TheTrickedOutHorse.com's Lisa Barone - Part 2!

The woman behind The Tricked Out Horse brings real rodeo barrel racing experience to her outlaw brand of tack and belts. Lisa Barone has had success in the International Professional Rodeo Association, American Professional Rodeo Association, Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and at the All-American Quarter Horse Congress. Aboard her two mares, this summer she was the high-money earner on Dave Martin's Bullride Mania Tour and last winter won the Sundance Arena Series. Below, Barone talks with The Barrel Racing Blog about her successes as a barrel racer and her life outside the arena.

Where are you from? 

Originally upstate New York, now reside in Fayetteville, Penn.

When did you begin barrel racing, and how did you get involved in the sport? 

I started running barrels when I was 12. I've been riding even before I could walk. I started with show horses and pony hunters. As I got older I still showed horses, but started taking a liking to the speed events. Being from NY, we didn't have a High School or Youth rodeo team, nor did I even know much about rodeo. Alls I know is that I would go watch the local pro rodeo when it would come to town and think that it would be awesome to be able to compete like that someday. So I would just run barrels at our local shows, and as I got to be about 15, I decided that since I didn't like the politics in the show world that I would just strictly run barrels. Then not to long after that I wasn't only competing with those people I watched at the rodeos but I was winning championships. I moved to Penn. in spring of 2001, and in the past eight years I've had much success with the help of a few great horses.

What are some of your biggest successes in your barrel racing career? 

IFR Qualifier, NERF IPRA Barrel Racing Champion, 2 time APRA Champion, Multiple time PRCA Circuit Finals Qualifier, Dodge National Circuit Finals Qualifier, 4x SRA Finals Qualifier, QH Congress Reserve Champion and Finals qualifier, as well as multiple barrel racing and open rodeo achievements.

What horses do you run now, and what horses have you had the most success on in the past? 

I have two mares that I run currently, mostly one that most people know as "Reba" or Hears The Deal, as she is known on her papers. She is 14-year-old once in a lifetime horse. I purchased her from Deena Fries in November of 2001, and since then the mare has suffered three broken legs and still runs hard and gives 100%. She has the biggest heart of any horse I've ever seen. She may not set the world on fire like she once did, but she loves her job and will make the same run every time and put me somewhere at the top. She is Jet of Honor on the top and out of Colonel Freckles mare, I have a beautiful, coming 2 yr old Frenchmans Guy out of her that I will be hauling in the future. Reba will be bred back to "Guy" this spring and I am selling a few of her embryos, to keep her legacy going. If her babies have even half the heart she has, it will be such a blessing.

I also run a 13-year-old palomino mare, ThisBlondeMeansWar, "Blondie". She is mostly all foundation bred. I've only had her for about a year but I've tried to buy her for the past six years, and finally in February I got the word that she was for sale, and the rest is history.

What do you do when you aren't on the road? 

When I'm not on the road, which is scarce at times, I spend time keeping all my business' running smoothly. Besides the leather business, I'm also a Certified Equine Massage Therapist and Adjustor, as well as I take some horses in for tune ups and have a descent size group of lesson students. Between all that I also help my fiancee, John Leinaweaver, keep his bucking program running smoothly. All in all there is no such thing as spare time around our household.

What associations do you run? 

I run IPRA, ECWPRA, WPRA, APRA, SRA, SEBRA, NBHA, IBRA, as well as a few I probably forgot to mention!

What are your barrel racing plans and goals for 2010? 

Hmm, that's a tough one. I'm taking this next year day by day. We have a little girl due at the beginning of March, therefore I'm not sure how much hauling I will be doing. I may just want to stay home and be a mommy for a while. We shall see, I even surprise myself at times. I do know that I would like to haul my colt some to get her used to all the chaos. As far as goals... only time will tell.

How does your background in barrel racing help you make better tack?

I see so many people buying tack, gluing "sparkly stuff" on it and selling to the public. I personally wouldn't use any of that on my horses as its mostly junk and it will fall apart. The cheap and competitive prices on those items normally reflect the quality. Therefore I sell only what I would use myself. I make all my tack custom... from beginning to end by hand. I cut out the Breastcollars, Headstalls, etc. then sew them together and hand set all the glitz. Therefore I intend on being the best out there in providing custom items to the buyer.

