MARCH 1, 2016 Volume 10: Issue 9 In this issue... • No Bull Barrel Race, pg 6 • Pro Rodeos & World Standings, pg 16 • The Patriot Invitational, pg 27 • The Patriot Futurity, pg 30 fast horses, fast news • SE Arena Futurity & Open, pg 40 Published Weekly Online at www.BarrelRacingReport.com - Since 2007 The American Dream Comes True for Sarah McDonald & Fame Fling N Bling By Tanya Randall Sarah McDonald and her great horse Fame Fling N Bling have as Y IX had a relatively quiet winter until they bought down the house at TRE A KIN IX E S S S S I 97 RFD-Tv’s The American, presented by Polaris Ranger. Using their S I 104 trademark paint peeling style, the duo from New Brunswick, Ga., MI ss A ss URED left Arlington’s AT&T Stadium $100,000 richer. A STRE A K O F FLING S I 95 “I was so happy when I was in the Top 10 after the NFR and I S I 98 Fas T FLING would get to go to The American,” said McDonald. While the Top MOON FLING S I 98 10 in the WPRA and PRCA are invited to compete as guests, the S I 102 remaining field is made up of qualifiers who competed for their MOON BE A M LA DY chance to make the big show and a shot at a share of a $1 million FA ME FLING N BLING bonus in Arlington. McDonald herself qualified last year, but didn’t 2006 BA Y RO A N MA RE make it through the Semifinals Rodeo. FIR S T DOWN Das H “It’s such an amazing opportunity,” she continued. “There’s 21 S I 105 (contestants) and only two of them are going to have a really big Das H T A FA ME S I 113 payday. It’s definitely tough. It’s amazing the prize money they give SUDDEN FA ME away, and the prizes. It was great for the sport of rodeo.” SHORT PENNY S I 98 Among the prizes that McDonald took home were an “amazing” SOLD SHORT belt buckle, a “beautiful” saddle, a rifle, a Yeti cooler and a Polaris SHORT A ND DU S TY S I 97 Ranger—“even though I won’t be home to drive it. My uncle’s go- S I 94 ing to enjoy it for me!” DU S TY GA ME McDonald wanted to thank her uncle Stephen McDonald, who S I 95 trained Bling, and Larry Ammons, who co-owns the mare, her RIDER : SA R A H MCDON A LD ; OWNER : LA RRY A MMON S ; BREEDER : SH A NNON A KER S TROM boyfriend Wade Whatley and Bling’s equine therapist Jess Harper as well as her sponsors Oxy-Gen, Cinch, Texas Landman, CSI Pads, Nonstop Drifter mare. “She’s just really fun to ride. She’s a push Iconoclast, RockN Wilson’s Leather, Horse Hydrator, Charlie 1 style also. She did great. She got us placed second in the second and Horse Hats, Dusty Rocker Boots, Elgin Vet Hospital and PHT. third round and advanced us to the semis (at San Antonio).” McDonald’s uncle and Ammons were both in attendance for The Meanwhile, Bling was healing. American. “It didn’t take long to heal,” she said, “but I was like, ‘This is not “They were excited,” she said. “I was happy to see them. I hadn’t at a good time! The American’s coming up!’ Maybe she just needed seen them since I left in January. They were happy to see Bling. It a little break.” was awesome how they were there.” When Bling got cleared for riding again, McDonald spent a lot of After jumping to the lead in the World Standings during last year’s time working on getting her first barrel and her timing back. winter run, McDonald and Bling were hit and miss this year until a “That was on Thursday,” she said. “Saturday, I had entered Sin- health issue was uncovered. After running in the first round of San ton, Texas. I thought I’m going to go there and get a practice run. Antonio, McDonald knew something wasn’t right with Bling. At the point, I didn’t know if I was going to run her (at The Ameri- “I took her the vet and she had an ulcer on her epiglottis,” she can) or if she was back feeling good. She had to be on pretty heavy explained, “and it was preventing her from getting air while she was antibiotics. So I ended up going down there and she worked really running. So, I had to get off of her.” good and felt more like her normal self. So I decided I was going to McDonald climbed aboard Foxy Driftin Jewel, a Southeastern stick with Bling for The American and hope for the best.” horse who belongs to Trip and Callie duPerier, for her remaining McDonald and the extremely quick-footed