Hundreds of barrel racers gathered in Ocala over the weekend, bringing riders of different ages and experience levels to the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion for three days of competition.
The PacWest Barrel Racing event began Friday and continued through Sunday, with competitors racing for money and awards. The event was free for spectators and was expected to draw between 275 competitors Friday and potentially about 300 riders each day Saturday and Sunday, according to event manager and announcer Phyllis Torturo.
Torturo has been involved with the event in Ocala for 14 years. She said competitors travel from across Florida and nearby states, while the event also attracts riders from farther away. At least 100 Canadians come during the winter to compete, and some have bought farms locally.
For competitors, the reasons for making the trip vary.
Trish Tonn, who lives about 35 minutes from the pavilion, has been barrel racing since she was 3 years old. Two things drew Tonn to the PacWest event.
“The money. And the people,” Tonn said.
Tonn is focusing on putting together clean, consistent runs with her horse. She rides about three times a week to keep her horses fit.
Some competitors travel hours to reach the pavilion.
Callie Hall traveled about four hours from Bonita Springs after her coach told her about the event. Hall competed in the Youth 18 and Under division with Abby, a new racehorse no one else planned to run.
Hall has competed in barrel racing for three or four years. She said the sport has taught her that a successful run requires more than simply racing around the barrels as fast as possible.
“It’s not always just about going fast,” Hall said. “A lot of people go fast. It’s about slowing down, making sure you know what you’re doing, getting the steps down and then you can run out fast.”
She placed 14th in the 2D on Sunday with a time of 15.033 seconds, her best time of the weekend.
Nayela Hedrick Joshi is a local resident who competed in the event to prepare for larger competitions in Georgia and elsewhere.
Her goal for the weekend was clear.
“Just doing a clean run and stuff,” Hedrick Joshi said.
The event also gives some of its youngest riders a chance to enter the arena through the PeeWee division. The riders can be as young as 3 or 4, and some are led through the course by their parents.
The competition took place at the Southeastern Livestock Pavilion, a 55-acre facility operated by the Marion County Board of County Commissioners. The facility has two arenas, an RV park, an auditorium and 266 stalls for horses.
Holly Castell, the facility manager, said the pavilion hosts barrel races, horse sales, rodeos and other events throughout the year.
Castell said the pavilion's events allow families to spend time together.
“You see generations of family out here, which to me is incredible,” Castell said.
The pavilion also provides space for competitors traveling to the event to keep their horses on-site. Torturo said many competitors camp at the facility or stay in hotels during the three-day event.
The competition also adds economic activity to the local community, Torturo said, as competitors spend money on fuel, restaurants, stores, hotels and vendors.
Barrel racing is a competition based on time. Riders guide their horses through a three-barrel pattern, making either two left turns and one right turn or two right turns and one left turn. Electric timers record each run, and competitors are separated into divisions at half-second intervals based on their times.
The competition brings together families and riders who travel hours to race alongside those who live just down the road.
“Everybody comes happy and they usually leave happy,” Torturo said.
Race results from the competition are posted on Fastenter.com.