By MEGGIE I. FOSTER
Assistant Editor PENDELTON, Ind. — Growing up in a family crazy about horses, it was only a matter of time before Cheyanna Patrick,13, caught the bug. In fact, she not only caught the bug at a young age, she has become a master of her art – winning barrel racing competitions across the country year-after-year, and most recently the All-American Youth World Barrel Racing contest in Jackson, Miss.
Amidst steep competition from 663 of the country’s most competitive youth barrel racers, Cheyanna arose as the top rider with the fastest time of 13.97 seconds on her horse, Hays Victory Eye, lovingly known as Filly. On the first day and first round of the world competition on June 10, Cheyanna won $1,084 – advancing her to compete in the final round on June 12. Together, Filly and Cheyanna then captured the fastest time, winning a custom-embroidered halter, saddle, silver belt buckle and a cash prize of $8,000.
“It’s been a lot of fun for me,” recalled Cheyanna. “I’ve always wanted to be better and beat my fastest times.”
And she did just that. The final run of the world competition in Jackson marked Cheyanna and Filly’s quickest time, yet.
“She’s always been my best horse, the others just fill in the cracks,” she said, adding that Filly is by far, “no push-button horse” either. “But when we’re at the race, she’s all business, I let her do her thing and I do mine.”
In addition to Filly, a nine-year old Quarter Horse mare purchased by her father, Gary, in a Cloverdale, Ind. horse auction for a surprisingly low price of $500, Cheyanna competes on two other Quarter Horses at shows, where riders can enter multiple horses.
And Cheyanna herself is no rider that just shows up on race day either, she is out in the barn everyday cleaning stalls and working horses, according to her mom, Cindy.
“I try to ride everyday, then I put the horses on the jogger and go clean stalls,” she said. “In the summer, I try to ride earlier in the morning when its cool and then we go to the pool.”
In the winter, Cheyanna and her parents migrate back to their home in Florida, where her father continues his work breeding, training, selling and racing Thoroughbred and some Quarter Horse racehorses.
In fact, in 1988, before Cheyanna was even a twinkle in her parents eyes, Gary owned and trained the “winningest (race)horse in the nation,” Gene Gene Running Machine, also a horse he purchased for only $150.
One may wonder how a young girl entering the eighth grade balances a busy competition schedule, school and barn work between two different states.
Well according to her parents, Miss Cheyanna is a honor roll, straight-A student, and only misses school for “horse days,” not the traditional sick-day excuse.
Cheyanna’s future goals prove quite lofty as well. Besides attending a four-year college, of which, is completely pre-paid for by her father to a Florida school of her choice, she hopes to pursue a degree in medicine.
“I’m looking into becoming an anesthesiologist,” she said. “I met a waitress at IHOP, who was attending school with interest in becoming an anesthesiologist, and I became very interested after that.”
Cheyanna also hopes to one day compete at the National Finals Rodeo currently held in Las Vegas, Nev. However, she has a few years before she would even be able to compete in rodeos that would qualify her for the NFR, as entrants must be 18 years or older.
“That is my goal,” she said simply. “Most rodeo competitions are in Texas and Oklahoma and out west. Very seldom does a Florida (or Indiana) girl make it to the NFR – usually you gotta move to Texas because that’s where all the competitions are.”
In addition to her recent win in Jackson, Cheyanna also won Reserve Champion Indiana Barrel Racer in the National Barrel Horse Assoc. (NBHA) Youth competition last year. In July of this year, she will compete among 800 riders in her division at the NBHA Youth World competition back in Jackson, Miss.
“I would’ve won last year, but I hit a barrel (which is automatic loss, according to Cindy),” recalled Cheyanna, who insisted this year is her year to win it.
In addition to all the wins and points leading up to her qualification for the NHBA Youth World competition, Cheyanna was also recently selected for Team USA, where she will compete against 25 of the best youth riders (up to age 18) from across the country to form the U.S. Top Ten team.
The Top Ten U.S. riders will then compete as a team against a top ten team of international barrel racers. The Team USA and international competition will take place Nov. 5-7 in Kansas City, Mo.
“They select the top five riders from five different shows, then they invite you to try out (which makes up the 25 riders), and you also have to pay a $500 fee to try out,” she explained.
The winning team (either U.S. or the international team) then divides the $100,000 prize money, putting $10,000 into the pockets of each individual rider on the fastest-timed team.
But traveling to competitions in Missouri, Mississippi and throughout the Midwest is expensive and many of the top U.S. riders have sponsors to support their love for barrel racing.
“We are currently looking for sponsorships to help pay for travel expenses and entry fees especially since I’ve been selected to compete for Team USA,” Cheyanna added.
The Indiana Thoroughbred Breeders Assoc. and the Indiana Quarter Horse Assoc. have already signed on to sponsor Cheyanna in her journey toward Team USA, but more sponsors are needed according to her father, Gary.
Interested sponsors are encouraged to contact Gary at 352-232-4271. |
