Rodeo dirt returned to the Silver Spurs Arena on Saturday as more than 100 riders competed in a full day of barrel racing, a sport deeply tied to Osceola County’s ranching roots. Next Saturday, fans will pack the stands for the Silver Spurs Rodeo’s Boots, Bulls, and Barrels, a night featuring Women’s Barrel Racing, Bull Riding, and Saddle Bronc Riding. Boots, Bulls, and Barrels is brought to you by Experience Kissimmee and sponsored by Kisselback Ford.
Heather Burns, event manager for the Silver Spurs, said this weekend’s event was held to give riders an opportunity to practice their sport, since the arena is already set up for the Boots, Bulls and Barrels event happening next weekend. “It gives people something to do, especially in this county,” Burns said. “This is kind of what Osceola County was prior to Disney … the rodeo, the ranching, the fun. We have this amazing building … why not do something special for them?”
Barrel racing traces its roots back to 1928 in Stamford, Texas, where it was introduced as one of the first rodeo events to give women the chance to compete and showcase their skills. In its earliest form, riders maneuvered through a figure-eight pattern around two barrels. The event later evolved into the now-iconic cloverleaf design, using three barrels, which has become the standard in modern rodeo.
While men may participate at the amateur level, professional barrel racing is almost exclusively a women’s event. Most competitors ride American Quarter Horses, prized for their speed, power, and agility. Over the decades, organizations like the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) and the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA) have played a major role in popularizing the sport across the country.
The Cloverleaf Pattern
In the 1950s, both figure-eight and cloverleaf courses were tested, but the cloverleaf prevailed because of its higher level of difficulty and excitement. Watching a skilled rider and horse move in near-perfect sync through this fast-paced pattern—balancing speed, precision, and tight turns—remains one of the most thrilling sights in rodeo today.
The Silver Spurs Club
Created in 1941 to keep those cattle ranching traditions alive, the Silver Spurs Club is a nonprofit organization that sponsors various rodeo events – like Saturday’s barrel racing – throughout the year. Their largest event, the Silver Spurs Rodeo, is often called the largest rodeo east of the Mississippi River. “We’re a staple. We’re part of the heritage. I mean, we’ve got Rodeo Day in school. And so, we fight for it, and the Silver Spurs Club continues to grow,” Burns said. “I love what I do and who I work for. The passion and the meaning behind the Spurs is such a great cause,” she said, adding that the club gives back the money it raises to multiple nonprofits throughout the year.
To learn more about the Silver Spurs Rodeo, visit https://www.silverspursrodeo.com.
For Saturday’s competition, riders ranging in age from five to 80 years old paid $45 to enter, with winners in four divisions taking home cash prizes.
One of those riders, 67-year-old Cheryl Lynn Mann, has been barrel racing since she was five years old. She qualified for the National Rodeo Finals – sometimes referred to as the “Super Bowl” of the sport – in 1988 and 1989. “I was going back a third time, and my dad got real bad sick, and I came home, and I’ve never tried to go back,” she said. Since then, Mann has committed to training barrel horses. “I stayed home and did nothing but train horses. This is all I know how to do,” she said. “I love the horses. I’ve never seen a horse I don’t like. People, on the other hand …,” she joked.
For others, like Teagan Fry, this year’s Junior Miss Silver Spurs, the event was about opportunity. “It’s not one of the major rodeos, but it’s still amazing for people to come out and have a chance to be in the arena and enjoy barrel racing,” she said. “And there’s going to be Boots, Bulls and Barrels next weekend, which I’m so excited for. It’s going to feature bull riding, bronc riding, and barrels.”
Also at Saturday’s barrel racing event was Lois Shelley, originally from Alliston, Ontario, not living in Apopka, is a barrel racing veteran, and spoke to Positively Osceola about taking advantage of Saturday’s event at the Silver Spurs Arena in Kissimmee,” I love to barrel race and this is one of my favorite arenas. The more event, the more we can keep things rolling. Not everyone has a 1D horse, so it’s nice to have a 4D and 5D format to add to the pot and share in the fun.”
🥇 Top 10 – 1D Winners
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Emilee Carlisle – JW Too Early to Blaze – 16.745 – $444
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Rylee Howell – Blazin Rayzin – 16.934 – $376
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Emilee Carlisle – Shez Lucky N Smooth – 17.050 – $308
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Jennifer McGraw – VF Coup De Grace – 17.108 – $239
🥈 Top 10 – 2D Winners
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Mollie Akes – Go Special Cash – 17.330 – $360
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Caroline Diller – Sheza Streaken Leader – 17.367 – $300
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Rylie Conner – Cajessa Bad Cat – 17.387 – $240
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Brandi Geiger – Epic Affect – 17.393 – $180
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Kierlyn Parham – LD Bully Olena Dunit – 17.409 – $120
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Acealyn Youngblood – Togies Red Cat – 17.413 – $0
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Addi Walker – May Jane – 17.505 – $0
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Madison Gunther – Be a Magnolia Runner – 17.554 – $0
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Payton Cornelius – Jackie Bee Short 309 – 17.671 – $0
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Jennifer McGraw – Good Time Ta Fame – 17.733 – $0
Boots, Bulls and Barrels will take place Saturday, October 4, at 7:30 p.m. To purchase tickets, visit https://tickets.silverspursrodeo.com/p/tickets.
