Day 10 - Mood: Mixed Emotions

So circuit finals just ended last night. I have been in Vegas since Thursday. It wasn't your typical Vegas trip, this was a busy weekend packed with 3 rodeo performances in two days and a lot of traveling on my part. Luckily, I didn't have to keep my horses in those tiny South Point stalls which were also very pricey! Michelle LeMaster was kind enough to put up our ponies for a few days :-) Thanks Michelle, you rock!


So, let me begin where I left off. Round two at Odessa. I rode Spy man in the slack again. He was feeling good and he was off to great start, but for some reason his hind end got stuck in the ground and he popped up out of the turn. That definitely cost us, but he went on with the run.  He was trying so hard to make up for lost time that he wrapped the second too tight and pulled it down leaving. The third was quick and we ended up with a 14.5, which was wicked fast for having the issue at the first. Spy feels like he is in tip top shape and actually putting more run into his pattern. I am very proud of him. 


Shelby had a great second run in Odessa, but she two over wrapped her second to drag it down. She was going to be a 14.4 I believe. So, we packed up our things on Wednesday morning after the 2nd go slack and headed to Buckeye. Taylor drove with us, and it was nice to have him by my side again. We spent the night in Buckeye and left for Vegas in the morning. 


My first run at circuit finals was Friday evening. My nerves where high because Angel was my mount of choice for these runs and I hadn't swung a leg over her since the Thanksgiving race in Buckeye in November because of her tie-up episode. So here I was, shaking in my boots and poor miss Angel was cool and calm as could be. We went out there (3rd on the ground) and smoked off a first turn. Going to the second I felt like she leaned on me so we got in a leaning battle which resulted in us stopped dead in our tracks to then skip around the second barrel. The third was similar to the second. We ran a 17.1 to place 6th in the go. Wow, I thought to myself if I am making such huge mistakes and still clocking, I can only imagine when we are smooth. The second go was a little smoother at the 2nd and third, but by no means what a bystander would deem as a "good looking" run. She over wrapped her second, but this time he clocked a 16.6. FYI there were only like 3 16.5's all weekend. I would have won third in the go. I was tickled to know that she was again at that speed with HUGE bobbles.  Go round 3 was meant to be the golden ticket. She ran in the arena faster than before and just as she was leaving the first the ground gave and she went down just in her front legs. My mind told me to pull up, but she fought me so on we went. I had a second and third turn I had been waiting for all weekend, not perfect but 200% better and atleast we kept forward motion. We crossed the line at a 17.0! Can you imagine where that little girl of mine would have run on the clock without the fall. 


So here is where my mixed feelings come in....I know I have found an amazing, everything-I-could-ask-for mare, and I know she is going to be a star, but I hated spending my first circuit finals in such a foul way. I wish it could have been the fairytale finals I always dreamt of, but like all my friends are saying, maybe God has bigger and better plans for us. I read a message from my new friend Carrie, who I purchased Angel from. She recalled to me her first circuit finals where she hit barrels all three rounds (not on Miss Angel) and came back the following year to win it. I can only hope to have a cool story like that to pass on to someone else someday struggling emotionally like I was this weekend. 


Now my mom, my sister, Taylor and everyone have left. I am spending the night here in Vegas before I head out to Denver, or at least half way to Denver tomorrow. I am not going to lie, I cried like a baby when everyone left. This was the first time I can ever recall being away from all of my family for a month or more. I can only hope they can come visit me in Tucson at the end of February. Gosh, that seems so far away. I can only imagine how home sick I will be when I lay down tonight in my trailer, with no mom, no sis, no Tay, no Stanley, just nobody :-( I have to remember, like Tay always reminds me, why I am doing this. I am doing this because it is what I love to do. I need to not make it my job, nor rely on winning for justification for my choices. I love this sport and I can only hope this will be all I do for as long as I so choose. 


Well, I have spent enough time in this Vegas Starbucks for tonight. Thanks for listening my friends. I love and miss you all. Thanks for the encouraging messages and calls. I will be back in a few days maybe after my first run in Denver to give another update. Goodnight and God Bless - Bailey.

