IN THIS ISSUE: • NHSFR Barrel Racing, Lincoln, NE, pg 2 • Days of ’47 Rodeo, Salt Lake City, UT, pg 9 • NBHA Teen & Youth World Finals, Perry, GA, pg 31 • The Red Rocket, Salina, UT, pg 45 • Snake River Stampede & World Standings, pg 48 JULY 27, 2021 // Volume 15: Issue 30 • BRN4D Championship Finals, Rochester, WY, pg 52 Published Weekly, online at www.BarrelRacingReport.com - Since 2007 NHSFR BARREL RACING CHAMPIONS Tampa Bay Rey Deal & Ava Grayce Sanders — page 2 NBHA TEEN & YOUTH WORLD FINALS JL Little Wag & Summer Pauly Little Jetsablazin & Pressley Green Porter — page 31 SNAKE RIVER STAMPEDE French Zone & Kelly Bruner — page 48 Ava Grayce Sanders & Tampa Bay Rey Deal Crowned National High School Rodeo Finals Champions By Tanya Randall Ava Grayce Sanders and Tampa Bay Rey Deal (“King”) took the 2021 National High School Rodeo Association Barrel Racing NHSFR BARREL RACING CHAMPIONS Championship home to Vero Beach, Florida. The 15-year-old jockey and 8-year-old gelding turned in consis- Tampa Bay Rey Deal & Ava Grayce Sanders tent runs all week to take home the championship in their rookie High Brow Hickory appearance at the National High School Rodeo Finals in Lincoln, High Brow Cat Nebraska. “Our goal was just to stay consistent and make it back for the Smart Little Kitty finals,” said Sanders, the Florida High School Rodeo Reserve Barrel Dealnwithacoolcat Racing Champion. “King is normally really great about being con- Peppy San Badger sistent.” Peppy Taquita They won their performance with a 17.501 and placed third in Doc’s Play Mate the first round. Using the same game plan for the second round, Sanders and King posted a 17.525 for fifth in their performance Tampa Bay Rey Deal and 12th in the round. They held the lead in the two run aggregate 2013 Sorrel Gelding going into the final run. Dual Pep By virtue of random draw, Sanders and King were the first run- Dual Rey ners out in the finals. They stayed consistent with a 17.547, good enough for fifth in the finals and aggregate win. Nurse Rey “We just went in there to make another smooth, solid run,” she Emily Rey explained. “Our goal is never to win it, just make sure we have an- Doc’s Oak other smooth, solid run. We ended up holding the average through Susies Oak four drags by 1/1000th of a second.” Tickets Sue Ellen Cornville, Arizona’s Karsen Jackson, who ran in the very last drag, Rider/Owner: Ava Grayce Sanders; Breeder: Ora & Frank Diehl topped the finals with a 17.311, but finished with a 52.574 to Sander’s 52.573. Sanders, however, didn’t stick around after her run to see how things played out. She went back to the stalls to care for King. THE RUNDOWN w/Ava Grayce Sanders “I didn’t even know I had won!” she exclaimed. “My mom and Tampa Bay Rey Deal, “King” 15 hands, 1,000 lbs. my best friend had to run and come tell me. I was completely clue- BIT: Myler lifter less. I already had my jeans tucked into my boots, I had hosed him off and got him water. I was just sitting there talking to him. They SADDLE: Caldwell Ultra Rocket were like, ‘Ava Grayce! You won!’ I was like ‘No Way!’ I was hon- SADDLE PAD: Impact Gel estly shocked!” LEG GEAR: Professional’s Choice on all four Her mother Cathy said telling her daughter that she won was one SHOEING: Florida Farrier Service, Steel shoes with pads on front of the best moments of the NHSRF. FEED: Seminole DynaSport Cathy related, “When we walked up, she said, ‘Momma, I really HAY: Alfalfa tried.’ I said, ‘Ava Grayce, baby, you won!’ It was really a pretty spe- ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES: Body work from Ronda Butler cial moment. She was really more concerned about her partner than herself. I think that made it even better.” SUPPLEMENTS: Oxy-Gen Bio-Gut and Mag-Max. Pre-Race: Oxy-Ulcer Her mother was also proud of Sander’s ability to handle the pres- ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES: Body work from Ronda Butler sure of not only going in with a lead but with handling the outside TRAINING/CONDITIONING: “I try to ride him every day, long trotting three miles. distractions as well. Right before making her Finals runs, she had to He doesn’t get a lot of slow work because I don’t feel like he needs it. I do appearance obligations for the NHSRF production crew. will occasionally do the four barrel drill by Joy Wargo, which has helped “That was really a shock to us,” said her mom. “She’s very regi- him tremendously. I highly encourage anyone who is having trouble mented in how she handles herself and has a warmup routine and getting their horse to move their feet around the barrel to try that drill. all of a sudden that got blown to bits. We were like ‘Oh my gosh, Ava!’ She had to be first out in the first event and the production of It keeps them quick and snappy. Other than that, it’s just lots and lots of NHSRF wanted introductions and interviews, and she needed to set long trotting. that aside, jump on her horse, and go make a solid run when she’s SPONSORS: Impact Gel, American Hat Company, Oxy-Gen, Outlaw Equine, holding first in the average. That’s a lot of pressure for a 15-year-old Dazzle Rock Tack, Audrey’s Feed & Tack, B Equine Essentials, Florida Far- kid. For me, that was the most compelling thing. I was so impressed rier Service, Cowgirl Couture, Timey Brand and Roden Fields. with her for being able to hold herself together and hold him together to be able to make another smooth, solid businessman run Sanders isn’t a cradle cowgirl. She became interested in horses and walk out of there as the National Champ.” after her family visited a dude ranch in Montana. Once home, her National High School Finals Continued on Page 3 National High School Finals Continued From Page 2 parents enrolled her in a horse camp which led to Indian River Rid- before at the International Youth Finals Rodeo in Shawnee, Okla- ing Club. Just two years had passed before Sanders’ desire and abil- homa. ity began outpacing the horses she had access to when King came “We didn’t not have the greatest time at Shawnee,” Sanders along. admitted. “I went in there thinking, ‘I’ve got this. I’ve run him a A cutting horse reject, King is by the High Brow Cat, Peppy million times,’ but it was his first time in a big, outdoor pen. At San Badger stallion Dealnwithacoolcat out of Dual Rey, Doc’s Oak Shawnee, they have three pens going at the same time, so it was all mare Emily Rey. He was trained for barrel by Dalton Locke, who really new for him. Our first go we didn’t do so hot, but we dialed it sold him to Sanders as a 3- coming, 4-year-old. in for the second round. It was honestly a great learning experience Although Sanders was young and her horse green, they clicked for me and for him, just learning that we need to be more in tune instantly. In 2019, they won the NBHA Youth 1D World Champi- with each other. It really gave us confidence going into Nationals.” onships. They have since qualified multiple times to the American She was also really grateful to the NHSRF production crew for Semifinals, Jr American and Jr NFR. Earlier this year, they were the dragging every five runners. high-money earners at the Jr American / Patriot with $35,417! “That’s what we’re used to at barrel races and it made a huge Sanders decided to test the rodeo waters more after having so difference for me and gave me confidence,” she said. “I knew it was much success at the larger jackpot races. going to be fair and better for the health of my horse.” “I wanted to do something on a national level, so we decided to Sanders, a rising junior attending public school, said she’s unsure of high school rodeo,” Sanders said. “I wanted to try something dif- her future plans with King. They qualified for another Jr American ferent. I wanted to try going to something outside of the Southeast while in Shawnee and she’s currently considering the World Cham- and really ‘testing our salt.’ I wanted to prove to myself that he pionship Junior Rodeo this week in Guthrie. could do it and I could do it.” She wanted to thank her sponsors for helping her go down the The biggest change with the switch from barrel races to rodeo road and keeping King healthy and safe, her parents for supporting was the atmosphere. In fact, Nationals was the second time for her dreams and God for the talent to do this. Sanders to run King at an outdoor event. Their first was the week National High School Finals Rodeo 5 Ava Grayce Sanders FL 17.547 13 Dessa Hext TX 17.864 July 18-24, 2021, Lincoln, NE 6 Lacey Lawrence MT 17.583 14 Grace Gardiner TX 17.877 7 Jordan Morman WY 17.639 15 Sabrina Glazier AB, CAN 17.885 Average 8 Wylee Mitchell NV 17.728 16 Sofia Borowski AZ 17.906 1 Ava Grayce Sanders FL 52.573 9 Kylie Conner LA 17.871 17 Chaley Hext TX 17.912 2 Karsen Jackson AZ 52.574 10 Trista Hovde MT 17.891 18 Trista Hovde MT 17.919 3 Merrin Frost KS 52.772 11 Sabrina Glazier AB, CAN 17.929 19 Audra Blevins AR 17.921 4 Lacey Lawrence MT 52.777 12 Grace Gardiner TX 17.974 20 Merrin Frost KS 17.922 5 Alexis McDonald MT 52.788 13 Ashlyn Muto CA 18.018 6 Wylee Mitchel NV 53.105 14 Keely Orr SC 18.021 Second Go 7 Jordan Morman WY 53.137 15 Ember Schira SK, CAN 18.879 1 Madilyn Todd AZ 17.281 8 Kiarra Reiss ND 53.175 16 Alissa Flores TX 22.124 2 Lacey Lawrence MT 17.362 9 Trista Hovde MT 53.179 17 Chaley Hext TX 23.043 3 Trista Hovde MT 17.369 10 Ashlyn Muto CA 53.700 18 Hadley Tidwell NM 23.277 4 Alissa Flores TX 17.400 11 Kylie Conner LA 53.787 19 Weslynn Reno NM 23.502 5 Kiarra Reiss ND 17.418 12 Grace Gardiner TX 53.843 20 Maddie Fantaskey WY 23.636 6 Karsen Jackson AZ 17.429 13 Sabrina Glazier AB, CAN 53.855 7 Jordan Morman WY 17.505