With winter closing in, outdoor sports tend to take a backseat and resume in the spring; however, barrel racers who attend North Forsyth High School are ready to start a new series at a local venue. Mountain View Stables and Arena is hosting a winter series barrel race in Dawsonville, Georgia with a great quantity of prizes and money to give away.

The series consists of six shows on the weekends throughout the winter. Anyone can participate in the series; however, if qualifying to the finals and winning a significant amount of money sounds great, then sign up for the series membership. NFHS freshman Grace Orzech is a member of the series and has been to every show so far. Orzech said, “I can’t wait to continue to get together with people who share the same love for the sport as I do. I love the friendly competition, the support that everyone gives one another, and the time I spend with my horse in and out of the arena.”

The finals show will be taking place in January 2019 and there will be photographers, buckles, prizes, and more. The show has a variety of events consisting of barrel racing, pole bending, arena racing, and streaking poles. Barrel racing and pole bending  are the most popular and the amount of money that is won is larger. Senior Halle Bagley says “Everyone has been working extremely hard at these shows and I can barely wait to see what everyone has in store for finals. These are memories that will last everyone a lifetime. It is such a great environment and I look forward to every show.”

Overall, the most important thing is that all horses and riders are kept safe and everyone has fun. North Forsyth barrel racers cannot wait for the next show.