Is Virtual Barrel Racing Our Future?

During this time of the Covid-19 quarantine, I have been doing my best to look at the situation in the most positive manner. I have been catching up with chores around the house and finishing projects on my “to do” list. Yes, I am missing the competition in a sport that I love, but in looking at the big picture I understand and appreciate the reasons we must comply with the current recommendations.

I was hoping that we could maybe get back to our normal rodeo schedule by the end of May or early June. That hope has started to fade, as I watched rodeo after rodeo being cancelled. Last Friday, my heart dropped when I read the news that the Red Bluff Roundup is not going to reschedule, but instead cancelled. I feel that our entire season may be over now.

This leads to the question….is Virtual Barrel Racing our future? With the current situation it seems like the only way that we will be able to enjoy the sport we love and showcase our exceptional equine athletes. Fallon Taylor has already started promoting the concept and I think this may be the format for our events the rest of the year. I just hope that some of OUR local producers will jump on this idea and start planning events this year. I’m keeping my fingers crossed!