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The CWP Directors have decided we are going to post “chats” periodically on our web-site. We will take turns authoring these. While the subjects may vary, we will try to keep it limited to things that matter to Barrelracers!

I drew first-out so let’s go

I’ll start this off by talking about barrel racing ground; the following is my opinion only. What works for me may not work for others.

I believe the secret to good ground is hard work, some knowledge about ground conditions, and equipment and its proper usage.

The initial work in some instances begins days before the race. The hard-pan needs to be broken, moisture needs to be added and mixed in, and the ground has to be put back.

When initially working the ground I like to go at least 1-foot deep.

The water you add may take overnight to be totally absorbed into the soil particles.

During the race I try to maintain consistent ground conditions. It is not fair to the early riders if you improve conditions for the later riders.

A combination of moisture and how you work the ground will produce the proper “cohesion” of the soil. If the ground is too loose, it can result in cupping, too firm, wet, or deep, it can result in tripping. We are looking for ground that will give a slide of 1 ½ to 2 feet.

I prefer two main pieces of equipment; a ripper bar for breaking hardpan and mixing soil, and a top-dressing tool for actual race work. With my single-bar ripper I can get in tight to the wall or barrel and rip where needed. The top dresser is lightweight; this allows a lighter, smaller tractor to be used. Lighter, smaller tractors leave less wheel ridges and are more maneuverable.

There are arena tools on the market that advertise they can “do it all” in one pass.

In my experience I find while they are able to rip, pack and top-groom, they don’t deliver as good a job as individual equipment. They are not as maneuverable. They are heavy, requiring a heavier tractor with higher HP. They are difficult to mount and un-mount on a tractor, and difficult to transport. Their cost is prohibitive also.

Tractors? I prefer 40 hp to 50hp, 4 wheel drive, and a reverser. I like a geared transmission; they give you more speeds at operating RPM than a Hydrostatic transmission does. The John Deere large compacts and selected Kubota models are in a class by themselves for the arena work we do. While other brands/models may be acceptable, your production will be less and durability can be an issue.

While I have the soap-box I’d also like to talk about CWP.

Since we are barrel racers, we know how important it is to follow rules, be consistent and fair, and to produce great races, and last, to NOT FORGET who our customers are.

We will keep our rules simple and easily understood.

We will do everything we can to NOT change or revise rules during the season.

We will NOT continually escalate fees! $5 here, $10 there, it all adds up and we know most barrel racers are on a budget. That is why we limit CWP Prime entry fees to $45 and we will work hard to limit other fees also.

Riders can be confidant CWP will not price them out of races by raising fees as we become more successful!

CWP will always be family-affordable with the best bang for your buck.

CWP understands barrel racing is a “luxury” for most, and that dollars spent on barrel racing are limited. There is more to it than just entry and other fees. Travel, food, and lodging greatly increase the cost of a barrel racing weekend.

With our Finals scheduled in Olympia, we are a short day haul for the majority of our members. Your total cost for the Finals weekend will be much less than if you travel hundreds of miles to other similar shows.

In closing, I want to thank Rosanne Strobel and NW5D. They are the first “Big” association to have faith in us and to co-sanction their prime races CWP.

NW5D has a great Finals in July in Scappose Oregon. Check out their web-site at www.northwest5d.com and if you are down there, thank Rosanne for co-sanctioning CWP.

Ride Hard, Fast, and Safe!

George