Team Loretta for the win!

Welcome to the 14th edition of The Arena Feed!

This week we celebrate Janae McDougall who made a great run at Gooseberry Lake, AB rodeo. Lakeland Rodeo Association was the lead on that rodeo but it was also WRA and CRA approved. Learn more about Janae and Cowboys Flirt below.

I would also like to send a shout out to Dusty van der Steen and her Rocking W Ranch crew near Morden, MB. The weekend event she hosted raised $22,950 for the South Central Cancer Resource.

There will be no newsletter next week as I have a commitment that needs my full attention. There may or may not be a bonus issue later this week.

Thanks you for reading and sharing to help celebrate these riders and spread the word about the newsletter. You’re appreciated.

In this issue:
➡From The Arena Floor: Interviews with
➡Upcoming Events & Deadlines
➡Featured ad
➡Road Apples - tidbits from around the web
➡Featured Ranch
➡Mindset Minute with Michelle

From The Arena Floor with Janae McDougall

At just 16 years old, Janae McDougall tore up the arena at the Gooseberry Lake rodeo to win a shiny new buckle and paycheck in the Ladies Barrel Racing. She rode her Mom’s horse Loretta and the two (or three when you count Mom Jill in) seem to make a pretty bang up team. Sounds like Dad’s a pretty important part of this team effort too. Here’s what Janae had to say about Loretta and her run.

I would also like to note and celebrate the fact that Janae won the barrels AND pole bending aggregate at the recent Alberta High School Rodeo Finals as well. It’s a big deal to claim just one of those titles never mind two!

Here’s what Janae had to say about Loretta and her run.

Tell us about Loretta!  Who bred her, who owns her, who has done the training etc.  Tell us about their personality and what she's like to run. 

Loretta was bought as a yearling from Heidi Robinson (former owner and breeder of Guys Casanova Cowboy) by my dad as a surprise for my mom. She had ten days riding on her when my mom took over and trained her. She took her to the futurities and had some success on her. Last year my horse got sick and so my mom let me start taking the reins over with her. She is very gritty and loves to turn. She is super fast but can shut her feet off just as fast so it took some time for us to get in sync. Last summer around August we finally got it fairly nailed down and I won a lot on her including the youth ABRA Finals high point and derby and CBHI derby short go. My dad has also spent some time on her riding her across the field and chasing the heelomatic or riding her around at events and just trying to find some balance for her mind. My dad honestly can make Loretta so quiet so quickly and we all appreciate that. To ride around at home she is so broke and relaxed but away from home she can be a bit spicy and nervous and an over achiever. We try hard to just do what we can to make her feel at ease before she runs. She will literally drag you around for a blade of grass and can be a bit stubborn but most of the good ones are.

Tell us about yourself.   Where you're from, how long you've been barrel racing and what do you like to do when you're not barrel racing. 

I am sixteen and from Bashaw Alberta. The heart of barrel racer land. My parents have always done what they could to make sure I had a honest confident building horse and one that challenged me. I made the WRA finals in the pee wee's when I was 8 years old and just never looked back and have been chasing goals in the WRA, LRA when I was young and then AHSRA in the jr's and sr's. Im pretty focused on barrel racing. I played some school sports, and ski but generally just love to be at a jackpot, or rodeo.

Have you had to overcome any challenges with this horse to make it to this level of success?

Loretta is so fast and so light in the mouth it took me a bit to find timing with her and we still struggle somedays getting it just right. My mom finally took the curb strap off last summer and put a piece of breakaway string on it and that helped us the most so if I get in her way with my hands she could ignore me a bit.

What do you think make this run the one that won the rodeo?  What made it great?

Well I was supposed to be top of the ground but there was a turn out so I ended up near the bottom. I knew I needed to be tight to the turn and not get out in the tracks. I tried hard to just be correct and let her work.

What do you think about before you go to make a run on this horse?  What's the game plan?

Most times Mom tells me be brave. We also talk about getting the barrel behind me and riding two handed to that point and then opening my hips up sitting back and driving through the turn and soft with my hands. Loretta is fairly fast on her own and is always giving all she's got so I try hard not to ride wild and to aggressive just correct and quiet. Also whatever happens out there I know my Mom and Dad can probably help me fix it so I don't worry to much.

Tell us about your gear setup for this horse   What are you riding in for a saddle, pad, bit etc?  Shoes or no shoes?

I ride in an Usher saddle. I love it. Your feet are in front of you and it's easy to sit back and ride the hind end of your horse. I use a synergy saddle pad from weaver. I use alliance equine front boots and then we always use hind polo wraps from alliance as it seems the horses like that better. For a bit Loretta likes a Merrill 3 piece twisted wire dog bone it's balanced with purchase and shank and a bit of yellow light gag. We use a head setter that has movement in the nose band. We find it doesn't stop her feet as much but also allows her something to balance on. I'm lucky my dad is such a great shoer and so Loretta runs in shoes all the time. We tape her feet for each run to be sure she doesn't pull a shoe as she is so aggressive in the turn.

And how about the feeding and maintenance plan? What fuels this speedy horse?

We feed simple. Good Hay and cubes, Hoffmans grain with rice bran and then a good mineral, KER electrolytes, KER rite track for gut health, farrier's formula and lysine. We are huge advocates for seeing your vet. Loretta and all our horses are vetted at Stanton Equine. The number one thing you can do for your horse is make sure they are sound, can breath, and are physically fit. We ride minimum of 6 days a week. We never leave home with out our Xlr8 magnetic sheet and our Equipod we find both these things to be great for all our horses pre and post runs.

