BLAZIN’ BARRELS KICKOFF WEEKEND SIZZLES…
Saturday Results - Sunday Results, also see Nov 2nd and 3rd Results

The sun was warm and the times were hot at the kickoff weekend for the Blazin’ Barrels Winter Buckle Series presented by David and Windi Meek of The Rhinestone Ranch located in Peyton, Colorado. October 19 & 20 was the first of four weekends for the series produced by TNT Events at Penrose Equestrian Center in beautiful Colorado Springs, Colorado.  Local resident, Kathy Van’t Hul, was the hi-dollar winner of the weekend, riding away with nearly $800!  She was second in the Open 1D both days and ran her fastest time of the weekend, a 14.87, to win the WPRA Divisional Tour on Sunday.  Kathy has had her 8-year-old Palamino gelding, “Smooth As Doc”, for about 5 years.   She has been riding her whole life and trained “Sunny”, as she calls him, to run barrels.  She says, “I have never known a horse with such a courageous heart!  He had a rough start on life and really had to fight hard to survive.  But, he has always been very determined and tries his hardest at everything he does.”  She says that he also loves to run barrels.  He squeals with delight and shakes his head when it’s his time to shine.  In fact, she doesn’t even have to coax him into the trailer, he practically runs her over to get in.  We should all be so lucky to have a horse with determination and a love of barrel racing!  When we asked Kathy, a long-time participant of the TNT Events barrel races, what keeps her coming back, she said, “Let me see, Bob Berg Buckles!?!  Actually it’s a combination of great ground, nice payoffs and the positive attitude of the producers and staff.”  Although Kathy is going to be running for that Bob Berg Buckle, she told us that she actually looks to her horse to see how often to go and how many runs to make.  She never wants to do more than that for which Sunny is prepared.  When she’s not busy running barrels, Kathy is busy training young minds as the Principal of Beacon Elementary on Fort Carson.  She looks forward to attending the remaining 3 weekends of TNT Events, Blazin’ Barrels Winter Buckle Series and hopes to be wearing a new buckle when the dust settles. 

The total cash payout for the weekend was an awesome $10,401.20 and there was another $1,500 in awards which were handed out!  The Youth 4D, Senior 4D and Open 4D were all American West 4D sanctioned which made it even more beneficial for those AW4D members in attendance.  There was a total of 394 competition runs during the two day event, and daily awards were given in the Open 4D.  Lucky winners received goodies from donors such as: Bits N More, Classic Equine, Cowboy Magic, Justin Boot Company, Rainbow Path Ranch Products, The Equine Touch and Wrangler Jeans. To add even more excitement to the weekend, a random draw was performed each day out of the Open 4D contestants.  The lucky winner won a gift certificate good for one pair of Justin Boots!  Saturday’s winner was Kandy Hathcock and Sunday’s lucky contestant was Nathalie Bonnet.  Don’t be sad if you didn’t win!  We will be giving away two free pair of Justin Boots each weekend of the series – you could be next! 

Shining with beauty at the entry office were (no, not the secretaries) the Bob Berg buckles which were on display!  After the first weekend of the series, Kathy Van’t Hul is in the lead for the 1D buckle, Carla Wakefield is ahead of Cindy Thompson by only 1 point for the 2D buckle, Kaycee Nelson and Janice VanGroningen are tied for the 3D buckle and Danielle Johnson and Kirsten Vohland are neck to neck for the 4D buckle.  This year, not only do you accumulate points for placing 1st-5th in each division, but you also gain points just for entering.  So, in the end, it could come down to who has attended the most races!  For those of you who were unable to make it to the kickoff weekend, remember, you must enter 6 of the 8 Open 4D classes in order to qualify for the buckle.  So, mark your calendars NOW for the remaining races to be held NOVEMBER 2 & 3, JANUARY 4 & 5 and MARCH 15 & 16 all at the Penrose Equestrian Center Indoor Heated Arena.  There will be $200 added each day in the Open 4D, except for January when we will have $500 added each day in the Open 4D.  The January 4 & 5 race will also be worth TRIPLE POINTS for all of those American West 4D contestants. 

Thank you to all of those who help make the TNT Events races a success!  We couldn’t do it without you!  We especially tip our hats to the sponsors for this series:  Meek’s Rhinestone Ranch, Corona Light, The Midnight Rose Hotel & Casino, Hitchin’ Post Trailer Sales and The Lazy H Ranch.  To catch up on all the latest TNT Events information, log on to their new web site, www.BarrelRacingNow.com, where you can find out about upcoming events, results, press releases, photos, links, polls and much more!  If you have any questions or comments, you can call Nancy at 303-688-7777 or email her at [email protected]. Keep blazin’ those barrel patterns until the next TNT Events production! 

