Caitlin Stark is at an exciting point in her life. Just a few weeks away from graduating from the Agribusiness, Livestock Production program at Lakeland College, she also recently snagged a championship title at the Canadian College Finals Rodeo (CCFR) while competing in barrel racing.
And not only did Caitlin stand out at the event, but her horse Copper also won the Barrel Horse of the Year title, which was voted for by fellow competitors. After starting to barrel race competitively six years ago, Caitlin finished second overall in points this season, leading up to the championship.
This was her second year qualifying for the CCFR, which took place from March 26 to 28 in Edmonton at Northlands.
“Running in front of that large of a crowd is exciting,” says Caitlin, adding, “I am so blessed to have the amazing support group of friends and family that I do. Leading up to the event, they were all wishing me luck and my family was all there watching and cheering me on.”
Growing up, Caitlin says her mom, Annette, used to always laugh when her young daughter didn’t want to play with Barbie dolls. Instead, Caitlin wanted to play with horses.
“From day one, it has always been my passion to barrel race, and I have yet to lose that passion and drive. Barrel racing is what makes me happy and I definitely plan to continue doing it for as long as I am capable of doing so,” says Caitlin.
Caitlin’s horse Copper has been with her every step of the way. She bought the mare in the fall of 2007, and spent the next summer training. Then, the duo started going to jackpots in the fall of 2008, and once rodeo season started in the spring, they started making appearances there.
“Copper was just a natural at barrel racing and absolutely loves her job.”
To be involved with the Canadian Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (CIRA), competitors must be enrolled at a post-secondary institution, while also maintaining a GPA of 2.0 or higher. The season starts in the middle of September and goes throughout the school year.
Sometimes, Caitlin admits it can be tough balancing rodeo and schoolwork, “but it’s definitely worth the challenge.” Going to rodeos isn’t just about the competition, it’s also a social outing, since Caitlin has become good friends with many of the other people involved.
Going into the finals, Caitlin says she wasn’t really sure what to expect since it was a tough group in the top 10 that qualified. The first night of competition wasn’t very good though, and two of the other girls competing fell during their runs.
“I knew that I just had to go out there and trust Copper. She handled it like a pro, winning the round,” says Caitlin. The second night saw the duo finish a strong third, and heading into the final night the pair sat in second place overall.
“It was an extremely tough round. Everyone was clocking really fast runs,” said Caitlin, describing the final run. She and Copper were second last to go, and the pair gave it everything they had.
The results were evident. They clocked the fastest time of the entire weekend with 14.0001, and won the championship.
“I still get goosebumps thinking about it,” says Caitlin, adding. “As cheesy as it may be, Copper is my best friend and making that final victory lap with her was one of the most exciting moment that I have had in my barrel racing career this far.”
Now that Caitlin will be graduating from her post-second education, her barrel racing career will take on a new path. Now, the young barrel racer plans to compete in the Lakeland Rodeo Association (LRA) and Wildrose Rodeo Association (WRA).
“My future goals are to make it back to the LRA finals in St. Paul and the WRA finals in Barrhead, and eventually one day go pro,” says Caitlin.