What are your competition plans for yourself and this mare for the rest of the season?

I am going to hit up a few rodeos. The plan was to get her a bit more seasoned to different set ups and ground. But I am looking forward to running her at nationals in Wyoming in July, maybe the breeders elite, ABRA finals again as that was so fun on her last year and the fall AHSRA rodeos that suit her and of course the Royal Crown and CBHI.

Do you have anyone you'd like to thank or sponsors we can promote for you?   

I couldn't go down the road with out my parents, grandparents and family giving me so many opportunities and so many sacrifices. But I have great sponsors such as Stanton Equine, K Rae Designs for always making sure I have cute outfits, XLR8 Canada for the magnetics she wears both pre and post runs, Alliance equine for her leg protection and blankets, West of the Fifth therapies who have been so good at keeping me full of vitamins, Equipod Canada, and Marketing with Shelby.

Upcoming Events:

If you want YOUR event listed free, please reply to this email or use the “hot tips” form on the website. Everyone is welcome to help me out and submit events whether you’re the producer or contestant. ;)

Tentative Schedule for West of the 5th Futurity and Derby and Open in Rimbey, AB posted HERE
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ISO Rider or Slot Post for the Breeders Elite Showdown event HERE and entry form link is HERE
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Selkirk, MB Fair and Rodeo Released details about their Joan Lenfesty Memorial race July 12 and 13 HERE
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Entries are open for the June 28/29 Canada Race in Rimbey, Alberta. Enter HERE
There is a futurity, derby and open race. Answers to questions in this post HERE
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The 20th Twirl and Whirl in Brooks, AB set their dates for September 19-21st and announced $15,000 added. Info here
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I started a spreadsheet with many of Western Canada’s barrel races listed including 4 Provinces. It is a work in progress, please send changes or additions. Have a look HERE
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Use this post to buy and sell slots for the Red White and Gold Slot race in Biggar, SK
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Find info on each of the Canadian Barrel Futurities Events HERE 
the next CBF approved event is the Big Bang, Aug 5 -10.
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Supernova Productions announced a move from Wetaskiwin, to Red Deer - Westerner Park for their event The Big Bang Aug 5-10, 2025. Entries are open.
It was also recently announced Futurity and Derby contestants can enter either pool A or B this year. HERE
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CBHI announced and exciting 2D Slot Race to be added to their weekend. More info HERE The CBHI Flagship event is October (9TH-12TH) 2025 in Ponoka, AB. The have indicated this event and their approved race derby age is continuing to be 7 & under.
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The Prestige Barrel race is also noted as CBHI approved and scheduled for June 21-22 in Brandon, MB. There is a post running for those wanting to buy and sell slots. FB page here.

Presented by: Rodeoclassifieds.com

11 year old AQHA mare standing 15.1hh.  Runs consistent 2D times with ease and has more than enough ability to run 1D times.  This mare is also a very solid 22-23 second pole horse and has been started on the heading side and with limited roping is a good practice head horse and should be able to go to jackpots with more time spent in the roping pen.  
Snooki hauls well, sights and sounds don't bother her, has been entered in numerous jackpots and a handful of amateur rodeos.  
Youth safe, however she has a big motor so experienced youth suitable for competing on. Videos and price HERE

RodeoClassifieds.com is 25 years young this year! To celebrate we are having an ad sale. Post now, pay later.  Free upfront, pay only if we have helped to sell your horse. Stallions and businesses only after 500 views. Post today, pay later.

🍎Road Apples - tidbits from around the web this week

🍎How to video on tying “war knots” in a horses tail to keep it up and out of the way HERE

🍎Video on wrapping to protect and draw out an abscess HERE

🍎Check your horse for ulcers using these external points shared by Dr DePaolo HERE

Featured Ranch

Mindset Minute with Michelle Davey

A couple weeks ago I suggested creating and implementing a mindset and mindfulness practice that you can be consistent with and actually do. Your mindset skill “muscles” don’t build on their own and different exercises will work for different people so you need to pick a few and practice them. I listed some ideas in the issue a couple weeks ago and talked about grounding last week. I’m going to keep expanding each of those ideas in the coming weeks. This week one of the tools you can use is a “breathwork practice”. A breathwork practice can range some simply being intentional with each breath, or a full fledged 45 minute breath practice alternating nostrils, and different ways of breathing that take you to various state. We are going to keep it simple because we’ve got horses to ride. You can actually do this practice while you’re riding. It’s perfect for a warm up and a cool down. It will help regulate your nervous system.
How to: Focusing on your breath, breathe in through your nose, feel it filling your lungs, take a bit more air in than feels natural and then slowly release it out your mouth. Do this 10 times. I bet you’ll already be feeling better after 5! If you don’t get to 10 that’s okay too.
Another practice is box breathing. Start with 4 second increments and build up to 8. Each side of the “box” represents a section of the 4 part breath cycle.
Follow me now: Count to 4 (in your head) as you breath in through your nose. Hold your breath for 4 seconds, exhale through your mouth as you count to 4. Hold at the end of your exhale for 4 seconds before inhaling again while (you guessed it) counting to 4. Do the next one for 6 seconds increments. If this is your first time doing this you may find holding and waiting to breathe challenging but it gets easier once your body starts to trust the process. If you’re trying this while you’re riding, pay attention to how you feel in your body and you do it and how your horse responds. It can be quite remarkable the shift it can create for the both of you as your body gets more present and your nervous system finds a more ideal state.

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Until next week,

Michelle

PS. There will be no new newsletter the week of the 23rd.