Kicking Off Cowboy Christmas - Barrel Racing Report

Youth World Barrel Racing Challenge 2012
Courtesy of World Barrel Racing Challenge
In May of 2011, NG Productions held the 1st WBRC Youth East
vs. West Team Barrel Racing Challenge in Perry, GA. This inaugural
event brought a new level of excitement to the world of barrel
racing. Kids from throughout the US traveled to be a part of this
great event. When all was said and done, Team East took home the
WBRC 2011 Championship Title along with $5,000 each for the 10
members.
The 2012 event was moved to Karnack, TX and held in conjunction
with Martha and RE Joseys Jr World barrel race. This helped to
even the traveling distance and kids could pay one stall and RV fee
and compete at 2 great events.
Thursday afternoon at the wonderful Josey Ranch was busy busy
busy. Competitors getting their exhibitions in and getting outfi tted
in Cinch and Cruel Girl competition wear. Once they collected
their competition wear and Custom Team Dazzle Rock Concho,
they each headed to the Lifewave booth. John Chance provided
a complementary evaluation for all the horses competing in the
WBRC. Many of these horses were “patched up” to improve their
performance. The entries were verifi ed complete and the draw was
posted. Thirty Team West and twenty three Team East competitors
fought it out to determine the Top Ten on each team that would
compete for the $55,000 on Sunday afternoon. When the fi nal
horse crossed the fi nish line, the following earned the right to go
for the big money:
Team East
JR Sullivan MS
Blaise Bercegeay MS 2011 Team East Champion Team Member
Carly Taylor TN
Trevor Pruitt IN
Morgan Ratliff MS
Rylee Butler FL
Brian Wheeler MS 2011 Team East Champion Team Member
Tori Williams MS 2011 Team East Champion Team Member
Shelby Rice AR
Dustin Angelle LA
Team West
Wyatt Grace Andrews TX
Meghan Welch TX
Lucchesse Tobias TX
Jackie Ganter TX
Ciera Champman TX
Crystal Fretwell TX
Jordy Wright TX
Morgann McDonald TX 2011 Team West Member
Sarai Angelle TX 2011 Team West Member
Lake Mehalic AZ
So the Teams were set. Team East members had qualifi ed on less
than perfect runs and knew they had to have a plan to have any
chance against the strength of the Team West qualifying runs. Total
of all 10 qualifying runs per team looked like this: East 168.507 and
West 164.801. A four second spread meant the east had to bring it
on and the west had to stay solid.
Sunday morning the kids gathered around and pulled their own
draw number, and then the buzz began.
Riders had to decide which horse to run. Many of the competitor’s
main horses were out for the weekend due to injuries and they
were depending on backup mounts to pull them through. Plotting
and planning was all over and now the only thing to do was ride
smart, go fast and keep it clean.
Team West member Meghan Welch started it off, a 16.216 that
was .3 faster than her qualifying run, the heat was on. Because
the draw was random, it was impossible to keep up with who was
ahead. A fast run from the east was always answered with another
fast run from the west. The atmosphere in the arena was unreal.
It was Friday night football at a barrel race. The eastern folks who
were not in the race stayed around to cheer on their team as did the
west. Dustin Angelle crossed the time line at draw number 20 and
it was time to add, re-add and re-verifi ed. Jeanette Nelson, founder
of the WBRC, made the announcement that by only a difference of
.141, the WBRC Championship Title would remain in the East.
The Champion Team was determined by dropping the slowest 2
times and totaling the reaming 8 for a total team time (a hit barrel
carried a plus 5 per barrel). Team East total time was 131.038 and
Team West total time was 131.170. What a race. Each member of
Team East received $5000 each along with a nice prize package.
Team West members received $500 each along with the same prize
package. All competitors in the event received a prize package from
our wonderful sponsors.
Blaise Bercegeay received a custom Circle Y Headstall with custom
silver WBRC Conchos for the fastest qualifying time for Team
East. Wyatt Grace Andrews received a custom Circle Y Headstall
with silver WBRC for the fastest qualifying time for Team West.
In the fi nals, a Circle Y saddle was awarded to the contestant with
the fastest time. This saddle was presented to Wyatt Grace Andrews
of Team West. A Dazzle Rock Custom WBRC Headstall and Breast
Collar was presented to the fastest member of the opposite team,
this award was presented to JR Sullivan.
All competitors received Cinch and Cruel Girls jeans and competition
shirts. Other awards were provided by: Classic Equine, Dazzle
Rock Tack, Carolina Reins and Circle Y Saddlery. Other sponsors
who made this event possible are: NNN Ranch, Aculife/Lifewave
Patches, KWE Productions, Barrel Horse World, Josey Ranch,
Mount Holly Farm Supply and Schiller Ranch.
A special thanks to the Josey Staff for all their hard work to make
this event possible. Thanks to Michelle and Mackenzie St Clair and
Taylor Sartain for all of the behind the scene work, to Mark Burt
for the videos and Beth Kidd for the photos.
Plans are in the works for 2013, if you would like further information
about this event; please contact Jeanette Nelson 478-456-
7285 or jnelson54@yahoo.com. Or visit us @ www.worldbarrelracingchallenge.com
If you would like to be a member of the MOST exciting TEAM
BARREL RACE, contact us for qualifi cation guidelines. Spots are
Limited to 30 per team.
If you would like to be a sponsor for this Great Exciting, One of
a Kind Barrel race, we would love to have you on board for 2013.
Fast - Free - Informative - www.BarrelRacingReport.com
Barrel Racing Report July 3, 2012 Page 22