
barrel racer from entering these years’ races. I can only speak for myself, but I’ve sat down and have put the numbers together. Last year the 900-mile trip cost me about $118.00 in fuel. With a few tweaks to my truck and new Michelin tires on my trailer, my mileage has improved and I estimate the cost of fuel to be about $162.00. The increase of $44.00 will definitely not stop me from
attending! I’m packed and ready to go! Will Whitney O’Neal and Sparkplug make this their third
1-D win in a row? Stay tuned.
© Copyright 2002-2008 BarrelHorseWorld.com
All rights reserved including digital rights
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