TheTrickedOutHorse.com's Lisa Barone - Part 1!

Barrel racer, soon-to-be mother and bride-to-be Lisa Barone has had a lot on her plate this past year, but none of that has stopped her from producing some of the most eye-catching tack and western accessories east of the Mississippi. Her company, The Tricked Out Horse, offers more to barrel racers than the simple bling headstalls and breast collars. From her wide selection of hides to her poker-chip conchos, Barone and The Tricked Out Horse bring an outlaw edge to tack world. 

What products do  you offer? 

We offer headstalls, breastcollars, tripping collars, tie-down nosebands, bronc halters, belts, spur straps, dog collars, buckle purses, diaper bags, gear/clothes bags and misc. items such as crosses, drink coozies and coaster, over-and-unders and stirrup hobbles. Basically we can make virtually anything.

Why are your products different from other lines out on the market? 

Most lines are custom, and all our work is made from scratch. I have come up with some styles that haven't been touched on yet. Plus I let the customers come up with their own design and make it to their specifications

Who is your target market and why? 

I have a wide range of market from Show to Rodeo. My dog collars for instance are sought after by many being that it is my own design and there aren't any like them on the market.

What is your inspiration for your work?  

I'm a very creative, artistic and competitive person. I like to be the best at all I do as well as I like having satisfied customers. Happy customers are repeat customers.

When did you start making tack/belts/etc.? 

2005
What is the price range for a headstall/breastcollar set? 

$300-$700

How can readers of The Barrel Racing Blog get a hold of your products?

www.TheTrickedOutHorse.com 

Check back tomorrow for more on Barone's barrel racing accolades and how that's helped her put together these great products!

A Barrel Racer's Letter to Santa

Dear Santa,

This year, I've been very, very good. I have taken my horses to the vet when I thought they were the very least bit sore, and I've rested them when they've needed it. I have cleaned my stalls each and every day, and I've always picked my horses' feet before and after riding. I make sure there are enough shavings in the back of my trailer, and I keep my truck clean and above a quarter tank.

I have paid my fees through money I made working pleasure horses and have paid my fuel bills by pumping plasma out of my arms twice each week. I have spent hours sitting through mundane meetings for work and have written hundreds of stories for the newspaper, all to pay for my habit - barrel racing.

I've run in the rain and the mud and in the hot summer heat, and I've sat through the cold at barrel races. I have exhibitioned my young horse and not hurried her, and I've retired my old horse when it was her time.

So, Santa, if you think I've been good, too, then here's a list of some horsey things I'd like to find under my tree on Christmas morning:

1. A year's supply of Lubrisyn

Santa, Lubrisyn will help me take care of both my young and old horses, and it will keep me from making as many trips to the vet's. My vet even thinks I should have it, knowing it will keep me from driving him nuts with sore horses! It will help keep my horse' joints moving smoothly, even though sometimes I run on some tough ground that hurts them. If you get this for me this year, I'd really like another year's supply next year, too!


2. Ed Hardy Tack from Bar~N LLC

Not just for me, but for my diva mares, too! Santa, this will go perfectly with my new Lagrange Boots, Rock N' Roll Cowgirl and Cowboy Militia  duds. Santa, I haven't bought new tack since I got my custom made 5J set  over four years ago. I'm really due for a good new set! On my old black mare, this stuff would really pop. Santa, like I said before, I've been very, very good.


3. An Ed Hardy Halter by BillieAnn Sexton

It's only fair that I match my new headstall and breastcollar with this halter! Santa, I've had the same rope halter on my old mare for 10 years, and she's definitely due for something flashy on her little head! Plus, with the attitude both my my mares have, Ed Hardy's "Love Kills Slowly" line would fit them perfectly! Santa, you'd also be helping out BillieAnn Sexton by buying me one - she's not a big company, just a great young cowgirl putting out a great product!


