Rodeo Interviews

Brooke Lane and A Royal Dash

Brooke Lane was nice enough to talk to OTRR about her experience at a Lynn Mckenzie Barrel Racing Clinic. This is Part II, if you missed Part I please click here.

Was there anything you were nervous or concerned about going in to this clinic?

The main thing that I was concerned about was forgetting something! :)  My main focus was just to learn a lot, and to improve our time.  Also, Lynn brought all kinds of bits to try as well as her saddles if you wanted to try them on your horses.  Lots of people tried her bits, and everyone that I talked to that tried her saddle really liked it.  Since I just bought a new saddle a couple years ago, I didn’t want to be tempted to buy another one

After the clinic was over, what did you go home with? What was the one most significant thing that you learned?

I took a lot of notes during Lynn’s demonstrations, so that I could remember everything in a couple months.  Lynn and Murray are both very down to earth people, and have such positive attitudes.  Lynn’s story is very inspiring because she was a regular school teacher working, and riding horses as a hobby when Magnolia Missile came into her life.  She had a regular job, husband, and family when she started to pursue the NFR, and I think most of us can relate to that.   

The most significant thing that I learned was that straighter is faster, and smoother is faster.  Lynn and Murray have really done their research.  They count strides, and have figured out exactly how much time each extra stride is costing you.  A short stride and a long stride take the same amount of time, but the long stride covers more ground so a long stride is faster.  She said that barrel racing is won in the turn.   

Their approach is different, but it makes sense and it’s been proven.  Lynn and Murray said that their approach is all about trying to make it easier for the horse.  Our horses aren’t made to peel the paint off barrels.  They want to give them room to get around the barrel, and keep the forward momentum going.  I think I will really focus more on positioning my horse, and lining him up for success.  I don’t have it all figured out yet, but I have the foundation to keep working on it.  The McKenzie’s also gave each of us a sheet with the dimensions of the cones and barrels on it so that we can set the teardrop up in our own arena for practice.   

Would you recommend a Lynn Mckenzie Clinic to barrel racers?

I would defiantly recommend a Lynn McKenzie clinic to barrel racers.  Come with an open mind, and you will learn tons.  It will probably be different than what you’ve been taught, but I really believe that it does work.  Both Lynn and Murray are very knowledgeable about horses and barrel racing.  They have such a positive outlook, and really care for horses.    

Okay, on a scale of 1 to 10 and 1 being the lowest and 10 being the highest, how much fun did you have?????

I had a 10 :)  A weekend of meeting new people, learning, spending time with my horse, and barrel racing…does it get better??

Brooke, thank you so much for taking the time out of your busy schedule to talk to us. We wish you the best of luck this summer!!

Brooke Lane and A Royal Dash

One of OTRR’s fans Brooke Lane recently attened a Lynn Mckenzie Barrel Racing Clinic. Brooke agreed to report back to OTRR on what she learned and the experiences she had. …………

Your Name:  Brooke Lane

Your Horses Name:  A Royal Dash

How long you have been barrel racing:  2 years competing

Where do you currently live:  Bucyrus, Ohio (middle of no where )

Event:  Lynn McKenzie Barrel Racing Clinic

Dates: April 23-25th

Location:  Newbury, OH – Blue Lakes Farm

How many Participants:  23

What inspired you to go to a Lynn Mckenzie Clinic?

I was inspired to attend a Lynn Mckenzie clinic because she has a good reputation for being a good barrel racer, and she made the NFR twice.  I saw her speak at the Equine Affair last year about pole bending, and wanted to know more about her techniques in barrel racing.  I also asked opinions on BHW from people who had been to her clinics before, and got only positive feedback. 

Going into the clinic what kind of instruction where you looking for with you horse? Any things specific you wanted to work on? 

Before the clinic, I came up with 3 goals that I wanted to achieve over the weekend. 

1. LEARN. 
2. Improve my time at that arena. (I went to a race there the weekend before to gauge where I was at)
3. Build the confidence to add speed.

And yes, I accomplished all three, even though I’m still working on #3.  I know that the confidence will come with good preparation and experience though.

Was this your first barrel racing clinic?

 This was not my first barrel racing clinic.  I went to an Ed Wright clinic two years ago and a Jackie Jatzlau clinic last year.  Each clinic I’ve been to has taught a different style.  They all teach different hand movements, but they all emphasized forward movement in the turn.  I think it’s interesting to learn each professional’s style, and how they became successful.  I’ve been able to take different pieces from each clinic, and apply them to my own barrel racing.     

