The 8th annual Equine Affaire in the West was held at Fairplex, Pomona on February 1-4, 2008, and, as usual, had something to offer horse enthusiasts of all ages, no matter what breed or equine discipline they preferred or what their level of experience. Among the clinics that were presented was one by Lynn McKenzie on Barrel Racing. Lynn McKenzie has been prominent in barrel racing since 1977 when she and her horse Magnolia Missile won the Texas Barrel Racing Association Futurity. The next year, her rookie season in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), she won the title of World Champion Barrel Racer. This was followed by wins at the National Finals Rodeo (NFR) and another world championship in 1981. She left competition in 1983 to spend time with her two young daughters but maintained her tie to the sport by training horses and doing clinics. For 30 years she has been training barrel racers young and old. "The youngest I ever had at a clinic was 4, but the oldest was a lady who claimed to be 76, but everyone there said she was at least 83!"
Two clinics, one for beginning racers and the second for advanced, were given and both stressed the importance of patience and repetition. As in most racing smoother equals faster. This is accomplished in several ways including maintaining stride length, a straight approach to the barrel and maintaining consistent turn angles, among others.
Here are a few shots from the two clinics.
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