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Youth a Big Draw at Ramona Rodeo
By Regina Elling
 | | Amber Aspin, left, shown beside her horse, Amanda, discusses an upcoming practice session with her mother, Vanessa Aspin, who is shown with her horse, Fiona. |
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It only took about 20 minutes for all the available open spots in the Ramona Rodeo's Junior Barrel Racing category to be taken.
"We began accepting signups at 10 a.m. on a recent Monday morning," says Vanessa Aspin, who has been the director of the Junior Barrel Racing at the rodeo for about 10 years. "By 10:20, the spots were all taken and we already had a waiting list started."
However, the stock contractor and the rodeo committee decided to open up some more spaces for racers by having them run in "slack."
"The racers who run in slack run their patterns on Saturday morning, beginning at 8 a.m.," Aspin explains. "They get the same prizes and awards and it is the exact same pattern. The only difference is that they won't have an audience. And some of the riders prefer it that way."
Junior barrel racing is split into two age groups. Senior barrels are for youth age 13 to 17, while those age 7 to 12 compete in junior barrels. At the Ramona rodeo, only 24 total participants are allowed; eight for each night's performance.
 | | Laura Hout and her pony, Sheila, prepare to practice at a local gymkhana before they perform at the Ramona Rodeo. |
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"It's big-time stuff to be on the Ramona Rodeo stage," says Aspin. "These are local kids, performing in front of their friends, family and neighbors. They don't even care whether they win or not, it is just such a thrill for them to be out there running the pattern."
In the immediate area, only Poway and Ramona rodeos offer junior barrel competition. However, junior barrel racing enthusiasts can compete in California Junior Rodeo Association and California High School Rodeo Association shows.
At the Ramona rodeo, Aspin will be able to watch her daughter, Amber Aspin, run the barrels. Other junior barrel racers from Ramona include Ali Elston, Alyssa Elston, Bobbi Kushner, Janelle Robinson and Mackenzie Taylor. Other participants are from Camp Pendleton, Escondido, Jamul, Ranchita and Riverside.
This year, the competitors will be twice as busy as usual.
"There is actually a rodeo going on Saturday at Mountain Valley Ranch, which is a different event than the Ramona Rodeo," Aspin explains. "Most of the kids will be involved in both events, so they will be busy going back and forth between the two."
The Ramona Rodeo will be the first such event for 10-year-old Laura Hout.
"She's been riding since she was about five, and riding seriously for the past two years," says Terri Hout, Laura's mother. "We're very excited for her to be riding in front of the home crowd at the rodeo."
Laura herself couldn't be happier.
"It's been my dream to be in the rodeo," she says. "I'm racing Saturday night, and my parents, my grandparents, my aunts, my uncles and some of my friends will be there to watch."
Riding her Haflinger-cross pony, Sheila, Laura already has a game plan.
"I think I just need to run the fastest around the barrels and not knock any over," she says.
Win or lose, Laura says what many of the young barrel racers before her have already discovered: "I want to do rodeo again after this."
The 2008 Ramona Rodeo will be held May 9-11. For information about the events and schedule, visit: www.ramonarodeo.com
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