Barrel racing event coming to Hoedspruit

Horse rider, Melissa Swan who is also known as The Barrel Bee, invites riders of any discipline to join in the fun and try out barrel racing as well as other Western games.

“We promise you will like it! We would like for Western riding to become more popular in our region as it has already grown so much in other regions of the country. The event will be collaborated with The Equine House’s Saturday Market which is a new favourable market for the whole family,” she said.

She has been riding for a good 15 years. “As a child, all I wanted was to ride, touch, draw or just be around horses; I pretty much wanted to ride before I could even walk! There is no other explanation for my love of horses other than the passion God instilled in me, which I believe He will one day use to fulfil my purpose,” she said.

She told the Herald that her love for horses keeps her going as a rider, she said the people whom she has had the privilege of meeting along the way also keeps her going.

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“I have gained some invaluable relationships along my walk with horses. My horses give me so much in return and that they are ultimately the reward,” she said. She said although horse riding in general is a widely female sport, it is often times not considered by many to be a sport at all.

“Barrel racing in particular is mostly dominated by women, because we’re a little bit crazy and we show no fear. In the US, barrel racing is included in the NFR (National Finals Rodeo) where men and women are equally significant in the role they play in the different events; I believe the attitude surrounding the setup is fair and inclusive. Barrel racing is adrenalinefilled, dangerous, thrilling and also extremely technical when you are a serious competitor.”

According to Swan, the rules are fair and the competition is tough, not to mention the fun. “Although we might not always win with the best time, sometimes we win through our personal bests. There is nothing so satisfying as exiting the arena after you know you ran the perfect run in technique, best time or not. At the end of the day, each rider is competing against their best self,” she said.

She told the Herald that her instructor and trainer, Traci Thomson, is her role model because she has taught her to saddle up her first horse at the young age of 10 and has taught her plenty since. “She taught me softness, forgiveness, and persistence.

“She pushes me to push through. Traci has a major role to play in forming my character over the years and what I love about her most is that she teaches us that the horse always comes first,” she said.

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Swan said in the barrel racing industry, she looks up to the big girls who put in so much into their careers. “I look up to Hailey Kinsel, a three-time world champion, and Amberly Snider who is America’s only professional quadriplegic barrel racer and serves as a huge inspiration of our attitude when life seems to hit a dead end,” she said.

She said the upcoming event will has so much to offer for both the riders and spectators. “It is a fun and inclusive sport and welcomes novice as well as competitive riders and encourages them all to feel they have a place in our sport. “I am extremely excited to show our beautiful Hoedspruit community what our sport is all about and will certainly host more events in the future with plenty more exciting surprises, this is only the beginning.

“Our event also invites Hoedspruit companies to get involved and contribute as sponsors to make the day a success,” she said. According to Swan the NBHA is the only association that focuses on giving back to its riders, thus a ‘jackpot’ is put aside for the day which will be distributed back into cash prizes for the divisional placings.

Should you or your company like to make a contribution, Melissa can be contacted on 072 443 5011.