Day 4 - Mood: Pleased

My first run of this big trip is in the books and it is definitely nothing to frown at. Odessa got 196 entries this year if I am not mistaken and these girls are tough! My traveling partner, Nikkie clocked a 14.00 to win the 1st go on a palomino 6-year old she rides. We are so dang excited for her!!!!! I am pretty sure she is still in shock. I am proud of her for taking a gamble, and stepping off of her season grey, and following her heart to run "Vanilla" when the time was right. Spy had a very decent run at 14.35. I ended up 15th I believe. I was super excited! Spy's run was nice, only a small skip behind the first barrel that cost us a very small amount of time. The second go is going to be fast. He really loves this small long pen. I think he feels like he is back "home" since he started his career out here in the indoor pens. Shelby would have had a quick run too, but Billy nearly went down behind a barrel, but he recovered gracefully and finished the run.  I can just hear him thinking "Watch out suckers, I'll be back". I am so proud of my sis for coming out here and running. It takes a lot of guts to throw yourself to the lions like we are, I fight that battle everyday in my head. We just have to remember that both Bill and Spy (and Miss Angel too), have all it takes to be the top. They have proved it time and time again.


I think that is the biggest battle out here, Confidence. I try to make every run with a clear mind and open heart. I have run with these girls time and time again, and the only times I can't hold a candle to them, is when I allow myself to believe I am not good enough. I have to stay positive and keep pushing forward towards my personal goals day after day. 


Taylor finally arrived late last night, so Shell, him and I sat up last night laughing at whatever we can u with. He makes everything so fun. I love his humor. I think we are going to really need eachother's push and motivation through this. I am so thankful for such an amazing and loyal fiance' in this. I see way too many not-so-great guys out here in regards to their relationships and loyalty, and it just makes me that much more thankful. 


So now we wait. Our next run is 7 a.m. on Wednesday morning, which is 5 a.m. California time. We will be leaving shortly after our runs to head back west for VEGAS! Circuit finals baby, and time for Angel to shine! I am not sure if she will run all three goes there, or what, just because of the recent tie up (5 weeks ago), but Spy is always ready to come and seal the deal. 


I will be posting a video of our Odessa run soon, and also the run I made in Buckeye Saturday on our way through to TX. I was tickled to say the least to run a 17.0 on Spy. My next goal: 16.9 on the standard. 


I hope everyone is doing well in this new year. My thoughts are with the family and friends of the recent Tucson shooting. That was absolutely devastating! Please be safe my friends. I love and miss sooooo many of you. God Bless and Goodnight.


Sincerely,
Bay

Day 1 - Mood: Anxious

I woke up this morning partly excited, partly terrified, slightly unprepared, but fully open to what the future is going to bring. Forgive me for my lack of attention to spelling and grammar as we travel and I blog from my Blackberry in size 2.5 font. I have my sister in the driver seat and we are headed to Buckeye, Az for a layover on our way to the two-header pro rodeo in Odessa Tx, starting Monday for us. I will be meeting up with my traveling partner Nikkie and Taylor as well! I haven't seen Taylor for almost a week, so you better believe I am excited!


To be completely honest, my head and my heart are a mixed bag of emotions. I haven't cried so hard as I have in the past two days. Saying goodbye (for now) to my coworkers was tough. My job at JB Dewar has been a HUGE part of my life for the past 3 and a half years. Those people were and always will be family to me. I am going to miss the stability and comforting routine of that chapter of my life, but I am sure this a much more rewarding path for me.


And for those of you that know my other four-legged love, my wiener dog, Stanley, well he couldn't make the trip :-( He was going to be so miserable in the weather and plus I would be spending time in other rigs, so I made that decision. I now have maybe a 10% idea of what a parent feels like when they are separated from their kid, mine just happens to have a tail and REAL bad breath.


Spy seems to be in good cheer. I think he knows were serious now because he is getting his legs wrapped. He has always been a low maintenance, no gadget kind of horse, but I am turning in a softie and making sure he gets all he can to be comfortable.


My friend Deanise stopped by my moms house just before we left. She has expressed a very much appreciated desire to help me along my journey. Her business is called Central Coast Performance Horses. She is a Reinsmen Tack retailer, and she has so sweeeeet tack. Reinsmen has some classy leather work. Thanks Deanise, you rock. All the help is so much appreciated and I am blessed for great hearts like yours!


Well, I just want to take this time to thank all my amazing friends and supporters as I begin this new chapter in my life. You all are the reason I hold my head high and stay confident, because I know I have a team of great hearts behind me. Ours lives are so blessed to be living free and choosing to do as we please. God Bless all, and goodnight! -BT

Merry Christmas To All!

