Sponsored by Achieve Equine In the competitive realm of barrel racing, your horse’s health and performance are paramount. FLAIR® Equine Nasal Strips are an innovative tool designed to improve your horse’s breathing and optimize performance when it counts. Barrel racing demands quick acceleration, agile turns, and stamina – pushing horses to their limits and resulting in greater demands for airflow to the lungs. As the horse responds to these demands by breathing harder, the soft tissues of the nasal passages are sucked inward, which results in increased resistance to breathing. FLAIR Strips pr ..read more

By Jolee Lautaret Jordan, courtesy World Champions Rodeo Alliance with edits from Barrel Horse News Who’ll wager four days in the arena for a potential max payout of $34,500? And then possibly double down for one more day for a big share of $1 million? Seem like a good bet? Jennifer Driver believes it is so the West Texas cowgirl has anted up in the World Champions Rodeo Alliance’s Last Chance Qualifier for the 2024 edition of Rodeo Corpus Christi to be held May 7-11 Only the top 20 on the WCRA’s Rodeo Corpus Christi Leaderboard earn a spot to compete in that $600,000-plus rodeo and Driver was ..read more

National Barrel Horse Association member Tanya Condon overcame life obstacles all while holding onto her love of barrel racing. As a kid, Tanya Condon from Litchfield, Maine, sat between the legs of Belgian horses, brushing their feathers, believing that’s how every child interacted with their horses. Her father used the gentle giants to skid logs and compete in the show pen. During winter, the family leased saddle horses from a camp horse broker for trail riding. Eventually, Condon got a horse of her own to participate in 4-H events, learning to ride from lifelong friends Nicole Labbe and her ..read more

Select Barrel Horse News advertisers bring you high-quality, reliable and stylish tack and equipment to update your horse’s wardrobe this spring. Reinsman Equestrian 970 Johnson Hack Combo Bit The 970 Johnson Hackamore Combo Bit offers long gag action coupled with a rope noseband for lift and control. The rope nose works on the bridge of the nose for added rate and control. The chain mouth reduces pressure felt across the bars but provides just enough pressure on the tongue to guide and aid in flex to turn your horse at performance level. This is the combo bit used by a renowned bar ..read more

Kailey Sullins. Photo by Kathryn Sullins Sometimes, getting back to the basics is just what every horseman needs to refresh our minds and attitudes. Spring is a perfect time to re-evaluate not only our riding and horsemanship, but the tools we use to communicate with our horses as well. The right equipment can make the difference between winning or losing, and even between a healthy horse and an injured horse. The Tack and Equipment Issue has something for everyone. The equipment we use is vital to our success, but more than that it’s important to use the correct tools to communicate with our ..read more

The Tack & Equipment Issue Headgear How-To: Part One In Part One of a three-part series, barrel racing experts delve deep into the dos and don’ts of common barrel racing headgear to help you understand the effects on your horse. By Jessica Lash, Page 26 On the Cover: Brandon Cullins and MJ Segers Fast Lane win The American Rodeo. Photo by Kailey Sullins Tack Tactics These tips will help you keep your equine gear clean and in good working condition. By Abigail Boatwright. Page 32 Hackin’ It Hackamores have grown in popularity and are now available in many different varieties. Learn from mak ..read more

Sponsored by Troxel When it comes to horse riding, safety should always be a top priority. Your helmet is a vital piece of equipment that protects your head and ensures your peace of mind during your ride. The Troxel Spirit Helmet, renowned as the #1 riding helmet, has now been enhanced to provide even better protection and comfort. Let’s delve into the features that make the Spirit with MIPS® Technology a must-have for every rider. The Highest Standard of Protection with MIPS® Technology The Troxel Spirit Helmet now comes with the added protection of MIPS technology, a state-of-the-art system ..read more

Canadian Samantha Brown balances international travel for the family business along with life and her barrel racing aspirations. Samantha Brown’s regular commute is a 10-hour drive. She spends half of her month traveling to the Midwestern U.S. states from her home in Rockwood, Ontario—about 90 minutes from the New York border, just outside Toronto. Brown and her dad, Don Salzsauler, own Flax Farm, a premium animal-bedding company. Besides the 24/7 family business, Brown and her dad own racehorses, mares and foals. Brown also owns three dogs and is a fitness instructor and a wife—oh, and she’s ..read more

Learning to ride correctly through the turn will help your horse finish strong. When you’re coming into a turn, look up and ride straight to Axis Point One before letting your horse start the turn. My niece has been riding with me lately, and I’m helping her learn the basics of barrel racing. Through working with her, as well as with lots of other people over the years at my clinics, it’s reminded me of how sometimes people, especially green riders, get to the backside of the turn and forget the importance of finishing the turn. A lot of people new to barrel racing don’t think as much about fi ..read more

Calli VanTassell and CVT Rockyroad claimed their first futurity championship with a win at the Dixie Classic-Konra Minniear Memorial. At-A-Glance: When: March 7-10, 2024 Where: Washington County Legacy Park — Hurricane, Utah Total Entries: 1,234 runs Total Payout: $141,014 Hooper, Utah native Calli VanTassell’s life revolves around fast horses. In addition to training winning barrel horses, she is a multiple stakes-winning racehorse trainer. It’s a family affair — her father is a trainer and her husband is a jockey. The Dixie Classic Futurity Average win came in just her second year of futurit ..read more