New barrel racing series starting at the end of July
Series will be held by West Coast Barrel Racing in Creston
–A new Central Coast Barrel Racing series is being held in Creston with the first event to be held July 24-25, and the final event of the series scheduled to be held October 23-24 with barbeque celebration and entertainment.
West Coast Barrel Racing decided to hold this series at the Creston Classic Rodeo Grounds, as the new owner Brian Pritt has invested in ensuring that the grounds are safe for both the horses and the riders.
Creston’s rodeo grounds have been in operation since the 1990s, as they’ve hosted a variety of events like an annual community fundraiser every September.
A typical barrel race attracts over 100 entries in the open, juniors & youth divisions, but the organization expects a turnout of over 150 entries every day from excitement over the newly renovated grounds and the series.
Barrel racing is a rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to run in the fastest time in a cloverleaf pattern around barrels set up in a particular pattern. It tests both the horse’s athletic ability and the horsemanship skills of a rider in order to securely and successfully maneuver the horse around three barrels placed in a triangle pattern within a large arena. The time is measured by an electric eye, a device using a laser system to record times, or by a judge who drops a flag to let the timer know when to start and stop the clock.

A typical barrel racing course