What an amazing time of year Christmas is. Here it is Christmas night and I have nearly seen everyone I love. Since Thursday I have been to Buckeye to Taylor's parents home for Christmas Eve and back to California for Christmas with my Mom. Tomorrow is my Dad's day :-) Life is so good. Christmas is such an amazing time of love, and family. And boy was Santa good to me. I got a new video camera for my rodeo journey and a BEAUTIFUL new tack set from none other than Western Dove. Katie makes the most amazing tack. The headstall came from my sister and the breastcollar came from Katie. The stones are a neat purple and turqouise. I was blessed with a ton of goodies for the road, lift a nice pocket knife, a new medicine kit, and so many helpful goodies! And if it wasn't bad enough that my mom and sister spoiled me, Taylor's mom and dad spoiled me as one of their own. Gosh, I am one lucky girl to have such a great support team.

So here is where the rodeos plans stand. I will be headed East sometime around January 7th to make two runs at Odessa, TX. I somehow luckily convinced my sister, Shelby, to join me and run as well. We drew up in the morning slack on the 10th and the 12th. Taylor drew up twice on the 10th in the steer wrestling, so if all goes well he will be hopping in with us at Buckeye, AZ. If not, atleast I will get to see him a day or so. Nikkie will be meeting us in Odessa and following us back to Buckeye after Odessa. She is going to run in the Greg Olsen Jackpots in Buckeye the weekend of the 14th, 15th and 16th, while Shelby and I continue on to Las Vegas for the circuit finals. It all seems for far away, but in all reality it is just around the corner.

I just have to sit back, enjoy my time at home and soak up the family time. I am hoping to see my new mare, Angel, come around soon too. She had a bad tie up episode a few weeks back, and now, according to another blood draw this week, she is not able to be ridden yet. Im crossing my fingers we have the very best combination of feeds and a routine to keep her healthy and away from anymore tie ups. I have to thank Jackie Hagberg and her great herb supplements for helping not only Angel, but Spy and Billie (Shelby's horse) and many others on our ranch. 

Okay, well it has been a long day of driving and a plethora of presents.... time for bed. Merry Christmas to all and to all a good night! God Bless!

The Beginning

Hi all...I finally am breaking down and joining the blogging world. I want to keep an ongoing journal of my journey towards my dreams. Tomorrow morning at 7:30 our time (Pacific Time) Denver, Co rodeo callbacks occur. This is the kick off to my big adventure. Many phone calls and much deliberation went into how to enter this rodeo. The trick here is that in the middle Denver lies my first journey to our California PRCA Circuit Finals in Las Vegas, NV.  Luckily for this girl, this road will not be too lonely. Although my dream would be to travel with my amazing fiance', that isn't feasible at the present time. I have found an amazing friend, Miss Nikkie, from South Dakota to join me. So, together we will fill out trailers, load 'em down with horses, hay and high hopes. My whole heart and every fiber of by being is into this. I feel like I was born to travel this rodeo road. I am so blessed to have this opportunity. Please don't get me wrong, I know it is going to be a challenge. Everyday will be a struggle to keep my confidence in a sea of seasoned professionals, and everyday will be a test of my patience and trust in the Lord, but I am willing to put all my faith into this. My horses, 14-year-old Spy (In The Sky Bar) and 8-year-old Angel(She's A Brisco) are going to my lifelines in this. They will make or break me, but win lose or draw they are my life and I will forever be in debt to them for all the amazing things they have allowed me to accomplish.

On top of planning a life on the road I have an amazing wedding I am planning in my head. The venue is booked, the beautiful and majestic Dana Powers Barn in Nipomo, CA for October 22, 2011. I have no doubt this will be the greatest day of m life yet, but boy oh boy the planning is rough. I have so many ideas, and I feel like they change daily. It is going to be an amazing country affair with a small selection of family and friends. I am marrying my best friend in the whole world. Taylor is nothing short of perfection. He was put on this Earth to make me happy, I am so convinced of this. I can't wait to officially be his woman.

I am clocking my final few weeks at work. It is an emotional end to one chapter of my life. My coworkers have become some of my greatest friends. I am not sure any work environment could match the one I had. It is a really tough idea to leave the comforts of a great steady paycheck and amazing benefits to jump into the unknown, but it is a risk I am willing to take to achieve my goals.

Here goes nothing........pray for me!