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JW | all galleries >> 2004_to_2020 >> Galleries By Subject >> Animals >> Quadrupix - My Best Animal Images > Barrel Racer, Millarville Rodeo, Alberta
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Barrel Racer, Millarville Rodeo, Alberta


My first visit to a North American rodeo (despite my name!). Barrel-racing is one of few events in which 'the ladies' are allowed to compete. To the naked eye, this girl actually rounded the barrel without too much problem. Only the digital camera spotted how close she came to a fall.

[As an aside, it was a shock to me how 'traditional' the atmosphere was at this rural event not so far from the city of Calgary. God, The Family, and The Flag sure seem important in these parts - what a contrast to multicultural, secular, anti-patriotic, cynical, urban England. I make no judgement either way but if you are travelling between cultures - beware!]


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Cindi Smith20-Jun-2009 04:45
Whoa!!!!! Got a few similar....barrel racing gone bad??
Robin Reid03-Jan-2009 21:59
It is an excellent shot.
Annabell 15-Oct-2008 03:42
She definitely didn't round the barrel without a problem. I'm sure the horse was sore for many days to come. These kinds of falls are more common at rodeos than big D format barrel races due to the quality and condition of the ground. They don't tend to drag in between runs at Rodeos (unless you have very generous rodeo personnel and it's in slack) but at large D format barrel races they drag every 5 or 7 runs and the quality of the ground is much better than rodeos.

As to Joanna and her comment below me, I would like to have seen the runs where she fell like this, came back up and still won! (Maybe the 4 or 5 D?) I've been outrun to win 1st in the 1D by a thousandth of a second before so think about what a fall like this would do to your time...shave off 2-6 seconds or more I would presume. So let's say you're in a D with half second splits, say a HUGE barrel race, ( 6D ) well three seconds off the winning time would barely get your close to any money. AND I think anyone who would push their horse to continue to run after a fall of any kind is ignorant, no matter how much the entry fee was. That's how you really get your horse hurt. I'd rather lose an entry fee than a good talented horse any day.
Joanna 03-Jul-2008 22:19
I'm a barrel racer and I would just like to say to the other people that commented here that it is perfectly possible that this girl seemed to have rounded the barrel without a problem. I have seen, not to mention done it myself several times and still won. After all the photographer said to the naked eye she looked fine. Our horses are very well trained and they don't let something like that phase them. They get their feet back under them and take off again.
JW08-Nov-2007 13:00
To the barrel racing ladies who have commented here, all I can say is that
the camera captured far more than the naked eye saw! I admit that looking at the picture
it's hard to see how she made it without injury, but she did carry on the rest of her routine quite normally.

After all, it took early photography to prove conclusively that all four of a horse's hooves do leave the ground simultaneously when galloping! Someting the eye cannot be sure of!
casey 25-Aug-2006 03:55
You one lucky chick that you and your horse didnt hurt your self. great shot good luck in your yearss of barrel racing.
Eventer 24-Aug-2006 04:35
What the heck? She has not rounded the barrel 'without a problem.' Even I know that, and I'm an eventer.
Guest 14-Aug-2005 07:18
Outstanding picture!
lebororo05-Jun-2005 07:35
terrific shot!
lebororo
Guest 24-Apr-2005 16:30
I raced barrels, several hundred years ago, and, trust me, she did not round this barrel "without a problem". Several precious seconds were lost in this 'stumble', and she was lucky that neither she nor or her horse were injured. But what a GREAT SHOT!
Lazy 3L Photography07-Apr-2005 23:04
Really great shot....I can't believe they recovered from that! Interesting comment about the cultural differences. We're in the U.S., but rodeo tends to be the same, here, too.
I guess perhaps because so much of it's following are rural farm/ranch families, which are still pretty firmly rooted in these traditions.
Susanne27-Feb-2005 11:24
Oh my lord what a wonderful capture you have here. I love motion shots and this one is so different from what you usually see. I have a gallerie with motion shots called " In movement." I would have loved to get my hands on something like that. You did an incredible job in capturing this moment just at the right time!