Louder Barrel Racing

At the 2025 CNR Junior Rodeo, Clara hit the second barrel. Her time would’ve been a smoking 16.9, but the plus 5 placed her 4th overall. At the beginning of the year, she set a goal to win the buckle this year. Ty Hillman talked last week at the clinic about the difference between “product” and “process” goals. “Product” goals are what we typically think of with goal setting: we are going to win this rodeo, or have this time. While product goals are good, there are typically a lot of factors outside of our control that can prevent us from achieving the goal. “Process” goals are things we can control. Setting a goal to ride 4 days per week, making sure that we make the perfect circle around the barrel on slow work. While not realizing it, Clara had set process goals of improving her second barrel with River. The work she put in on focusing on that process goal, allowed her to win the product goal. What are some of the process goals you have to improve your riding?

For the second time in 3 years, Clara has won the buckle for first place Caldwell Night Rodeo Junior rodeo. The team that River and Clara have formed is nothing short of incredible. Thank you to our sponsors AniCell Biotech RVFix for keeping us competing at high level.

Championship night Caldwell Night Rodeo starts in 2 hours. Who’s gonna be there??🙋🙋

For the 4th year in a row, it appears Clara will be back on Saturday night Caldwell Night Rodeo. A 17.555 is the fastest time of the week and a very similar time that she won the buckle with two years ago. Looking forward to cheering her on Saturday night.

Oxygen! We can’t live without it, but it is extremely hard on our bodies. If you don’t believe that oxygen is damaging, go look at your metal posts. All that rust, or oxidation, didn’t happen because oxygen is benign. That same process happens to our cells. That is because as the body is trying to convert glucose into cellular energy, oxygen is used to collect extra electrons becoming a cellular toxin. This toxin destroys cell walls, protein, and even the DNA. Anything that increases our use of oxygen, like running the barrel pattern, increases our exposure to oxygen and potential consequences. Our metal posts get protected by a coat of paint; but we know the consequences of eating paint. Instead we use antioxidants. Copper, zinc, and selenium are all essential components of antioxidants such as glutathione peroxidase and super oxide dismutase which neutralize these oxygen toxins and protect the body. Extreme Equine Supplements have these essential trace minerals so that horses can continue breathing without the damaging effects.

Sometimes the best way to get ready for a competition is to distract your mind for a moment. At the Wild Weippe Rodeo, the announcer invited all kids 10 and under to participate in the stick horse race. Clara jumped off River and went and found a new mount. After winning the girls’ race, she lined up against the top three boys and beat them too winning $15. Back to business, Clara put together a great run, placing second in the barrels by less than 0.1 seconds winning another $800 and helping her climb in the season standings.

It wasn’t the fastest run that Cora and Sparky have made together. But this one was still special. Coming in from a side gate, running on hard ground, Cora placed 5th at the Wild Weippe Rodeo earning her first ICA check.

Wow!! An amazing day with Ty Hillman and Stevi Hillman and Lucy Gomez-Rector . We learned so many new riding and mental skills to make us better riders. After the clinic, we hustled to watch the last group of barrel racers. Clara’s time of 16.545 from Thursday was fast enough to win the championship buckle Payette County PRCA Rodeo

How do you get better? By learning from the best. We will be spending today with 8x NFR qualifier stevihillman at Homerun Arena. Can’t wait for what we can learn and a chance to improve.

Once a year we have the chance to ride in our hometown rodeo. The Payette County Rodeo does a pre-rodeo before the PRCA performance. After the first performance, Cora leads the 12-18 year old division with an 18.007. Clara smoked a run in the under 12 division with a 16.54. There is still two more nights of rodeo, but it’s fun to have us both at the top of the leaderboard after the first night. Payette County PRCA Rodeo