2015 BARREL RACING RECORDS Women’s Professional Rodeo Association 431 S. Cascade Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone (719) 447-4726 • Fax (719) 447-4631 www.wpra.com Fallon Taylor celebrated in style from the opening round (top photo) to the 10th and final night when she collected her world championship hardware with her family by her side (right photo). WPRA photos by Mike Copeman Worth the Wait By Ted Harbin championship was a triumphant comeback or 10 nights, it seemed, Fallon Tay- from what could have been the most devas- lor exited the Thomas & Mack Center tating time of Taylor’s life. Farena with a smile on her face as she and Babyflo sprinted past the famous yel- Broken but not low chutes. Even more vibrant on Dec. 13, the smile shattered revealed so much as Taylor held tightly to One question stopped the smiles for a the Montana Silversmiths gold buckle: few moments. It was meant as a reflection, – It was a dream come true a chance to remember that time five and – It was a validation a half years ago when Fallon Taylor was – It was a showcase for Babyflo unsure of everything that was going on in Most importantly, the 2014 WPRA world her life. While training a horse, things got wild. two horses that carried Taylor to her first The horse reared and slammed into her, four Wrangler NFR appearances (1995- then she was thrown. In all, she suffered 98). When she could start riding again, she broken bones on the right side of her face, broke, trained and rode Babyflo to the 2014 including her eye socket, as well a frac- world title. tured skull in four places and a broken C-2 “Every one of us has a different routine vertebra. how we take care of our horses,” Taylor Because of that spinal injury, doctors said. “I have a whole team with me, and it said she had just a 2 percent chance to walk takes a village. or talk again. Just thinking about that time “Babyflo is really quirky; she’s particu- is emotional for all involved. To do it while lar. We try to make a home everywhere we staring firmly at the gold buckle allowed go. We try to rebuild our barn atmosphere the tears to flow, just as she needed. at every single place we go.” “It’s amazing,” she said, tears dripping That meant even at the Wrangler NFR. off her cheeks as she continued to speak. “I Now 8 years old, the sorrel mare is a race- couldn’t walk. I couldn’t talk. To be para- horse for the ages. lyzed, then to come from that to here … “We just try to keep our routine,” she “It’s not about me. There (are) people at said. “I have a horse you can’t give any home that just want to lose 20 pounds or medication to and can’t have a chiropractor people that are clocking in the 5D or 4D adjust her, and you can’t really do a lot of in barrel racing that just want to be better. things to her. We have to preserve her at the Hopefully I offer them some encourage- best level we possibly can to get 10 runs. ment.” “She’s like the Terminator. She’s just She did, through every autograph, every rugged. She had a lot of slips here and gets appearance and every sprint toward the al- up and keeps going. She’s made for this.” ley inside the Thomas & Mack Center be- Through 10 December nights in the City fore nearly 18,000 screaming fans. That’s a of Lights, Babyflo was stronger than most. feeling she always will cherish. Taylor began the first round of the 2014 “I feel like I’m going to climb over my Wrangler NFR No. 2 in the world stand- horse’s head and outrun her to get out,” she ings, nearly $24,000 behind leader Kaley said, laughing again. Bass. She passed Bass by placing in eight go- A horse of course rounds and edged reserve world champion Fallon Taylor left the hospital a few Lisa Lockhart by about $11,000 … all on days after arriving, defying the odds and Babyflo. walking out. She went back to the ranch in “We are the staff of Babyflo; we work Whitesboro, Texas, where she wore a halo for Babyflo,” Taylor said. “I love that we brace for another year. get all this attention, but we work for her.” For those unfamiliar with the halo, it’s a Now the star and her understudy get a virtual barbaric device to help maintain the little rest before they embark on the seri- neck’s stability. Bolts were screwed into ous side of the 2015 season. As of Dec. Taylor’s skull, and long arms connect the 18, Taylor had earned more than $7,000 head brace to a stabilizer on her shoulders toward the 2015 WPRA World Standings, and around her torso. so a break was in order. She wore that for a year. She also start- “We’re going to probably pull some ed connecting with a filly, Flos Heiress, a shoes off and let her be barefoot and graze horse she calls Babyflo that was sired by a little bit,” she said. “We’re a lot alike. We Dr Nick Bar out of Flowers and Money, don’t like idle hands. We don’t sit still for Having qualified for her first National Finals Rodeo at the age of 13 in 1995, it wasn’t until the 2014 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo that Fallon Taylor finished ranked No. 1 in the WPRA World Standings. She will be the first to tell you it was worth the wait, especially after being told in 2009 after a terrible accident that she might not walk or talk again. Taylor can now add World Champion to her resume. WPRA photo by Mike Copeman very long. But the needed ground-change hap- “Babyflo thinks she’s done something pened, and times reflected it. wrong if she’s not in the limelight.” “Everybody that tried really hard – the That’s a good thing. They don’t spend president of the WPRA and all the WPRA much time in the practice pen. In fact, Tay- women who stepped in – tried to make this lor said, the tandem made it around the bar- the very best National Finals they could,” rel pattern just three times prior to running Taylor said. “The ground changed a lot in Las Vegas. from last year, and they did everything “Babyflo is one of the most intelligent they possibly could to have our equine ath- animals I’ve ever been around,” she said. letes’ best interests in mind, and it showed. “She doesn’t need any schooling. She “It got progressively better to make this doesn’t need a refresher course.” actually a horserace.” No. She’s a champion, and she knows it. It was. Lockhart, of Oelrichs, S.D., So does Taylor. claimed to the average title, rounding the cloverleaf pattern in a 10-round cumula- A true horserace tive time of 144.93 seconds, bettering Tay- Fallon Taylor and Babyflo knew it was lor by less than two-tenths. Lockhart’s only going to be a horserace. They won the first slip came in the sixth round, when she and go-round in what seemed like a skid-fest An Okie With Cash tipped a barrel. at 14.09 seconds. The next night was even That average title was the only honor slower, when Babyflo slipped and tipped a Lockhart held over Taylor and Babyflo. barrel; the winning time was 14.29 ... an “We’ve made 10 amazing runs,” said eternity in the Thomas and Mack. Taylor, who became just the third indi- vidual in WPRA history to win a world citing to watch. I’m excited that this caliber title going to the left barrel first. The others of women came in, and they gave us hell. were Ardith Bruce riding Red and Lindsay We had to fight for this one. There is no Sears aboard Martha. “My mare ran sub easy world title, no easy average win and 14-second runs every single time she made no easy rodeo.” a decent run and didn’t trip. The horses are tired. We’re tired. I just gave it everything A quick look back I had. I wasn’t overly concerned with the Doctors once told Fallon Taylor the statistics. I figured it would all come out in chances were slim she’d ever walk again, the wash.” maybe talk again. Before the final go-round on Dec. 13, She beat the odds. That’s what Las Vegas Taylor posted on her Facebook page that is all about, isn’t it? by the time the evening ended, she would The 2014 Wrangler NFR marked know if she was “pretty good, really good the sixth time in her storied career that or damn good.” Taylor has qualified for ProRodeo’s grand “I’m damn good; I’ve got the buckle, championship. She was just 13 when she and it says ‘damn good’ across it,” she said, first played in the Nevada desert in 1995. smiling that brilliant grin. “I’m so excited. She followed with more trips in 1996-98, To be penned against Lisa Lockhart, who then stepped away from the barrel racing is the queen of consistency, and Louie, scene for a decade. who is amazing, and to have a mare that It was 15 years between Wrangler NFR had probably one of the worst finals in his- qualifications.