Yellow Rose Barrel Race this weekend

By Rob Vogt
It will be a chance to see some great barrel racing and raise some money for a great cause.
The eighth annual Yellow Rose Futurity/Derby Benefit Barrel Race takes over the Claresholm Agriplex from May 5 to 7.
Elaine Watt and Kaycee Mandel are organizing the event.
They explained in a letter that one of the features of the weekend is a benefit barrel race that, over the past seven years, has raised close to $80,000 for worthy causes.
This year, all proceeds from the benefit barrel race will go to support Sabrina Glazier.
On July 22, 2022 she had just graduated and was a member of the Alberta High School Rodeo association when she sustained a severe spinal injury while warming up a young horse at home.
Glazier was preparing to attend South Plains College in Texas to study pre-veterinary medicine, and compete with the college rodeo team. She earned several scholarships she was unable to realize.
It is now 2023, and Glazier is still in Foothills Hospital.
She had a spinal fusion surgery in July but is still in a brace and will need a second surgery for a bone graft before the brace can come off.
There is still a long road to recovery and an undetermined outcome.
“Sabrina’s family describes her mindset as brave, grateful, and faithful,” said the organizing committee. “Sabrina is determined and hopes to beat the odds to fulfill her dreams. The financial burden associated with this recovery is daunting for the family.”
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.
In 2022, after the challenges posed by the pandemic, more than 750 barrel racing runs were done over the three-day event.
Every year also features a silent auction as well, with proceeds going to the charity.
Watt encourages everyone to come to the Agriplex for the Yellow Rose Barrel Race.
“I’d just like to invite the community out,” she said. “I’ve always had great support from the community.”