The Ontario Barrel Racing Association President Says the First Event of the Season Exceeded Expectations For Number of Competitors and Number of Spectators
By Bob Montgomery
The Ontario Barrel Racing Association kicked off the 2024 season with the Blast Off event at the Reach Centre in Clinton over the weekend.
The events included pole bending and barrel racing in a range of age groups from beginners up to seniors. President Gary Nelson says the number of competitors and spectators significantly surpassed their expectations. “We're actually very overwhelmed. We're pushing almost two hundred entries for the weekend and in the early stages we were looking at just over one hundred, so it really came together at the end.”
Nelson says they've also had a few local people take advantage of the free admission drop in. “There's a lady that lives across the street just saw all of the trailers coming into the Reach Centre and she came over just to see what was going on, so I told her to come on in and enjoy the show.”
Nelson says their staff and the competitors are happy to answer questions about the events, and the popularity of the sport is definitely growing. He says just in the last few years he's seen the number of competitors almost double.
Amy Fotheringham grew up on a farm near Clinton and started riding when she was just a kid. She's been competing for about forty years now. She still enjoys the competition and the adrenaline rush. She admits she's had several injuries over the years but that has to be expected and she wouldn't let that stop her.
Kayla Ward is from the Windsor area. Her whole family was involved with horses and she's twenty years old now and has been riding ever since she could walk. She says for her too, the attraction is the adrenaline rush and the competition, but to be successful you do have to be committed. “You really have to be dedicated to the sport and willing to put a lot of time into it, but if you're dedicated and determined anyone can be successful.” She adds, it helps if you really enjoy what you're doing.
Gary Nelson - President, Ontario Barrel Racing Association
Amy Fotheringham - Barrel Racing Competitor
Amy Ward - Barrel Racing Competitor
