By Tommy Martin
Special To Ropers Sports News
Barrels racers from all over the Western United States converged on Chowchilla on Saturday, March 23 to compete in the Dean Flenniken Memorial Barrel Race which was put on by the Chowchilla Western Stampede Committee.
Flenniken was a former Chowchilla school teacher and innovator in the barrel racing world who passed away in October 2012.
Kathy Branco, the event organizer, brought the idea of paying tribute to Flenniken to the Stampede Committee to produce the 2013 barrel race in Flenniken’s name to memorialize her contributions to the community of Chowchilla and to the sport of barrel racing. Branco said that “Dean did so much for barrel racing. She had a huge impact on it here in California.” She continued saying that “Flenniken brought barrel racing futurities to California.”
The barrel race came off without a hitch this year attracting 240 contestants, the largest Stampede barrel race ever. Women came from as far away as Nevada, Arizona, California and Oregon to compete for cash awards and prizes.
Among those contestants was Salem, Oregon’s Kristie Lee Cook. Cook was a top 24 finalist in season 10 of the television show “American Idol.” Cook shared her story of selling her top barrel horse to make enough money to travel to Philadelphia to audition for “American Idol” to a national audience during the show.
The barrel racers competed in four categories (4D). The winner of the 1D was Jandee Smart riding BCR Stella Bella. The 2D winner was Kylie DeWitt on Chips Triple Drift. The 3D winner was Laura Rodrigo on Rakin Rebel and the winner of the 4D was McKelvy Smart on BJs Dashing Honor.
Thank you to contributors to the barrel race — cash sponsors were: Alma’s Flea Market, Sandy Dias, Ed and Elaine Wells Rocha, Bob Feist, Gus and Stephanie Anderson, Will Gill & Sons Quarter Horses, and Chowchilla Western Stampede; award sponsors were: Christie Wood and Jade and Jeff Flenniken, champion buckle; 2T Leather, Tootie and Ted Hudson, breast collar and three bronc halters; Kendra Williams, buckle upgrade four buckles; Earl and Beverly Hall, gear bags; Hanson Silver, Tim and Kelleigh Hansen, silver headstalls; Tom and Amanda Martin, fancy longhorn halters and longhorn clocks; Vicki Andrus and Holly Harris, The Rusty Crown, stylin ball caps and bracelets; Ropers Sports News, gift subscriptions; Vetericyn, Gina Graham, four Vetericyn gift bags; Branco Ranch Furniture, Steve and Kathy Branco, trophy buckle boxes; and Chowchilla Western Stampede, 2D and 3D and 4D buckles. Equipment sponsors were: N&S Tractor, Alisha Nelson, use of tractor; Diamond Bar Arena, Shane and Kim Parson, use of arena drag; and Shawn and Miranda Dill, arena equipment.
A special thank you to the office help who donated their time: Jaime Hinton, Joye Glassett and Cindy George.
Results are as follows; payoffs are rounded down to the nearest dollar amount.
1D: 1st. Jandee Smart, BCR Stella Bella, 16.632, $1,100. 2nd. Allie Hamner, Badger Nic, 16.847, $924. 3rd. Jaime Hinton, Julie, 16.926, $792. 4th. Angie Hardin, Cajun, 17.020, $616. 5th. Katie McCaslan, Chopper, 17.084, $440. 6th. Pam Wilken, San Tessa, 17.093, $308. 7th. Mary Jo Camera, Fairlea Lucky Gun, 17.095, $220.
2D: 1st. Kylie Dewitt, Chips Triple Drift, 17.139, $761. 2nd. Gia DeSimoni, Commander, 17.146, $672. 3rd. Tracy Ash, Twisted Sister, 17.170, $550. 4th. Lacey Lockard, Mighty Easy Fame, 17.241, $425. 5th. Mandy Trammell, BW Special Dancer, 17.44, $328. 6th. Shannon Shade, Sixty Saity, 17.263, $255. 7th. Katie McCaslan, Oso Famous, 17.268, $214. 8th. Kelsey Hayden, Fish, 17.312, $186. 9th. Bailey Nahrgang, Shes A Brisco, 17.316, $170. 10th. Bailey Nahrgang, In The Sky Bar, 17.326, $145. 11th. Julie Martin, Hip Wrangler, 17.368, $129. 12th. Jaime Hinton, Rocky, 17.370, $109. 13th. Diana Giffin, Cherry Pie, 17.380, $101.
3D: 1st. Laura Rodrigo, Rakin Rebel, 17.636, $673. 2nd. Tasha Holmes, Vegas, 17.639, $594. 3rd. Cheyenne Hattesen, Let’s Play Rodeo, 17.661, $486. 4th. Lyndee Stairs, Fire Water Slidin, 17.672, $375. 5th. Stacey Bigelow, Can’t Pay The IRS, 17.701, $289. 6th. Rebecca Carter, Bold Candy, 17.706, $225. 7th. Shelby Stansbury, MP Driftin On A Sugar Hi, 17.721, $189. 8th. Gia DeSimoni, Jewel, 17.734, $164. 9th. Allie Tully, Paige, 17.735, $150. 10th. (tie) Kaitlyn Wiggin, MK Oak Frost, 17.756, $121 and Nancy Rico, Miss Scarlett, 17.756, $121. 12th. Aubree Karkula, Marthas Bullion, 17.788, $96. 13th. Nicoale Walters, Silk N Speed, 17.817, $89.
4D: 1st. McKelvy Smart, BJs Dashing Honor, 18.634, $606. 2nd. Kaitlyn Lane, Vern, 18.646, $535. 3rd. Sam Fossum, Kaitie, 18.656, $438. 4th. Kimberlee Boddy, Sweet Escape Lady, 18.692, $338. 5th. Sharra Deniz, With Perks, 18.702, $261. 6th. Kelleigh Hanson, Pistol, 18.708, $203. 7th. Stacy Neeley, HB, 18.709, $171. 8th. Bailey Nahrgang, Find A Pie, 18.712, $148. 9th. Kim Offner, Smokum Jet Reale, 18.718, $135. 10th. Kellie Romine, Smart Move Maker, 18.779, $116. 11th. Tiffany Nance, Junior, 18.826, $103. 12th. Stacey Bigelow, Jewel, 18.842, $87. 13th. Vivian Smith, Snappy Heart Beat, 18.843, $80.
Jandee Smart and BCR Stella Bella were the winners of the Dean Flenniken Memorial Barrel Race. (Shutterbug Photo)