4. Western Glamour's "Cowgirl is the New Black" Shirt

This shirt says it all. A life many of us have been living for years is really catching on, as styles are swapping back and forth between western and mainstream. Its the perfect treat for me because I've been a good cowgirl all year long.


5. The New Horse

The mystery horse. Santa, please. I know every little girl asks for a pony every year, but this is serious. I've paid my dues with my young horse, and she's doing great...BUT, I'm really ready for a finished aged mare. I've never had a ready-made horse before, but as I get ready to head out on the career search, finish my thesis for graduation and start a life, it would be great not to have to tune on a colt. The freedom of just being able to go on the weekends and not worry about checking, helping or even just exhibitioning would be amazing! I'd love to not have to get to a barrel race at 7:30 a.m. to exhibition, and heaven forbid, just get there a class before the 4D. Santa, if you need help looking for this horse, I have one in mind - we should talk!


So, Santa -

This is part one of this list. As the holiday season moves forward, I'm sure I'll think of more! Am I being greedy? Probably! But even cowgirls can dream, right?

Thanks, Santa.

Chelsea

Update on the 2010 PRCA Season with Tana Poppino

After a rough 2009 season plagued by injuries, The Barrel Racing Blog's friend Tana Poppino is back on the rodeo road with two healthy horses . She's making a run for her third NFR qualification, and so far, she's starting out hot.

As she and her husband drove to a college rodeo to watch her son compete this weekend, Poppino told The Barrel Racing Blog that she won the Billings, Mont., PRCA NILE Rodeo aboard her bay, Amigo.

"Amigo is getting back go his pre-injury runs," Poppino said of the bay that took her to two NFRs.

She also hit the Prairie Circuit Finals , where she won round 1, was third in round two but knocked in round three to put her out of the average.

With Amigo, Poppino's knocked her second barrel twice this year, something that she said is very out of the ordinary.

"I'm going to have to learn from my mistakes," Poppino said. "I'm hitting my second going into it. When I'm sitting really good (to win an average) is when I seem to hit the second."

She's also been running Goose, her grey gelding, at jackpots to keep him sharp. He has to run at the WPRA World Finals in Tulsa, Okla., this weekend while Amigo takes a break before hitting the road hard in January.

"This is really about the only time of the year you can give them a good rest," Poppino said. "Hopefully they're going to be used a lot this coming year."

Keeping her horses healthy is key for Poppino. She regularly uses products from Total Health Enhancement, one of her sponsors. And by the way - our friends at On The Rodeo Road are giving away a FREE bag of the Daily Edge to one of their readers -  just comment on their blog with why you love your horse, and later this week they'll pick a winner!

Stick with The Barrel Racing Blog all year as we follow Tana Poppino throughout her run for the NFR this year!

Part Five with BillieAnn Sexton

A lot more goes into each run than just the 15 seconds or so in the arena. Every cowgirl has her favorite saddle, her favorite traveling partners and some terrible stories from on the rodeo road to share. Below, BillieAnn Sexton talks about the "extras" that go into each rodeo. 

Extras

What type of splint boots do you use?

Professional's Choice on the front. Polo wraps on the back.

What type of saddle do you ride?

My favorite is my Ken Raye/Tami Purcell. I also love my Martin/Sherry Cervi saddle. 

What kind of truck do you pull your trailer with?

Ford, 450

Who do you travel with?

Bobby Abernathy, Daniel Robertson, and Cody Miller is usually the crew.

What's the worst rodeo experience of your life?

In Memphis, Tenn., in the barrels I was running home from my run, and at high school rodeos they never keep a open alley, which my horse going to rodeos is not use to a close gate in the arena. So "Sassy" realizes  the gate was closed and crow-hops right, then left, I was not prepared for that my hand was still on my whip not the saddle horn, and it slingshots me into the bucking shoots. I chipped a few teeth, got knocked out, had a severe concussion and got a piece of my lip ripped off. That morning and afternoon on a snowy Memphis day was not to exciting. On the bright side, I placed, and that night I was in the performance in the breakaway roping. Although I was told by the doctor not to ride, I won it. 

What will you not leave home without?

