MAY 2010 THE RIDER /11 President - David Clingen


The Fastest Fifteen Seconds of Your Life


CHECK OUT THE BRAND NEW OBRA WEBSITE AT www.obra.ca


OBRA 2010 EXECUTIVE DIRECTORS Show Secretaries - Ray St. George, eyebeanickbar1@hotmail.com, Carol Crane cdcrane@xplornet.com, Home: 519-475-4577


The Ontario Barrel Racing Association Home: 705-776-9438


davidc@eventuredesign.com, Cell: 416-996-0031 1st Vice President - Craig Widdifield


cwiddifield@simcoe.com, Cell: 705-717-2732, H: 905-939-8969


2nd Vice President - Linda Burgess burmqh@gmail.com, Home: 519-826-1214 Treasurer - David Ross, buggies@shaw.ca


North Director - Laurie Fisher, eyebeanickbar1@hotmail.com, Home: 705-776-9438


Central Director - Kurt Kneidinger, kneidingerk@yahoo.ca, Home: 519-925-0072


West Director - Glenn Sutherland, gands73@xplornet.ca, Home: 519-289-1170


East Director - TBD Youth Director - Christine Thorne, Home: 519-787-8060, indian_elegance_@hotmail.com


Buckles, prizes added to Barrel Blast Off June 4-6


Well by the time this newsletter hits your hot lit- tle hands we’ll likely be mere days away from the start of the OBRA season with the first event of the year, the Via Trailers Bar- rel Blast and Open House. If you have never attended Judy Viaene’s show in Mt. Brydges, we wholeheartedly encourage you to make 2010 the first year that you saddle on up and check it out. Not only does this facility offer a great pen, and an truly well organized event, you also have an opportunity to check out all the great trail- ers on the Via Trailers lot. Judy always makes sure to have some great deals on hand in both new and used trailers, so whether you’re looking to move on up to a bigger horse trailer, want to upgrade to a living quarters model or even if you need a nice little cargo trailer, this is the weekend to head out to Via May 29 and 30. Heck, you don’t even need a horse.


Remember riders, this will be our very first all 4- D format show with two 4- D runs each day instead of the old Sweepstakes and Limited Open format, so everyone has a chance at the cash, from club show competitors to the top guns on the barrels. It will also be the first ever time the OBRA Rookie Class has been offered, so if you’re looking at chasing that championship trophy sad- dle and buckle, add this show to your calendar and start wracking up the points.


We had just finished finalizing the details of the OBRA Blast Off at this writing. For sure you won’t want to miss this event as OBRA returns to Fletcher’s Horseworld for the first time in two years for this spectacular event to help launch the season.


The show will not only feature over $3,000 in added prize money over the course of the three days, there are going to be prizes as well including belt buck- les to the winners in each division of Saturday’s $1,000-added “Ontario Speed Challenge” 4-D bar- rel race.


We will also be pre- senting a belt buckle to the


fastest Rookie Run time of the two runs offered on this special weekend and other prizes to class winners too. Note this is a fundrais- ing event for the OBRA, but barrel racers of all shapes, sizes and calibres are welcome to attend. There will be special din- ner offered Saturday night and we are resurrecting the Pie Bake-Off. Prepare your specialty pie and bring it along for judging and win some great prizes. In addi- tion, we are holding a silent auction and would greatly appreciate your support by bringing along an item for the tables. As a little incen- tive, we are offering three free exhibition runs to any- one who donates an item with a $10 or more value, and ONE FREE FINALS ENTRY AND STALL (one horse and rider) to the person who donates the item that sells for the high- est price. That’s a value of potentially more than $300, so you have good reason to search both your hearts and your basements to find something that bidders simply “must have.” Maybe you can even get something at cost or donat- ed by your work or busi- ness.


Stalls will be available at the Barrel Blast Off at Fletcher’s at a cost of $75 for the entire weekend. We also are offering hydro hook ups for a nominal fee. Check out the OBRA web- site for the show bill and entry form for details on the class list and payback and all the other fun events this weekend in Waterford will offer. Please note that the gates will not open at Fletcher’s for trailers until 4 p.m. on Fri., June 4. We will be starting the show Friday night with a $200 added warm-up 4-D run starting at 7:30 p.m. (note the start time might be ear- lier depending on the num- ber of entries).


