By Madison Fleck
For Ponoka news
Barrel racers competed in the fifth annual Leather N Lace Barrel Race July 23-24 at the Ponoka Calnash Ag Event Center.
Competitors from across Canada and the United States competed in a variety of races including the Open Jackpot, Splash and Dash, The Vegas and The Runaway Slot. In The Runaway, runners purchase slot machines for $750 for a guaranteed payout.
The top runners in each of the three divisions received cash prizes totaling just over $100,000. The winner of this year’s Runaway 1D was 17-year-old Taylor Manning, a three-year-old competitor in the Canadian finals, on her horse Moves just like Jagger.
“My weekend was really good,” Manning said, “It was great to be back at the rodeo.”
Another popular event was the Splash and Dash, which sees competitors race in the typical cloverleaf pattern, but with a twist. Each barrel is equipped with a red solo wine cup. Riders must cover all barrels and drink at least one of three cups, while remaining on their horses.
“The record time this year was about 18.6 seconds,” said Laciee Shock, president of Leather N Lace. “It’s impressive.”
Proceeds from the Splash and Dash went to the Ponoka Food Bank, an organization largely supported by Shock.
Shock likes to run its races professionally, so competitors can “relax and enjoy the event” without having to worry about being late. The event had a strong attendance, with 426 entries for the Friday race, 346 entries on Saturday, 94 entries for The Vegas and 17 entries for the Splash and Dash.
“It went wonderfully,” Shock said. “I think everyone needed something positive.”
Shock says it was great to be able to come together at the Leather N Lace Race without pandemic restrictions.
“It gave people an opportunity to get out and get together with friends and have fun.”
(Emily Jaycox/Ponoka News)
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