Barrel racing is fast and furious with speed, agility, twists and sharp turns as you move through the cloverleaf. Due to the nature of barrel racing, the horse faces many challenges. Five key areas in which a horse can be strengthened and prepared for barrel racing to help give a successful race are:

 

Stamina. The horse must be fit to sprint away from the start line, and sprint to complete the arc from barrel to barrel

Balance. Essential for when they edge around the barrel to achieve the perfect arc beat the clock 

Flexible. The horse must be able to bend in both directions fluidly and quickly 

Strenght. The horse must have the muscle to take the weight shift through the body when going from speed to almost an instant stop 

Mental. The horse must be physically and mentally prepared. 

WHUK talks to Carly Kinder about the life of a Congress Queen.

There is a quote that says, “From the outside looking in, it’s hard to understand. From the inside looking out, it’s hard to explain it.” These words help put into perspective the life of being a queen within the equine industry. From the outside looking in, I have been perceived as just a pretty face. From the inside looking out, it can be difficult to put into words not only the amount of work I have put into achieving my queen titles and the commitment of being a reigning queen, but also all that I have gained from my titles, which include 2014 All American Quarter Horse Congress Queen. I have been active with breeding and showing American Quarter Horses my entire life, growing up on my family farm in Ohio.

Before competing for the national title of the All American Quarter Horse Congress Queen, I reigned for a year as the Ohio Quarter Horse Association Queen. To be the best spokeswoman possible for my state and the quarter horse, I had to study constantly to remain educated on the latest in the industry. I began the daunting task of learning the AQHA Official Handbook of Rules and Regulations a couple of years before I even competed. It is even fair to say the rulebook travelled the world with me going on my study abroad trips to Zambia in 2012 and Australia in 2014. Between juggling my full-time load at college along with being a member of the varsity cross country team, it was all about finding any second I could to expand my equine knowledge. Often waking up long before the sunrise, I studied my box completely stuffed full of thousands of rulebook notecards, worked on interview and public speaking skills, and rode my horse to continue to improve my horsemanship. Each year the state quarter horse queens compete at a week-long competition during the All American Quarter Horse Congress including an impromptu question, interview, written test, horsemanship, and style show.

 

The 2018 WEG was originally to have been held in Canada, but 18 months ago due to financial issues, Canada pulled out - leaving the future of the WEG hanging. The horse park in Tryon, North Carolina offered to take the event and overnight it changed countries and venues.