By Callum Ludwig
Two friends have taken up barrel racing in recent times and the Yarra Valley Pro Rodeo gave them a perfect platform to show off their skills.
Lilliana Dean and Clara McCormack had both ridden and competed in horse events all their lives, but are enjoying having made the pivot to rodeo.
Lilliana said ever since she moved to Mansfield, she hasn’t been able to get enough of rodeoing.
“It’s very different to eventing, much more relaxed. Eventing was a lot more strict and everything’s done to the rules, while in rodeo everyone helps you and wants to see you do well,” she said.
“I think the biggest difference is the atmosphere, everyone is so much calmer and happier and it’s made it really easy to make the switch. The crowds are there for a show, and they want to see mistakes, they want to see everything. The best thing to do is make mistakes because that’s how we learn.”
In barrel racing, the horse and rider attempt to run a cloverleaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time, requiring the horse to be quick, strong and agile while the rider must have great control, quick thinking and courage.
“My goal for upcoming rodeos is just to get faster with my ponies and hopefully next year, we can be quite competitive. So at the moment, I’m just really trying different ways to see how that works with Lenny [her horse] and I’m pretty happy with it,” Lilliana said.
“We are really working on our first barrel and not cutting into it, that’s our main focus at the moment.”
The approach to the first barrel is crucial in the sport, with the rider having to make a decision to go left or right and make the half-turn, before performing a flying change of lead and picking out an ideal turning spot at the second barrel.
Clara said she knew she wasn’t even going to get close to winning, but felt it was definitely fun to have a crack at it.
“It definitely brings you up and makes you want to do it more to know that when you arrive you’ve got someone there with you, as well as having all the support there too and the commentator telling you how well it’s going,” she said.
“Last year I started to train up my little pony Star and started getting her going around the barrels and she’s just a bolting horse, she just doesn’t stop so I thought the barrels would be good for her and it’s been great, she’s loving it.”
Neither Lilliana nor Clara was able to win on the day, but their expectations were simply to ‘have a crack’ and keep improving as they gain more experience.
Clara said it has been pretty easy fitting in with the rodeo community.
“It was definitely nerve-wracking, hoping that I didn’t fall off in front of everyone but after I did the first run, for the second I felt even more confident,” she said.
“I’ll definitely come back again, it was really fun and people aren’t there to watch you compete perfectly, it’s all to see the entertainment.”
