MIDHURST, Ontario — When asked about her love of barrel racing, twenty-two-year-old Kaeleigh Farrington says, “I love the connection I have with each of my horses and the feeling running gives me; I live for the adrenaline and the wins!” Kaeleigh says she is happiest when she is with her horses!

Staying motivated is the biggest challenge in this sport she says, and like any other sport, you have good days and bad days. “When you have more bad days or bad runs, you start to doubt yourself. I try to take everything in a positive light. That’s why every time I have a bad run, I don’t focus on all the bad, I focus on what went well and what I can fix for the next time.” In barrel racing and other timed events, you only have a few chances to make perfect runs!

Kaeleigh says she has many personal goals in this sport but her main goal over all is to run a 20 second pole run with her personal best being 21.7 seconds. She also hopes to make it back to the All American Quarter Horse Congress and make it in to the top 5, either barrel racing or pole bending.

Kaeleigh has been racing now for ten years and is involved with the Ontario Barrel Racing Association as well as the National Barrel Horse Association, and locally with the North River Riders in Simcoe County.

She currently has three horses she runs. Her main mount, an eleven-year-old Quarter Horse named Cash, an up-and-coming youngster who is an eight-year-old ex-racing Quarter Horse named Chex and her semi-retired ‘done it all’ Quarter Horse who is twenty-one now named Sizzle. “Sizzle has taken me to Congress and placed us in the top 15 in youth pole bending four times, she has qualified us multiple times for NBHA youth and open worlds as well as NPBA worlds winning multiple Ontario championships. She is not only good at her job, but she gives it her whole heart!” Kaeleigh says Sizzle has taught her so much about riding and speed events, “She is my heart horse, and she is the reason I am where I am now.”

Kaeleigh lives in Midhurst having attended Eastview Secondary School and went on to Georgian College to become a veterinary technician out of her passion for horses and horse health. She is currently enrolled in an equine massage course and says she will be offering this service upon completion. Outside of her ‘running’, she enjoys trail riding with her horses as well as jumping. She is also known for her great voice and has been recognized for her singing talents. “If I had to describe myself, I would say that I am outgoing – an extravert, and if you start talking to me, I won’t stop!” In competitions she says she has a very positive outlook not only for herself but other competitors and says she encourages others where she can and is always willing to lend a hand at the horse shows. Her personal pre-competition involves turning up some country, rap, or pop music to pump herself up!

As for her horse, “Before each run I warm my horse up the same on both sides in both directions, then giving their legs a stretch and checking my equipment before getting in my mind set.” She says she always visualizes how her run should go and takes a few deep breaths when she gets extra nervous. “My horse and I are a team and I have learned that we feed off each other. If I’m nervous so are they, so I need to keep as calm as possible to keep them calm.” She says she has also learned to stay out of her horse’s way. “They know their job as much as I do, and I direct them with my body more than my hands.”

Kaeleigh has two coaches she says have shared some great advice. Coach Craig Widdifield taught her everything she knows about barrel racing and Coach Betsy Vonda taught her how to cut a huge amount of time off each pole run and how to teach young horses to learn the poles with the biggest advice being how to position the horse to help them support their body.

Mistakes happen all the time and Kaeleigh says the best thing to do is try again! “I always like to come out of a run, patting my horse, telling them they did a good job even if our run was horrible. The horses try their hearts out for us each time and most of the time it is rider error. During competitions I try to make a plan to try to fix it in the next run or it’s something I need to work on when we go home.”

The best advice she says she ever received is that you shouldn’t be trying to beat someone else; you should be trying to beat yourself and you don’t have to prove to anyone what you are capable of – you must prove it to yourself. “Just because someone is where you want to be doesn’t mean you have failed; it means it isn’t your time – it will come.”

This is an unedited user writing submission. The views, information, or opinions expressed in this article are solely those of the author and do not necessarily represent those of Best Version Media or its employees.