A Streak Of Fling, runs at San Antonio. Dash Ta Fame mare were the third fastest qualifiers after the long “I’m hauling her this year,” said McDonald of the 14-year-old RFD-Tv’s The American Continued on Page 4 IN THE NEWS .......IN THE NEWS......in the news......In the News......In the News..... Feb. 28. Young Mother & Barrel Racer Passes But Sundell, the 2015 reserve world champion saddle bronc Barrel racer Lara Dewees of Dade City, Fla., died Feb. 28, one day rider, was also eligible for the bonus this year – if he could win his before her 28th birthday, as a result of injuries sustained after her event for a remarkable third straight year as the “Triple Crown” run at the Feb. 19-20 Southern Miss Coca-Cola Classic Rodeo in champion. None of the qualifiers could unseat the elite athletes, Hattiesburg, Miss. Dewees lost control of the reins, and was eventu- and Sundell took home the entire bonus after an epic ride of 90.75 ally thrown from the horse. She was transported to Forrest General points on a Frontier Rodeo bronc named Maple Leaf. Hospital, where she remained in a coma until passing away. A Go “I think I was born for this place,” said Sundell, who also won Fund Me account has been set up on her behalf to help her family $100,000 at RFD-TV’s The American in AT&T Stadium in 2014 with expenses. It can be accessed at www.gofundme.com/jtr7582s. and again in 2015. “There’s no backing up here; you have to let it all -- Courtesy of www.prorodeo.com hang out.” Sundell had to sweat the run of fellow Triple Crown contender Barrel Sire Holy Bart Passed Away Lisa Lockhart of South Dakota, who also won the preliminary round Last Tuesday, February 23, 2016, up and coming barrel sire Holy of her event and looked likely to split Sundell’s million-dollar windfall. Bart passed away. The 2002 black stallion was bred by Robert Drig- But by less than two-tenths of a second, Lockhart was edged to sec- gers and Jerrylee Belew. By perennial leading barrel sire Dash Ta ond in barrel racing, making Sundell the lone bonus winner. Fame and out of High On Coaly by On A High. Holy Bart was a His paycheck of $1.1 million on Sunday comes close to the $1.4 1D barrel horse and sire who traced back to the blue hen mare, Es- million it has taken him nine years of professional bronc riding to ters Little Klu. He was owned, ridden, and stood at stud with John earn in his career. Sundell recently won the Cheyenne (Wyo.) Fron- & Cindy Baltezore. Here is note from them: tier Days rodeo on Maple Leaf. It is with heavy hearts we announce our family and breeding “I’m always wound up, but I was really wound up when I found program experienced a devastating loss overnight. Our beloved stal- out I had that horse,” said Sundell, who was a high-school standout lion, Holy Bart, lost a brave fight against an internal infection. This wrestler. He became the first saddle bronc rider to qualify for the was unexpected and quick, and we are still reeling from the reality NFR from Iowa in 2009, and has made repeat trips to Las Vegas that he will not be with us any longer. Bart and his devoted medical every year since. team at Dakota Large Animal Clinic in Harrisburg, South Dakota Every event champion also took home nearly $50,000 in prizes fought a heroic battle. John and Cindy Baltezore that included new Polaris RANGERs. In addition, The American paid out more than a half-million dollars through its Semi-Finals and its Contestant Patch Auction in Fort Worth, Feb. 17-21. Watch Rodeo Houston live Bareback Riding Shootout Round: One of the biggest rodeos of the winter, Rodeo Houston, kicks 1 Tanner Aus, Granite Falls, Minn., 88.50 on Frontier’s Showstomp- off tonight Tuesday, March 1 and runs through Sunday, March er, $100,000 20, 2016. Live coverage of the rodeo performances is carried on 2 Kaycee Field, Spanish Fork, Utah, 88.25, $25,000. www.FoxSportsSouthwest.com, go there and look for the Houston Team Roping Shootout Round: Livestock Show & Rodeo logo in the middle of the screen. The day 1. Derrick Begay, Seba Dalkai, Ariz./Clay O’Brien Cooper, Gard- sheets and schedule are available at www.RodeoHouston.com under nerville, Nev., 4.56, $100,000 the Rodeohouston tab.