In Pursuit of Passion: Barrel Racing

Leah Walthour

For champion barrel racer Leah Walthour, getting to compete with her horse Toothpick means more than just awards and ribbons.

“Last year, I was in a serious car accident. It put me in a very low place in life,” she shares. “Toothpick never failed to pick me up. He never failed to run his hardest, or even love on me in the barn. I could go to his stall and just sit with him and feel like the world wasn’t on top of me.”

The special bond between Walthour and Toothpick carries into the arena, where the two share significant successes, along with her other competition horses Boss and Ranger. Walthour regularly places and wins both in local jackpot barrel races and world championships, claiming many buckles, saddles, awards, and cash prizes. Just some of her many accomplishments include winning a coveted Ruby Buckle, a world champion win at the 2022 Youth NBHA World Championships, and securing a buckle and significant prize money for winning a division at The Patriot event in Fort Worth, Texas.

While wins and recognitions are meaningful, Walthour also appreciates the unique opportunities that barrel racing brings, saying, “My favorite thing about barrel racing is the travel. Traveling has opened so many opportunities for me. I’ve traveled most of the 50 states. I have met a ton of cool people, been to cool places, and seen a lot that most kids my age wouldn’t see.”

Walthour hopes to once again finish in the top at the world championships and qualify for the International Finals Rodeo this year. Reflecting on her journey within the sport, she shares, “Around the age of 12, I started running barrels competitively. I’m 17 now, and barrel racing is still my love. Unlike most sports, it’s not a whole team competing. It’s you and your horse, and that’s it. I like that Toothpick and I can just do our own thing and not have to worry about anyone else.”

Gina Hatler

Gina Hatler has been riding horses her whole life, but it wasn’t until watching a friend compete in barrel racing in 2007 that she felt drawn to the sport.

She immediately caught the barrel racing bug, and she now holds numerous local and state titles and has qualified for the Open and Senior World Championships each year.

Hatler owns four horses, two of which she competes with, including her 14-year-old horse, Zeke, who she’s known for almost his entire life. “I met Zeke when he was 36 hours old,” she says. “I brought his mom home with me until he was weaned six months later. He’s 14 now, but still a very close pet. He bows and shakes his head for cookies.” These days, the two are focused on beating their personal best barrels and poles times – currently 16.3 and 20.4 seconds, respectively.

In addition to focusing on her own racing, Hatler owns and operates State Line Arena. Located in Ringgold, Georgia, it is the one of the largest and the only covered arena in the area, which allows members to practice anytime on safely maintained ground. At State Line, Hatler boards horses and hosts lessons and events, and offers rentals to equestrian groups or clubs. Many of the races Hatler hosts are sanctioned by the International Barrel Racing Association (IBRA), allowing competitors who are IBRA members to earn points toward awards and prizes. Hatler enjoys hosting these events, observing the barrel racing community coming together. “One of my favorite things is helping people get into barrel racing and improve toward reaching their goals. There is comradery between all ages and skill levels. The contenders and their parents are easy to love,” she shares. In addition to riding and hosting events at the arena, she cherishes spending time there with her three grandchildren, Houston, Hudson, and Charlie Rae.

Whether she’s competing in a race or producing it, there’s not much that tops the excitement of barrel racing for Hatler. “I love the thrill of speed and tight turns,” she says. “You are constantly working to improve and it’s easily measured against the clock. No matter how many runs I make, I still get nervous and excited with the thrill of it all.”

Presley Reyher

In 2019, Presley Reyher went to watch a friend barrel race at a local event.

Watching her friend inspired her to begin her own barrel racing journey, but there was just one small problem – Reyher didn’t have a horse to race. Determined, she “borrowed” her mom’s trail horse Doc, who also had no experience barrel racing, and together they learned the sport. “I told my mom I was going to teach him, and she just laughed and said ‘okay.’ I took him that year and made him what I wanted, and we finished first all around in barrels, poles, and goat tying,” she shares.

Since learning on Doc, Reyher has added three more competition horses to her pack – Boss, Smarty, and Maga. Last year, Reyher won several rodeos and finished in the top 20 in the Youth Teen World division. She is currently in second place for Rookie of the Year in the Alabama Little Britches Rodeo Association, and hopes to finish in the top 15 in the Youth World Finals, which she has already qualified for. In addition to racing, she is a brand ambassador for several companies and has gained various sponsorships.

