It was about 2 weeks ago that I was happy to report Jet and I moved into the Manitoba Rodeo Cowboys Association Finals standing during the last weekend of the year. We really did have a great year, it was just that a lot of our money was won at single approved CCA rodeos so it didn’t count towards the MRCA standings.
It was just this past weekend that Jet and I competed at the Manitoba Finals Rodeo that was held in conjunction with the Wheat City Stampede. The finals champion is crowned based on points awarded each of the three rounds and points on the average. Jet and I won the second round and placed fourth in the third round. We ended up winning the average and winning the finals championship based on the total of these points.
Michelle and Grady with Jet's MFR Championship Saddle
Going into the finals my “plan” was to have three solid, consistent runs and hope this would pull through for the win. It worked! There were quite a few new faces and new horses at the finals this year and it proved to be a very competitive finals. It came down to the last run in the last round. A few hundredth’s of a second here or a barrel there and the results would have been much different. Hats off to all the other girls who made it a fun race to watch and participate it.
The pattern at the finals is set on an angle from the gate. It’s a challenging approach because the ramp we have to come down is not at the same angle as the gate. When you leave second barrel it almost seems as though you are running back up the wall. My first run Jet pulled off of second barrel and started to run up to the middle of the pen (where third would normally be). I got him over to third and got him around it. Because we went into it out of position it made it difficult for him to turn correctly especially when the ground was not forgiving. We didn’t get this one on video. For my second and third runs I came in with a different game plan for second my approach worked. He finished the barrel and headed straight up to third. The first barrel is quite tricky and I had to work to keep him straighter longer, but what we did worked. Watching the videos, he was still pretty short and I could have used another stride up in there before we started the turn. Always something to work on I guess and it all worked out anyway.
Sunday morning we were awarded a beautiful trophy saddle sponsored by Irvine Tack and Trailers from Alberta (free shipping Canada wide). I’d like to thank them for their support of barrel racing in Manitoba. It is greatly appreciated. I’d also like to thank the rodeo committees that had MRCA rodeos throughout the year, the MRCA and its board of directors for working to keep the MRCA alive and for producing the Wheat City Stampede.
I’d like to thank my family and friends for their support throughout the year. Grady is a great traveler and loves to go to rodeos, but Murray and I are very thankful he was able to visit family sometimes when we went to rodeos.
Having a child certainly makes rodeoing different. It definitely makes getting to the rodeos a bit of a production, but once we are there we love and appreciate every minute. We are so blessed to be out there having fun and doing what we love. It wasn’t that long ago when barrel racing get me worked up and I was a wreck trying to get around 3 barrels. I’m not going to lie, I still have the odd setback, but having a child has certainly simplified my barrel racing. I’m sure my horses appreciate my new perspective I have on the whole deal. It’s just three barrels and horse race – let’s have some fun!
We have a few empty pens around here. This weekend we had a send off for two horses that have been with us for several years. Axle went to his new home in Lethbridge, AB. I am so excited for this match. Murray’s good heeling horse Jaws left for his new home in Carivele, SK and we hope he will win his new owner some money at some team ropings next summer.
Thank you friends for your congratulation hugs, handshakes, texts, emails and Facebook messages. I really appreciate you all and it means a lot.
Here are my runs from the second and third round:
You may also be interested in reading the interview Shayna did for the RodeoClassifieds.com blog. We’ve been interviewing event winners all summer and I’m thrilled to get a chance to be interviewed! Click here.
