Horse Illustrated Magazine

Top barrel racers from North America are competing this week in Augusta, Georgia at the National Barrel Horse Association World Championships. Competitors enter in the senior division, for riders over age 50, or open. The NBHA Youth World Championships were held in July in Jackson, Mississippi.

To qualify for the Worlds, riders must earn point at competitions in their home district. Horses of any breed, including unregistered horses, can compete in NBHA competition. Approximately $350,000 in prize money will be paid out at the World Championship.

Riders of all ability levels compete in the same race and are placed in four divisions using the four division (4-D) format. The NBHA explains the format on their website:

All riders, regardless of ability, run in the same 4-D barrel race. The four divisions are then determined by time brackets. With the 4-D format, the OVERALL fastest time of the race is used to set the time brackets for the four divisions. The NBHA awards points to members IN ALL DIVISIONS on a 5, 4, 3, 2, 1 basis for first place through fifth place, regardless of the number of entries or paying places. · 1st Division: These are the riders with the fastest times. · 2nd Division: These are competitors who ran ONE-HALF (1/2) SECOND or SLOWER than the OVERALL fastest time. · 3rd Division: These are competitors who ran ONE (1) SECOND or SLOWER than the OVERALL fastest time. · 4th Division: These are competitors who ran TWO (2) SECONDS or SLOWER than the OVERALL fastest time.

Competition begins at 8:00 each morning and is available for live viewing online. Click here for the webcast.

Watch a video of top barrel racer Molly Powell’s winning runs >>