Aside from the joy of racing, Reyher loves the social aspect of the sport, saying, “I met a group of friends, from far away and near, and we have started our own group chat. We talk, pray, and go over our runs and thoughts for the day. Our group chat name is Proverbs 21:31.” In and out of the ring, she stays motivated by the challenge of the race, her determination, and especially her faith, which guides her to continue pushing for her goals. She says, “I would like to thank the good Lord up above for my abilities, and Mom and Dad for being my biggest fans. Hopefully people see me and my mom pray before every run. I say a prayer with each and every horse. I take a deep breath and give it to the Lord, and I go in and give it all I’ve got.”

Bella Gross

“I love all animals, but there is no love like the love of a horse,” says Bella Gross.

“The connection and bond is like none other.” Driven by this love and the motivation of competition, Gross competes with her horse Cruz, a 10-year-old sorrel gelding. “He’s full of personality and loves his job,” Gross shares. “He is loving when he wants to be, but the way to his heart is through treats.”

Fueled by treats and talent, the pair has been competing for three years and has placed and won at several rodeos. However, the road to success has come with struggles along the way. Gross shares, “In 2022, Cruz started not using his rear around the barrels. The vet diagnosed him with EPM, a neurological disorder caused by opossums. Dr. Ford was unsure if Cruz would ever compete again. After a few rounds of treatment and six months off, I was able to slowly start legging him back up. I’m happy to say he bounced back better and stronger than ever!”

With Cruz fully recovered and thriving, the team has made a name for themselves, including finishing 9th out of 1,400 competitors at the NBHA Youth and Teen World Show. They have also made it to the American Rodeo Regional Semi-Finals, qualified for the Hooey Junior Patriot, and qualified for the Better Barrel Races (BBR) World Finals in the top 10. In addition to her racing efforts in the ring, Gross also enjoys flexing her creative muscles with competition attire. “One of my favorite things is designing new blingy tack sets with DazzleRockTack,” she shares. DazzleRockTack creates handmade, custom show tack such as bridles and headstalls, often featuring unique patterns, gemstones, and fringe. The future certainly looks blingy for Gross and Cruz, who hope to qualify for the International Professional Rodeo Association (IPRA) and National Cowboy Association (NCA) finals rodeo this year, as well as cinch the IPRA and NCA Rookie of the Year awards.

Taylor Zigtema

Horses have been a part of Taylor Zigtema’s life since before she can remember.

“My grandma was an avid barrel racer. I was basically in the saddle before I could walk,” she shares. “She took me under her wing and taught me everything I know about riding. I was instantly hooked.” Zigtema’s childhood was filled with special memories at rodeos, including watching her grandmother continue to compete while fighting breast cancer and undergoing chemotherapy. After her grandmother passed, she inherited her horse Belle.

At 21 years old, Belle is now retired from rodeos, and Zigtema regularly competes with her other competition horses Scream and Jazz. She describes Scream as her “heart horse,” who never fails to cheer her up on a bad day, and Jazz as a “future star” who is beginning to find her groove. With Scream turning 18 this year, Zigtema plans to soak up every moment of showing with him before he retires. In addition to her two competition horses, she is raising one-and-half-year-old Ricky, who will eventually be ready to begin training. “You get so used to your seasoned barrel horses and forget how much work it takes to get there, until you get a baby. It’s a humbling experience,” she jokes.

An accomplished barrel racer, Zigtema has several champion saddles, buckles, and other awards to her name, crediting her success to “trust, communication, and a deep bond” with her horses. She’s most proud of coming in fourth place out of more than 750 competitors at the 2020 NBHA World Championships, running her fastest time in the Reaves Arena. Despite the challenges that rodeos bring with their early mornings and long hours that can often be “chaotic at times,” Zigtema cherishes the feeling of competing alongside her horses, saying, “The moment I step into the saddle, everything else just fades away. Nothing compares to the rush of charging down the alleyway, feeling the power of my horse, pushing for that perfect run. I love the connection I share with my horses. That partnership is what makes this sport so special to me.”