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| Nicknames | Barrels, chasing cans |
|---|---|
| Characteristics | |
| Mixed-sex | Generally women and girls, some men and boys at local and youth levels |
| Type | |
| Equipment | Horse, horse tack |
| Venue | Indoor or outdoor riding arena |
Barrel racing is a rodeo event in which a horse and rider attempt to run a cloverleaf pattern around preset barrels in the fastest time. In collegiate and professional ranks, it is usually a women's event, though both sexes compete at amateur and youth levels. It requires a combination of the horse's athletic ability and the horsemanship skills of a rider in order to safely and successfully maneuver the horse around three barrels placed in a triangle pattern within a large arena.