SATURDAY, October 19, 2002

Penrose Equestrian Center –Indoor Stadium - Colorado Springs, CO

TNT Events Blazin’ Barrels Winter Buckle Series

WPRA – $100 Added – 17 Entries

1. Diann Bukowski            15.40            $234.24

2. Deb Schroetlin            15.44            $175.68

3. Jill Kadrie                 15.45            $117.12

4. Claire Hanson 15.61   $  58.56

$1000 Novice Rider - 17 Entries

1. Janet Cropper            16.000 $  95

2. Megan Conley 16.174  $  71

3. Barbara Campbell            17.262  $  48

4. Malinda McKnight            17.437  $  24

$1000 Novice Horse - 29 Entries

    1D

1. Cindy Thompson            15.656  $  73

2. Cathy Ferguson            15.764  $  49

    2D

1. Taryn Lindauer            16.260  $  66

2. Colleen McKinney            16.268  $  44

    3D

1. Jennifer Singleton            16.758  $  56

2. Judy Gunson            16.816  $  37

    4D

1. Ursula Olson            17.552  $  49

2. Amanda Yopp   18.000  $  32

Youth 4D –  11 Entries

   1D

1. Riley South               15.893  $  49

2. Megan Conley 16.038  $  32

   2D

1. Taylor Robson            16.573  $  44

2. Samantha McKnight16.892  $ 29

   3D

1. Meaghan Clifton  17.338  $  62

   4D

1. Heather Chivers 19.632  $  54

Senior 4D - 8 Entries

    1D

1. Patsy Vanwey            15.203  $  59

    2D

1. Dianna Miketa 16.182  $  53

    3D

1. Ardith Bruce            16.242  $  45

    4D

1. Ursula Olson            16.857  $  39

 

Open 4D - $200 Added – 137 Entries

    1D

1. Karen Turek            14.848  $339

2. Kathy Van’t Hul       15.039  $291

3. Shelly Alexander            15.169  $230

4. Patsy Vanwey            15.203  $170

5. Kelley Schnaufer            15.239  $109

6. Janet Engel               15.257  $  73

    2D

1. Cindy Thompson            15.355  $305

2. Kris Martin               15.363  $262

3. Kathy Masciotro            15.386  $207

4. Carla Wakefield            15.408  $153

5. Bonnie Wheatley            15.472  $  98

6. Jill Kadrie                 15.473  $  65

    3D

1. Janice VanGroningen 15.895 $260

2. Ardith Bruce            15.899  $223

3. Lindsey Fuqua   15.903  $176 

4. Barbara Boetger            15.926  $130

5. Jeanne Ragains            15.931  $  84

6. Katelynn Weitzel 15.956  $  56

    4D

1. Danielle Johnson            16.372  $226

2. Karen Carter  16.383  $194

3. Misty James            16.402  $153

4. Linda Aaberg 16.485  $113

5. Jody Rhodes            16.512  $  73

6. Shelly Siegfried            16.514  $  48

TOTAL DAY PAYOUT =  $ 5733.60

SUNDAY, October 20, 2002

Penrose Equestrian Center –Indoor Stadium - Colorado Springs, CO

TNT Events Blazin’ Barrels Winter Buckle Series

WPRA – $100 Added – 17 Entries

1. Kathy Van’t Hul       14.87              $234.24

2. Janet Engel               14.99            $175.68

¾. Megan Sniff            15.10             $  87.84

¾. Vickie Segelke            15.10             $  87.84

 

$1000 Novice Rider - 13 Entries

1. Megan Conley 15.725  $  73

2. Jodie Zolman 15.968  $  55

3. Ursula Olson            17.025  $  36

4. Sandra Lair              17.073  $  18

 

$1000 Novice Horse - 25 Entries

    1D

1. Ardith Bruce            15.545  $  63

2. Megan Conley 15.620  $  42

    2D

1. Christine Menegatti            16.056  $  57

2. Jamie Rydberg            16.134  $  38

    3D

1. Royce Romberg            16.604  $  48

2. Ursula Olson            16.643  $  32

    4D

1. Jody Knight              17.085  $  42

2. Beverly Petrini   17.155  $  28

 

Youth 4D – 8 Entries

   1D

1. Jessie Suazo            15.328  $  59

   2D

1. Julie Gunter              16.114  $  53

   3D

1. Taylor Robson            16.409  $  45

   4D

1. Courtney White   17.037  $  39

 

Senior 4D – 0 Entries

Open 4D - $200 Added – 112 Entries

    1D

1. Patsy Vanwey            14.809  $330

2. Kathy Van’t Hul       14.909  $270

3. Sandra Suazo   14.940  $200

4. Jami Hawkins            15.100  $130

5. Wendy Larsen  15.175  $  70

    2D

1. Frankie Drullinger            15.337  $297

2. Carla Wakefield            15.342  $243

3. Kelly Hollingsworth 15.352 $180

4. Jill Kadrie                 15.415  $117

5. Kris Martin               15.446  $  63

    3D

1. Kaycee Nelson 15.825  $253

2. Jenna Pryor              15.827  $207

3. Karen Taylor  15.842  $153

4. Kelli White               15.852  $100

5. Linda Aaberg 15.873  $  54

    4D

1. Kirsten Vohland            16.309  $220

2. Patty McCullar            16.314  $180

3. Tammera Gunter  16.363  $133

4. Jeannie Coble   16.372  $  87

5. Raquel DeValk            16.436  $  47

TOTAL DAY PAYOUT =  $ 4667.60

TOTAL RACE PAYOUT = $10401.20