On the Futurity Road

BY DEANNA BUSCHERT

In the March issue of the Western Horse Review, we introduced readers to this season\’s Walters Quarter Horses futurity prospects to be campaigned by the 2003 Canadian Professional Barrel Racing Champion, Raylee Edwards. Months later, tamoxifen the heat is on and the late summer sun has this competitor fighting to keep her string of horses fit and at the top of their game. Each futurity is showing one horse stand out, while another tests its’ rider’s stamina. After falling out of the top ten at June\’s Silver Sage Futurity in Brooks, Alberta, Raylee mentions the June weekend was “rough”.

“I had a very full plate and perhaps got off on the wrong foot. I was 13th on Fast Eddie and 14th on Super Sue. One of the derby horses just missed the cut and the other worked really nice, but tipped. He would have made the finals. So, it’s on to the next one.”

After July\’s South Country Futurity and Derby in Cardston, AB, Raylee felt it was time for the crew to take a break. A full time job of looking after a herd of young barrel horses can seem like a dream opportunity. However, as Raylee wipes the sweat from her forehead, she says it’s not easy.

“I ride them a lot. I will spend at least 45 minutes per horse. It makes for a full day. A lot of times I will go ride at night, when Kassie (Raylee’s daughter) is asleep. In the past three weeks I have been making sure these horses are my priority.”

With horses on the farm to start, pattern, futurity, derby and rodeo, Raylee notes that putting time in the saddle is a demanding position.

Meet the list of Walter Quarter Horses, on the 2012 Futurity Road.

LITTLE SIS SUE: 

Super Sue is out of one of the Walter’s most powerful broodmares. This young mare is a full sister to Real Easy Doc (Doc), the CPRA’s 2010 Ladies Barrel Racing Horse with the Most Heart, and Canadian Champion and earner of over $250,000. Docs Baby Sue also produced Kid Baby $15,000 Pro Tour winner, and Sansue Streaker a multiple derby champion who passed away in 2008.

FAST EDWARDS:

Fast Eddie represents the basis of the Walter Quarter Horse breeding program. His sire, Real Easy Buy, by the AQHA legend Easy Jet, is their present stallion. The gelding’s dam, by Big Time Louie was out of their favorite mare, Docs Baby Sue.

DEFINE FLAIRE:

Floozy’s dam, Streaky Girl, is another Docs Baby Sue daughter, by Kiddin N Streakin. She was born in 2000 and Floozy is her first foal. Raylee had the opportunity to ride Flair, who also had a very sensible personality. As a barrel horse, she placed at the Diamond N, Silver Sage and South Country Futurities, before being retired to become a broodmare.

McCABE:

McCabe is one of the last Kiddin N Streakin offspring left for the Walters to futurity. The 1984 stallion was by the 2011 AQHA Hall of Fame inductee Streakin Six, and passed away on their farm in the summer of 2010.

Watch for this year\’s final Futurity Road instalment in the November/December issue of Western Horse Review and catch up with how these prospects finished their year. Stay tuned online for more online updates, leading up to the final event of the season. The Canadian Barrel Horse Incentive Futurity, to be held Oct 4-7th, at the Ponoka Ag Event Facility. Results from the 2012 season are listed online at the Canadian Barrel Horse Futurity website.

In the meantime, check out Raylee\’s barrel saddle, called The Raylee Racer, located at the Frontier Western Shop, in Claresholm, AB.