Magnets and treats for the horses, and also, my phone.

How often do you give your horses time off?

Since I have a few they get weekends to stay home from running, but I keep them exercised. 

How often do you take time off yourself?

Maybe a day out of a month? I love what I do, so I am not "in need" of time off.

What are your future goals? College, PRCA, etc?

I turn 18 March 5th, I am going to buy my Pro permit. I hope to make the Circuit Finals this year and in two or three years make a run for the National Finals Rodeo. That is a lot to ask for, but its been my dream since I was 10 and I'm sticking to it! I am not going to college rodeo, I'm going to take college classes online, one day I would like to own my own practice in equine embryo transferring. 

Part Four with BillieAnn Sexton

Whether she is warming up for the IFR or getting her breakaway horse ready for a local rodeo, BillieAnn Sexton keeps her warmup consistent with each of her horses. Below, she discusses her routines on the rodeo circuit and the mentality she tries to maintain while living the rodeo life. She also talks about what products keep her horses running great each weekend. 

Outside the Pen

What is your warm-up like?

Long trotting and making the horse be soft and supple by moving it over with my leg, bending at the poll, and getting there rear end under them.

Do you have any rituals that you never break?

I use to have them bad, call me crazy but when I was little I could not pick out the color of the rubber bands to put in my horses mane, I would just use what ever color I picked first and put it in, or I would call it bad luck for myself. I have grown out of the superstitions.

How early do you like to get to a rodeo?

At least an hour before, when we arrive I want enough rest time for my horse to perform, hauling is hard on all horses. As soon as we arrive I water them and put there magnets on them unless they are already on them. 

Who do you look towards for advice?

My mom, when I get down on myself for messing up under pressure she will always give me the best advice.

Who else's runs do you always watch?

At the IPRA's, Laura Kerley, her and her horse Jackie are such a team.

What supplements do you use on your horses?

SeaBuck, it keeps my horses shiny and healthy while also preventing from ulcers. I also give them a shot of Adequine, which is a joint supplement every two weeks.

What do you feed your horses?

SafeChoice.

What veterinary practices do you use most often?

I will always stretch my horses necks with a treat to both sides, and stretch there legs. At a walk, zig-zagging down a hill builds there stifle muscles. I love cold liniments or wrapping my horse in poultice for trailer rides. If my horse's legs are swollen a little from a trailer ride or the blood circulation is not flowing enough I will run cold water over there legs for 20 minutes and then put magnets on them. 

What rules do you play by with your horses? What drugs will you use and what drugs won't you use?

I give a shot of Adequan to all the performance horses every two weeks, it is a joint supplement. Also if I know I am competing at a big rodeo I will give a shot of Legend 72 hours out. Also Banamine is a great muscle relaxer if one my horses feel horse.

What's the best part about your riding?

Spending time with my horses and becoming a "team" with them.

What do you struggle with riding-wise?

Mainly its in my mind, I tend to think to much. 

Are there any head games you play with yourself that can mess you up?

Yes, many, pressure is something I been working on for a long long time now, if the odds go for me to win a average by the time I make the short go, I won't. I start thinking about it way to much instead of going out there and riding hard, I will safety up, which leads to mess up. Go hard, EVERY TIME! Don't learn the hard way, like I have.

Part Three with BillieAnn Sexton - In the Arena

With more experience in the rodeo pen than women twice her age, BillieAnn Sexton has figured out how to win in some of the toughest setups the IPRA has to offer. She has run everywhere from Marietta, Ga., to St. Tite, Quebec, and she has done a lot more than just barrel race. The cowgirl knows her way around the roping pen and can catch a calf in breakaway as well. 

In the Rodeo Pen

What type of alleyway/entrance do you prefer?

I like a narrow alley way that is centered with the third barrel but any alley way were the third barrel is in sight for line up is fine.

What are you thinking running towards the first barrel?

I try to keep my mind clear and feel what I need to do at the moment, make a good run.

What are you thinking running home?

It kinda depends on the run I feel like I made. Good run I am thinking those good, sweet thoughts. Run with a few mistakes, I am anxious to hear my time. If I hit barrel I am thinking about what I should had done differently. 

