Saddle Up Ste. Rose has been a labour of love: a community focused group with the goal of bringing premier equestrian events to the heart of Ste. Rose. Their hard work has made that dream one step closer to reality. They get set to host their first MBRA Sanctioned Barrel Racing Series, with the first event today.
Ashley Vandepoele, Saddle Up Ste. Rose Committee Member, said it'll be a fun day for everyone involved, from racers, to organizers, and even cheering spectators.
"We've been sanctioned by [the Manitoba Barrel Racing Association] to be able to host these, we're going to be running a little bit of a series, and we're excited that the ground is ready to go in town, and we are able to do that...so it is really fast paced, it is a wonderful equine event that definitely shows the athleticism of both the rider and the horse, and it is fast paced, we're looking at some times of 16, 17, 18 seconds," said Vandepoele.
There is a $20 entry fee for open and youth divisions, and $10 for PeeWee. There will also be payouts in each of the three divisions. To register, get in touch with Saddle Up Ste. Rose via their Facebook page, and keep in mind you must have a valid MBRA card, which you'll need to show.
If you're not an MBRA member and still want to race, you're in luck: Vandepoele said they'll be having Toonie Runs, as a way to get the community even more involved, and give younger and beginner racers a chance to get some real-world practice.
"They are a sanctioned event, which means that the competitors who are coming down to take part in the event have a chance at going to finals later on in the fall, and so these runs count toward those. They have to have so many runs in, in order to qualify for finals, so this gives them a chance to do that...so we're offering toonie runs as well. So anyone who wants to come down and be able to just come and do a barrel run for fun, they can throw their name in the hat, they won't be looking at winning a part of the pot, there won't be prize money for them, but they can come and get some practice, which is also really great. So if you've got a young horse that you're just getting going on a pattern, it's a good opportunity," said Vandepoele.
They're set to host more MBRA Sanction Barrel Races in the future, but for now they're seeing where this one goes. Vandepoele said admission is free, and this event will focus mostly on the races, though there will also be a 50/50. For future events, spectators could see other things including food and vendors, but those plans aren't set.
Vandepoele said she hopes lots of the community shows up to support the racers. Warm ups start at 6:30 PM tonight, and the races kick off at 7:00 PM.
