Sunshine Coast barrel racer to represent Australia
Thu 22 July 2010
Tamsyn Burness, Bachelor of Communication
Chelsea Bartlett, 14, of Cooroibah will be the first junior rider to represent Australia at the World Youth Horse Barrel Races in America this July.
“It’s the first time the juniors are going over [to America] to compete,” Miss Bartlett said.
“I’m representing the first and second divisions, which are the two fastest divisions.”
The passionate horse rider had to beat 87 others in the Australian National Finals to qualify for the National Barrel Association’s World Youth Championships, where she will compete on two horses.
“There’s a whole heap of barrel racing events every month, there’s a lot of rodeos that you have to compete at to get your points up,” Miss Bartlett said.
“I had to win numerous times to get my points up above anyone else to qualify for America.”
Barrel racing is a rodeo event where competitors ride around three barrels and compete for the fastest time.
“You have to wind between three barrels in a clover leaf pattern, but you have to go as close to the barrels as you can to get in tight and get a nice time,” Miss Bartlett said.
“Once I missed out on winning by not even a tenth of a second, so it comes down to milliseconds.”
Miss Bartlett, who started riding at the age of four and began competing in rodeos at eight, was first taught to barrel race by O.H Corrall Horse Clinic founder Liz O’Halloran.
“Chelsea has always been a keen rider, and to be successful on any major level riding must be a passion and something you want to do everyday,” Mrs O’Halloran said.
“If you don’t have drive you’re not going to get there.
“But even as a young girl, Chelsea has always shown drive.”
Miss Bartlett said competing in America would give her the chance to work with renowned barrel racing champion Talmadge Green.
“Talmadge Green is the guy with the horse I am going to use over [in America], and he’s one of the best guys in barrel racing,” Miss Bartlett said.
“He’ll be training me for about two weeks beforehand on the horse I’ll be riding.”
Miss Bartlett said she hopes the experience will open doors for her to eventually move to America and fulfill her dreams of competing in the National Finals Rodeo.
“The National Finals Rodeo is the world rodeo over in America that everyone goes to, and it’s known that the best of the best [compete] there, and Australia hasn’t made it yet,” Miss Bartlett said.
“I want to move to America so I can be the first one.”
Miss Bartlett trains her horse Dundee by herself, using the techniques she learnt at Mrs O’Halloran’s clinics.
“It’s like the horse is your best friend and you can connect with them,” Miss Bartlett said.
Miss Bartlett said although training and competing is hard work, she would never stop barrel racing.
“I don’t go out on the weekends because I’m always competing, but I would never stop doing it,” Miss Bartlett said.
The World Youth Championships begin on July 26.
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