Yellow Rose Barrel Race coming soon

By Rob Vogt
It’s an opportunity to check out some great barrel racing and raise some money for a great cause all at the same time.
The ninth annual Yellow Rose Futurity/Derby Benefit Barrel Race takes over the Claresholm Agriplex from May 3 to 5.
Elaine Watt, who is organizing the event, explained one of the features of the weekend is a benefit barrel race that, over the past eight years, has raised more than $90,000 for worthy causes.
This year, all proceeds from the benefit barrel race will go to support the Sudden Infant Death Syndrome Calgary Society.
Watt chose this organization for a number of reasons. It is held in memory of her son who died from Sudden Infant Death Syndrome, or SIDS.
This year, Watt also had a neighbour call that a rodeo couple in Colorado had lost their own baby to SIDS.
So Watt gathered up all her information on SIDS and mailed it to that family.
It also gave her a thought.
“2024, it’s our ninth annual, I think I’m going to put it towards SIDS,” Watt said.
The benefit barrel race takes place Friday, May 3, starting at 7 p.m. at the Claresholm Agriplex west or new arena, and it is free to watch.
Watt said she is hoping to raise $11,000 as they did last year, or even surpass that.
The barrel racing starts again at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 4, with the futurity, which is for horses five years and younger.
The derby follows for horses eight years and younger, then at 4 p.m. the open, junior, and peewee barrel racing starts.
On Sunday, the barrel racing starts at noon with the second go round for the futurity and derby, with awards to be presented afterwards for best average.
The event will attract between 80 and 90 racers each for the derby and futurity, and 170 to 175 for the open including junior and peewee.
They are expected to come from Alberta, B.C., Saskatchewan, Manitoba, North Dakota and Montana.
Last year, the event paid out $139,000 in prizes over the weekend.
There will also be a silent auction all weekend, until Sunday morning.
Watt said they are welcoming donations of silent auction items anytime. People can drop them off at the Agriplex office or bring them to the west or new arena on the Thursday, Friday and Saturday of the event.
“We had great support last year for the silent auction,” Watt said.
Over the past seven years, the event has raised:
• 2016, $5,600, Alberta Breast Cancer Foundation;
• 2017, $5,400, Alberta Lung Association;
• 2018, $6,400, Calgary Health Trust for brain aneurysm research;
• 2019, $12,800, Calgary Children’s Hospital;
• 2020, $14,400, Sudden Infant Death Syndrome;
• 2021, $15,400, Ronald McDonald House Alberta;
• 2022, $18,457, Alberta Children’s Hospital Foundation.
• 2023, $11,000, to support Sabrina Glazier, a college barrel racer who suffered a severe spinal injury while warming up a young horse at home.
Watt invites everyone to come to the Agriplex for the Yellow Rose Barrel Race.
“It’s just a fun event,” she said. “We have some very good barrel racers coming.”
Anyone interested in even more barrel racing can come back to the Agriplex starting the following Wednesday, May 8, for Royal Crown Canada barrel racing.