This Animation is In Memory of Gail Shanahan
Barrel Racing Angel
In the Arizona sunlight
In the Colorado moonlight
When she gets there, gonna feel alright
Now she's feelin so tired...
She got her big bay horse,
One she calls Rollin Sun
The hard-running faithful one,
Out in front of all the rest.
She's a barrel racing angel
out there somewhere in the west.
Well, I wish you could have seen them
At the short go in Cheyenne,
Ol' Sun he's rollin like a thunderstorm
Fast as lighting on the plains.
Now they're tired and sore
But they gotta go some more.
On the road to Las Vegas
There is no place to rest.
She's a barrel racing angel
Out there somewhere in the west.
Cowgirls are special when they follow their dreams.
Every race is a brand new start.
Some are running for the sake of running.
Some are running from a broken heart.
Just one thing you got to know
You can't hold her, you can't let her go
You can't catch a silhouette
She's like ice, she's like fire
They're gonna fly as one
She and Rollin Sun
Out among the stars
Ahead of all the rest
She's a barrel racing angel
Out there somewhere in the west.
She's a barrel racing angel
Out there somewhere in the west.
by Ian Tyson
Round and Round She Goes (The Barrel Racer)
On a cold Montana morning
On the road to Idaho
I watched her order hot and black to go
Don her boots and spurs and blue jeans
And the lonely in her eyes
Told me just how much she loved the rodeos.
I asked where she was headin',
She said, the Boise show.
She took a third in Butte just yesterday.
No, she never had been married,
And she probably never will,
'Cause silver buckle dreams
Don't leave time for standing still.
Round and round she goes
Where she stops nobody knows.
The miles are gettin' longer,
And the nights they never end.
Old rodeos and livestock shows
Keep the lady on the go.
Lord, she loves to run those barrels,
And it's the only life she knows.
For nigh of fifteen seasons
The circuit's been her home,
And at times she misses the kids she never had.
But she wouldn't trade a minute
Of the years that she's got in it,
'Cause she's had herself some happy
And she's learned to take the sad.
When I looked up from my coffee
I saw Boise on her mind,
And she had that look of leavin' in her eyes.
As she drove into the morning
It slowly dawned on me
How hard it is to tell a life tong dream goodbye
You just can't tell a life long dream goodbye.
The Barrel Racer
You think there's nothing to this game;
three turns and a gallop is rather tame.
One dresses nice, sits up straight;
makes some circles and out the gate.
Well then you need to take a ride;
on a good horse, not a snide.
Take a real good seat and very firm grip;
because you are in for quite a trip.
You'll reach the first running thirty five;
when he drops his butt and seems to dive
and changes directions in one heart beat;
you'll be happy he's still on his feet.
Oh! You're not finished, not even near,
that jerk you felt was him shifting gear.
As you regain your balance and breath again
he's bearing down on the second can.
It's not as easy as you're about to learn;
if you ride him through this second turn.
Now you're headin' for number three,
when he leaves there set him free.
If you make the run, you've done well,
and I'm sure that you can surely tell,
real barrel racing is a thrill requiring courage
and lots of skill!
by Charley Heath
I'm A Barrel Racer
I'm a Barrel Racer, Lord.
A quick time is what I need.
Just to turn these three barrels
With a descent amount of speed.
I've hauled a lot of miles
To run this horse of mine.
To make each barrel race
And then the next one down the line.
If it's a spill that I take
Please, Lord keep the dirt soft
For another run I'll make
Just as soon as I dust off.
My chin I'll keep it up,
And my tears, I'll try to hide,
Then I'll climb back in my saddle
Ever anxious for my next ride.
To win or lose with grace.
For some other girl will want to win
This very same barrel race.
So let us ride as one, Lord,
My barrel horse and me.
For hard work and perseverance,
I believe this is the key.
We've trained and we've worked hard
And if I win, You know of course,
To you I'll give the glory,
To you and to my horse.
Barrel Racer's Prayer
Lord, I might seem so little
Sitting up here all alone
Astride the mountain of a horse
You made of muscle, of bone.
But, together we're a team, Lord
With one goal in mind,
To make it around the cloverleaf
In record breaking time.
Please, keep my horse surefooted,
Let me hang on to my quirt.
Racing around those barrels
With one stirrup in the dirt.
As we make that last runaround
And we quickly race for home.
Win or lose, record or not,
With You we're never alone.
I thank You for being there,
Keeping my horse and my safe
And Lord, With Your Divine help,
We will compete in our next race.