What was the “routine” of this clinic? Was it 2 days? Did you watch videos? Briefly walk us through the clinic…

 Yes, the clinic was two days.  I arrived Friday night after a two and a half hour drive.  I settled Dash in, and then we did a meet and greet with Lynn and her husband Murray.  She said that her personal goal was never to make the NFR (even though she did…twice), but that she’s still working to achieve her personal goal.  Her goal is to ride a lot of different horses, and to ride them well.  She really emphasized that good riders will always ride good horses because they make the horses good.

 Saturday morning, we started with a jackpot at 9am.  Murray videotaped our runs.  After our runs, we cooled our horses out, and met back in the arena.  Lynn then gave a demonstration on Good Hands and Body Language on horseback.  After the demonstration, we were split into two groups.  Group 1 went to the video room to watch this mornings runs, and Group 2 got back on their horses, and headed back to the arena. 

A couple years ago, Lynn worked with Tanner Time in which four different sets of timers are set up throughout the arena.  The whole idea is that they time which part of your run you’re losing speed on.  Through this system and their research, they’ve found that the fastest way around the barrel is a teardrop shape.  The pocket should actually be on the backside of the barrel, NOT beside it.  The idea is based behind the fact that straighter is faster, so you want straight lines to the barrels.  She had a series of cones and tires set up around the barrels to make a path for us to go through.  We walked the pattern, and discussed the approach to each barrel.  She also showed us that when you shift your weight to the outside in the turn, you actually give your horse more power.  We then walked and trotted through the pattern around the cones and tires practicing our hand movement, shifting our weight, and setting him up for the next barrel.  Her hand movement is completely different than what I had been taught, so that was really difficult for me to grasp.  You don’t rotate your hand so that the backside of your hand is up, and pull out.  You rotate so that your fingers are up, and then pull back to your belt buckle.  She talked about always keep your hands inside this invisible box around your saddle.

After about two hours in the arena, we put our horses up, and then headed for the video run to watch our runs from this morning.  Murray analyzed the tapes with us.  We watched them all at regular speed, and the backed up and analyzed them in-depth in slow mo.  It was really neat to be able to SEE what you were actually doing.  I was also able to learn from watching everyone else’s run as well.  We then had another demonstration on equipment, and horse care.  She went over a horse in the clinic, and pointed out to us what she looks for to see if the horse is hurting or sore.  After the demonstrations, we saddled up for a $2 jackpot.  Most of the runs were actually worse than the morning jackpot. 

 Sunday morning began with cowboy church.  This was optional, and only about 15 of us actually came to it.  Most of the time was spent with Lynn telling us her story.  She has a very inspirational story, and one that most people can relate to.  I thought it was worthwhile.

 After church, my group went to the video room to watch our runs from last night’s jackpot.  After analyzing them all, Murray asked if there was anyone in the room that was happy with last night’s run.  None of us raised our hands.  He said that usually if you have a bad run Saturday night, you do much better Sunday night. 

 We then headed to the arena, where we worked on loping through the pattern through the cones and tires.  We first started by loping through one at a time a couple times, and then each person got to lope through three times in a row without stopping.  She also said in the beginning of the clinic that if you felt your horse needed a break from the pattern because he was getting too hot, then to feel free to take one.  After pattern work, Lynn gave one more demonstration on The Mental Game, and How To Play.  We all then saddled back up for a final jackpot with $5 entry fee.  I dropped .2 sec off my original time, and know that I have room to improve.  After the runs, we all met back up for some final thoughts before leaving. ………………………

Stay tuned! More from Brooke tomorrow!!!!!

The winner of the T.H.E Calming Cookies is…………Amy Wahl!!! Thanks so much for everybody’s comments! We will do another giveaway soon!

Dodge National Circuit Finals News: Tammy Bruso Brings DCNFR Back to Southeastern Circuit after 17 years!

(photo credit)

Pocatello, Idaho-It may well go down as one of the most exciting WPRA barrel races in Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo history. With one arena record already in the books posted by Wilderness Circuit Champion Sue Smith on opening night, the barrel racers heated things up even more on Saturday night.

With the DNCFR Championship on the line, Tammy Bruso and her 10-year old mare, Sweet Red Bug, proved that consistency wins titles.

Bruso, the Southeastern Circuit champion, had a relatively quiet DNCFR until the final run. She posted runs of 14.96 seconds and 14.97 in the first two rounds. In any normal year, these times would have been winning rounds but in the torrid conditions of 2010, Bruso collected a split of fourth and fifth in the second go and fourth in the average.

With all times erased for Saturday night, eight ladies took their shot at being one of the four who would come back to run for the championship. With nothing to lose, the times were again in record territory….(read more)