We raced this weekend in Smokes, SC at our NBHA SC03 race. Some pretty tough folks in our district. Each weekend we race against 4 to 6 NBHA World Champions and several others that have won significant amounts of money in the barrel arena. Let me put it to you this way, it is no joke when you come run with us. You better come prepared to win or not pay your money!

In the Jackpot race Pee Wee and I waited until about 20 before we ran and just trotted around. No big warm up. After all he is 21. Big mistake. When they called my name he reared up, let out a huge fart and took off. I am not kidding. He acted 10 and was running 90 by the time we crossed the timer. I was way off balance, way to far forward and way not ready. But, we turned all three and won the 4D! Andre' won the 3D.

In the second race, I took some time to warm up. Pee Wee was really mad about that. See... he likes one thing, running barrels. He does not like to exercise, does not like to walk, he likes to run. That is it... run. We'll we hit the arena and won the 3D until about five horses were left. A good friend blew the 3D number with a super hot run. Darn it all! But, Pee Wee and I improved by 8 tenths in the second run.

So, lesson learned. Get out the gas first or watch out. I guess I do not need to teach this old dog new tricks. He has plenty left for me.

Until the next race.

Ryan

The NBHA Dixie Nationals was in North Augusta, SC this past weekend. Over 300 pre-entries and about 200 more added on to make the race. Riders like BFA World Champion Brett Monroe rode SR Red Ryder and NBHA World Champion Sarah McDonald where all at the competition. Pee Wee is solid as horses get. That old gelding is a machine, flat out a machine. The more I warmed him up the madder he got. I felt like he was saying to me, "What are you doing boy, get to the pattern or get off." I guess I must have heard him some how and got off and walked him to the back of the arena. My goal was to hit the 4D as Pee Wee is just coming off a year off. I have only had him one month and have not had much time to get him in shape. Plus, if you have read this blog before, exercising him is a real treat. We'll we hit the alley way and the cheers were grand! I have some great barrel racing friends. The ground looked good and my friend Scott Brown was in the yellow John Deere seat, so I was confident the dirt at the first would hold. I hit the alley hard and sent the old man. As we neared the first barrel my saddle slipped forward, but Pee Wee kept running and bounced a bit to tip me back out of his way. My picture at the second barrel even made my buddy Kenneth Springer smile. I ran wide to the third, very dumb of me and I forced Pee Wee into a hole and he slipped really bad at the third barrel and ran a 16.144. I was so sure that past winners at this arena would run a 13.9 that I would have bet my next pay check on it. But, much to the surprise of many, a 14.169 won the first go. So, we were too fast for the 4D. For go 2, I grabbed my whip. My thought, if we are too fast for the 4D, I better step it up and at least win the 3D. Come on, being one second off a $150,000 horse (my guess at his value) like SR Red Ryder is pretty darn good. Pee Wee was ready and we had a sweet run. I only lopped a few circles, and got off his back to warm up. People say I should not worry about his age, but a wise person once told me that each horse only has a certain number of runs in their body, so don't waste them. Pee Wee's second run was very smooth, very nice turns, but I dropped my whip at the second barrel. It didn't matter he seemed to pick up speed thinking it was in my hand, then from the 3rd barrel home he lost his gas. Poor guy, he tried very hard and ran a 15.8. He gave it his all, but was just out of breathe. Me too. Faster than go round one, but not fast enough to see the top spot in the third division as a 14.2 won the race. I walked back to the trailer and I could tell he was not happy. I kept trying to tell him it was no big deal. Very weird, he seems to talk. Andre' said she will put him on the hot walker all week. Pee Wee wants to win really bad. I think more than me some runs.

More later.

Ryan