How do you approach a barrel (e.g. big pocket, straight, etc.)?

I learned to make my "spot" about 4 feet over to the side of the barrel, enough room to where my horse can shape and snap back around the barrel quickly. 

What do you worry about most while rodeoing (e.g. the ground, the weather, the arena size, the competition, etc. etc.?)

I try not to worry about that to much. I do have a few barrel horses so some do better in different arena conditions then others. If I know the size of the pattern and whether its hard or deep ground I will pick and choose the horse to take.

What type of shoes do you have on your rodeo horses?

Sassy, Dora, and Barracuda I have rims on the front and regular on the back. I put the rims on them for traction. Brownie I have 2 degree wedges on his front because he does not grow much heel.

What type of ground do you prefer?

Depends on the horse, this year I have mainly taken Sassy and Barracuda, Sassy loves hard trashy ground and Barracuda works the best in deep ground.

What size of pen do you prefer?

The pen size doesn't matter to me either it will just pick the horse I want to run at that rodeo. 

Do you like to run in slack or the performance, and why?

Performance, I like the crowd, the loud music, bright lights, just the whole excitement in the atmosphere. 

Why did you decide to run the IPRA?

Its a wonderful association and its a great place to season myself before I turn 18 and start Pro rodeoing.

Why do you run rodeos instead of barrel races?

I use to go to a lot of big super shows and also rodeos, but I now mainly go to rodeos because I like traveling from rodeo to rodeo instead of being at one place all week. The rodeo's are a lot more exciting, but I do also enjoy going to barrel races.

What type of horse do you think makes the best rodeo horse?

A rodeo horse has to be very seasoned and can handle all types of ground. Rodeo ground is not always good. I like horses that are bred run and cow so they have the mind, but also have enough run to win.

What is your favorite IPRA rodeo?

St. Tite, Quebec, Canada.

What is your horse's cue to turn a barrel (i.e. lift, leg pressure, check, etc.)?

When I get to my "spot" I sit down grab for the saddle horse with outside hand, lift my horse with inside rein and bump with inside leg witch picks there rib cage up and shapes them.

What is your most common mistake?

Wanting to sit down and go for saddle horn before my "spot." Instead of drive, drive, drive all the way to my spot then sit down, lift, and shape.

Making It in the IPRA -17-Year-Old IFR Qualifier BillieAnn Sexton

Seventeen-year-old Westville, Fla., cowgirl BillieAnn Sexton is making a run this year to qualify for her second International Finals Rodeo. With over $6,000 won this year in the International Professional Rodeo Association, she sits at 16th in the world. At 17, she is already doing a whole lot right to make a major name for herself in professional rodeo.

Background

When did you start running barrel horses?

I was 8 years old when i got my first barrel horse. I competed in reining before I became a barrel racer.

Who taught you to ride?

Dallas Dewees, many time SouthEastern Circuit winner.

Why barrel racing, instead of anything else?

Its intense and it will get your adrenaline going more then any other sport.

What has been your biggest accomplishment to date on the back of a horse?

Qualifying to the International Finals Rodeo(IFR)09' and winning the second round. Also Reserve at NBHA Youth World-04' 

Do you hold any arena records?

Gallup New Mexico, 15.9.(I think I still hold it.) Montgomery AL, the covered arena, not coliseum, 15.6. On the old stakes in Autagatville AL. 14.7. Valley 4, FL, 16.3.

What horse have you had the most success on?

"Shorty" Desert Patriot

What is the biggest check you’ve ever taken home in a single weekend?

Oh my, this one is hard! If I am not mistaken during the Mega barrel race I won around $5,000 that week I placed 2nd in a round, placed in a round and in the average aboard shorty! 

What does your family think of your rodeo life?

They are fully behind me 110%. I am so blessed to have such great parents.

Getting to know Tana

When Tana Poppino made the decision in July of 2006 to quit her job as a media coordinator and rodeo full-time, she took a leap of faith, literally, on the back of her bay gelding, Amigo. With her faith in God and Amigo, Poppino spent the next year qualifying for her first National Finals Rodeo. She repeated the trip in 2007, and that year she also took home the biggest check of her life when she won the Calgary Stampede. 