This is really shaping up to be an exciting year for the OBRA. We threw an idea out there this sea- son for VIP membership and many of you have already snapped up the chance. We already have signed on 12 VIP members who want the extra perks we’ve offered and to sup- port the association. Or


maybe it’s that special 2-D VIP Saddle and Buckle run at the finals.


The numbers have more than met our expecta- tions, so we are thrilled to be able to announce that in addition to the saddle and buckle, we’ll be kicking in $1,000 in added money to that finals run too!


We have maxed out for the VIP parking option at this point, but you can still take advantage of all the other perks of the VIP program for the $350 mem- bership fee (family mem- berships also included). They include a continental breakfast for VIPs at two- day shows, wrist-band free access to a hospitality area at the finals (note there’s talk of a wine and cheese mixer on the Friday night), no hassle premium stalling for finals and maybe even a few other surprises throughout the season. Oh yeah, and there’s that Sad- dle, buckle and now $1,000 added 2-D (1 second split) run at the finals Saturday night.


We expect there could be a few more VIP mem- berships come in, and as they do, we will continue to add to that VIP prize money. Who knows? You could even win your VIP membership back.


Also, our regular membership numbers have already surpassed the num- bers we had all of last sea- son adding to the excite- ment of the year. No doubt the guaranteed champi- onship saddles and reserve buckles for our 4-D, Rook- ie and Futurity classes have enticed quite a few new members to join the OBRA ranks. We are still in need of sponsors for our Youth Champion, Polebending and Pony Classes.


I want to sincerely thank all of the sponsors who have come forward so far this year to support our association. Your generosi- ty has been outstanding and we want you to know how much you are appreciated. We encourage our mem- bers and all others to in return support these busi- nesses. You’ll find a full listing on the OBRA web- site, www.obra.ca in the sponsor ticker at the bot- tom of the page. Click on the sponsor logo to be


taken to their website. We could still use more finan- cial support however to help make this one terrific season. If you know of anyone who would or might like to sponsor or you have a business that could use some promotion, check out the sponsorship opportunities listed under the sponsor tab on our website and contact one of our directors listed at the top of this page. You’d be surprised just how afford- able it is, what we can offer and best of all, you’ll be supporting the horse indus- try in Ontario.


We are also very pleased to welcome back the support of Quarter Horse Racing Industry Development Program and its Post Racing Bonus pro- gram through the Ontario Racing Commission. Some of our members who ride former race horses earned as much as $1,500 last sea- son paid out in a nice little cheque at the end of the season. This shows that it pays to re-train a fast quar- ter horse from the track. For information on the pro- gram check out www.ontarioracingcom- mission.ca. Click the 2010 Ontario Quarter Horse Pro- gram link and scroll down to the Post Racing Bonus information. Links are pro- vided there for applications and point tracking.


We’re sure incentives such as this will continue and grow in Ontario in the future as the quarter racing industry continues to boom. During one of our down weekends this season head on out to the new


Ajax Downs and check out the quarter racing action. It’s a fun way to spend the afternoon and you won’t believe the amenities of the new facility.


That’s about all the time and space we have for this issue, but check out obra.ca for updates and information as they happen as well as Barrel Racing Ontario on Face- book for news from across the province and a way to hook-up with others who


share your passion for turn- ing some cans.


Anyone with ideas, concerns or suggestions is more than welcome to con- tact any of the executive


directors listed on this page. We will do our very best to accommodate you the best way we can! Now get out and tune up those horses!


Foundation Reining Training Centre Specializing in Body Control Methods & Natural Horsemanship


Foundation & Reining Training, Colt starting, lessons & ‘train the trainer’ teachings


Susan Dahl Certified Professional Horse Trainer


Durham, On • 519-369-6767 • reinersue@hotmail.com Blog/Website: www.reinersuehorsemanship.com


CHANGE OF ADDRESS AFFIX OLD ADDRESS HERE


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Send To: The Rider , P.O. Box 10072, 27 Legend Court, Ancaster, Ontario L9K 1P2 • (905) 387-1900 email: barry@therider.com


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