Equestrian Writer

Barrel racing is an iconic rodeo sport that is rapidly growing in popularity across the US and even internationally. But not all barrel races are created equal. There are four types of barrel races: divisional, jackpot, futurity, and rodeo.

Divisional

Divisional barrel races are the most common type that most amateur barrel racers are familiar with. They are run in a 4D or 5D format. They tend to have pretty good ground conditions to run in, but they progress very slowly due to the number of riders they attract. Some divisional barrel races can pull in 200 or more riders. Even with an efficient system, these large divisional races take forever.

The biggest advantage though is the format. A 4D/5D is generally run in 1 second splits and pays out the top 6 or so riders in each division (D). The splits are generally set up as so:

1D = fastest time

2D = fastest time + 1 second

3D = fastest time + 2 seconds

4D = fastest time + 3 seconds

5D = fastest time + 4 seconds

1st place in the 1D win the race and gets the biggest bragging rights, but, 2D, 3D, 4D, and even 5D champions are crowned as well with 6 checks being paid out in each D. This format pays out a lot more places and allows riders who might be a few seconds off the pace of the top 1D horses to still place and even win championship buckles as a 2D, 3D, 4D, or even 5D champion. It levels the playing field more and is more family friendly than some more competitive formats. The stress on both horse and rider is lower due to a calmer atmosphere and better ground conditions.

Associations such as the NBHA (National Barrel Horse Association), IBRA (International Barrel Racing Association), and BBR (Better Barrel Racing) all run divisional formats.

Jackpot

Jackpot are basically just divisional barrel races with more added money. They still run in a 4D/5D format with 1 second splits but the extra money added to the pot means they pay out better. These barrel races will of course be more competitive than lower paying divisional races. Many times divisional barrel races will have a jackpot class for those who want to compete for the higher payout.

Futurity

Futurities can be controversial in the horse industry. Futurities are for young horses coming up in the ranks. They have a very high payout and much higher entry fees. Futurities often require you to register months in advance. Futurities are really only for breed registered horses. Some of them even cater to certain bloodlines. Sires who are enrolled in the Future Fortunes Incentive Program produce more valuable futurity foals because any offspring of a current Future Fortunes enrolled stallion are eligible for bonus money at some of the big futurities.

4 and 5-year-olds are the only ones who compete in futurities anymore. They used to start younger, but the industry wised up and realized that running them too young ruins them before they even make it out of the futurities. I personally think 4 is still too young to be running hard, but I’m just glad they’re not allowing 3-year-olds to compete anymore.

Futurities often have some of the best ground conditions. There is more stress due to the higher payout and larger crowds, but the atmosphere is still much calmer than that of a rodeo.

Rodeo

Rodeos are really the only type of race on this list that is a spectator sport. Some of the larger rodeos can draw huge crowds, making an electrifying environment to run in. Some horses run better are rodeos because they need the crowd and the excitement to really run at the top of their game. However, there are many great 1D jackpot horses who break down under the pressure of the rodeo atmosphere.

Ground at a rodeo is notoriously terrible. It tends to be hard and slick, forcing the rider to really help the horse and ride actively. There are plenty of jackpot horses that are fairly automatic due to the good ground. Rodeo ground varies so widely though that even the most automatic horse still needs help many times. It is important that both horse and rider are able to handle the pressure.

An added twist is that larger rodeos have two types of runs: slack and performance. If you run in the performance you are running in front of the crowd. Most big rodeos only run a dozen or so riders in each performance where there might be 40 or more girls entered. Those who don’t run in the performance run in slack. Slack is after the crowds are gone. There is less stress on the horses with no crowds, but again, the ground is probably not ideal.

Cover Photo by micadew