 Primarily a competitive woman's sport, barrel racing is seen at rodeos all over America. To win, horse and rider have to ride a clover-leaf style pattern around three barrels, racing to the finish line with the fastest time.
At the youth level both boys and girls compete. At adult levels some men compete in amateur contests. At collegiate and professional rank levels barrel racing is a competitive rodeo event primarily engaged in by women. 
| Typical barrel racing pattern |
The rider must ride their horse through a clover leaf pattern around three barrels placed in a triangular formation in the center of an arena. (Typically three fifty-five gallon metal or plastic drums.) The race timer begins when horse and rider cross the start line, ending when the barrel pattern has been successfully executed with horse and rider crossing the finish line. At the beginning of a barrel race, the horse and rider enter the arena at top speed, through the center entrance (or alley if in a rodeo arena). An electronic timer starts when a beam is crossed by the horse and rider. The timer runs until the beam is again crossed at the end of the run. Competitors like the idea that the contest is not judged subjectively, rather, whoever crosses the finish line with the best time is the winner. In the USA the National Barrel Horse Association (NBHA) has over 23,000 members of all ages across the United States as well as 12 other countries. | 
Barrel Saddles