The mother, wife and former full-time media relations coordinator from Big Cabin, Okla., has lived her life on the back of a horse but only recently became a full-time rodeo cowgirl. For the last ten years Poppino has counted on her stout partner, Amigo, but injuries in the past two years made her look towards a new equine here - Goose. The calm grey gelding was wildly different from the more nervous, quick Amigo, but soon Goose and Poppino would find their stride as well, a pleasant surprise for Poppino.

Now with two rodeo-ready, healthy horses, Poppino is setting out on the PRCA/WPRA circuit for the 2010 year, looking to make a run at the NFR. 

Tana on Goose

Tana on Amigo

Please check back the rest of the week to see more of our series with Tana Poppino!

The Bad Run

The bad run isn't the fast run with the knocked barrel - it's the run that is so out of character, so terrible, that you find it hard to show your face for a few hours at an arena. Others rarely notice this run, but it's the run that makes your skin crawl when you watch the video and the run that makes you feel like your barrel racing career is all for naught.

Maybe that's just me, but I doubt it. Two weeks ago, I had one of those runs. I pulled back on my horse going to the first barrel (an ultimate No-No), then proceeded to blow my third barrel by not helping my horse finish her turn and over-riding. It wasn't just at a barrel race, though, it was at a rodeo, in front of a crowd. Not just a rodeo, though - it was the closest rodeo to my home town in years at Greensburg, Penn.

If I mess up a run on my colt, I don't feel as bad. We're new together, we are allowed to make mistakes. It's the bad run on the old horse that kills me. I've owned her for 10 years and run her for about five. She was hurt every other year and I've been running her for less than a year, this time around, but I really have no reason to mess up the way I did at that rodeo.

My first "bad run" was in the finals at the All American Youth Barrel Race in Jackson, Miss., when I was 14. Before then, I had no expectations for my horse's or my own abilities. I had a good year before that, and I wanted to make my youth career that week in Jackson. In all the pressure I put on myself, I forgot how to run my horse completely, and ultimately she fell and broke her hip. I cried the whole 24-hour drive home.

Maybe these feelings go away the better you get and the more you've won. In the future, when TheBarrelRacingBlog profile a barrel racers, we'll ask about their bad runs and how they cope with screwing up.

If you have stories or thoughts on your own bad runs, let us know! Comment here or email them to toy9207@gmail.com.

Natalie Overholt - The Extras That Keep Her Going - Part 5

A lot of external factors go into a run each night. Sometime's its the saddle, other times its the trip to or from a rodeo that weighs heavy on your mind going down the alleyway. Here, Overholt talks about some of the things other than the horses and the ground that go into life on the rodeo trail.

Overholt's dog, Jasper, is her favorite traveling buddy.

Extras
Who are your hauling partners?
My dog Jasper always goes with me. Sometimes I haul by myself. Usually haul with Tyler West and sometimes with some girls from around home.

What is your favorite memory of life on the rodeo road so far?
There are a lot of good memories. One of the best was when Tyler and I rode our horses bareback in the grand entry at North Washington, Penn., last year. He rode a 4-year-old that had never been in a grand entry, and I rodeo my horse Casey.
Last weekend I got to throw t-shirts to the crowd on the victory lap and New Windsor, Ill., that was fun.

When you are at a rodeo, who else’s run do you make sure you watch and why?
People I am traveling with to discuss runs afterwards. Plus whoever else’s run I don’t miss.

What type of truck and trailer do you drive and why?
Chevy because Chevys are fast! Mine is just a gas engine but I wish I had a Duramax diesel.

What’s the worst thing that has ever happened on the road?
My horse fell into gate and scraped her legs all up and had to vet out of some good rodeos.

Where is the farthest you’ll travel for a rodeo?
Depends on how much money is added.

How often do you take time off?
Little as possible.

How long do you condition a horse before you run it?
Couple months

What type of hat do you wear?
I need a new hat.

What kind of saddle do you ride?
Circle Y