How do you describe a champion? We know champions of the past and present who excel despite varying in shape, size, strengths, and weaknesses. However, there seems to be one common factor - HEART - the desire and courage that surfaces in even the most difficult circumstances and separates the elite from the average. 

     So we do our best to choose a champion, however, in the sport of barrel racing, we must have the courage and heart as well to guide our champion, whether its as an owner, or as a rider. Barrel racing is not for the faint of heart. There is the anguish felt as your horse enters the alley; the excitement and hope as your anticipation rises. Your race is run in mere seconds, leaving you either ecstatically relieved or drained with disappiontment. Yet you must let it go because once the run is made, it is over. Then you must have the courage to hope for next time, and the ability to keep going when nothing is going right. You must be able to make decisions and be responsible for the outcome; whether it be making a decision on the care you take of your horse, on what events to enter him in, on the training beforehand or a split-second decision riding during a run. 

    Our dedication and time will always show through for us in the moments that matter. And of course, we will do our best to better our chances by choosing the horse we consider to have the "champion traits". Fast horses with speed blood are fantastic candidates but we must remember, speed is not the limit, we will always need heart, courage and confidence to complete our champion.