When it began, the WPRA was called the Girls Rodeo Association (GRA). The Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) was founded in 1948 by a group of women from Texas who were trying to find a place for women in the wider sport of rodeo. It is believed that competitive barrel racing was first held in Texas.

The figure-eight was eventually dropped in favor of the more difficult cloverleaf. In early barrel racing, the pattern alternated between a figure-eight and a cloverleaf pattern. 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.īarrel racing originally developed as an event for women. In collegiate and professional ranks, it is usually a women's event, though both sexes compete at amateur and youth levels.

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.

Professional barrel racers