Barrels of fun had at Osoyoos Desert Park

By Don Urquhart, Times Chronicle

Barrel Racing at the Desert Park Equine Facility & Racetrack drew a crowd last Friday (Aug. 26) with a $3,000 prize pot also drawing as many as 40 competitors.

Spectators filled the bleachers, lined the small rise above the corral with their camp chairs and filled the beer garden for a beautiful summer’s evening of racing around the barrels.

For those who haven’t experienced this competitive sport – represented in the province by the B.C. Barrel Racing Association (BCBRA) – it may not sound particularly exciting but the speed with which the riders coax the powerful horses around the barrels is a sight to be seen.

Categories include young children up to teens and adults. Although this event did not feature any men’s categories barrel racing is not limited to women according to one of the barrel racing series organizers Melissa Genberg.

“In fact, some of the top barrel trainers in the world are men,” she said. Large barrel racing events such as the “World’s” in Oklahoma City draw as many male riders as female, she added. “If you go to some of the provincial finals there are a few men riding, but it is not segregated, they all compete together.”

Typically competitors in Osoyoos come from the surrounding area from Keremeos and Cawston, over to Grand Forks and up through Oliver, OK Falls, as far as Penticton.

As Desert Park volunteer Dorothy Paukste notes, this is an event that would normally be part of a rodeo event, but she highlighted it’s not controversial in any way as horses don’t get injured like with chuckwagon races.

The chuckwagons have long been controversial among animal rights groups in Canada and the U.S. In 2019, the last time the derby was held at the Calgary Stampede prior to the pandemic, six horses died.

Due to shorter daylight hours the rest of the 2022 barrel racing season will be collapsed into one final event, according to race organizers. The final event will be held on Sunday, Sept 25 with doors opening at 12 p.m. and racing starting at 1 p.m.

This will be a full service event with BBQ burgers, hot dogs, kids treats and beer garden.