Painting in Process--Barrel Racer (sold)

12"x12"

Oil on Board

Unfinished

I've been invited to exhibit some paintings in a show about "ranch life and rodeo", so am needing to concentrate on that for a bit. It feels great to revisit the subject. This painting is of a barrel racer. In this competition, there's three barrels positioned in a triangle in the arena and the riders are timed as they ride close and fast around each barrel and back to the starting line. It's a test of horsemanship and the agility of the horse and is mostly done by women. At least some rodeo events are obvious offshoots of the work that cowboys do, so I wonder about this one. I haven't found any information about the origin of barrel racing, but I wonder if the contest might have come about as a reflection of the skills needed by horses when they are cutting cattle. Hope to finish this tomorrow!