FROBISHER - Cecile Anderson is still going strong at the age of 66 when riding her horse Smoke.
Anderson was raised on a farm near Lampman with her parents Cecil and Doris McCurdy.
Her dad raised ponies. They were trained for riding and for pulling a cart. These were not Shetland ponies, but larger and just under the 14-hand mark.
Anderson is the only one of her siblings that fell in love with horses and she continued with them.
Living in Frobisher with her husband Ray, her horses are on a parcel of land close to home.
There is something about the speed that Anderson loves and so she got into barrel racing and has done so for many years.
Her horse Smoke is an 11-year-old quarter horse that Anderson trained.
A horse will let the rider know if it enjoys its job and not all horses are meant to be barrel racers. Others are not good for the show ring.
If a horse does not want to run barrels, they will not want to go into the gate or will run the walls.
Some horses that do enjoy barrels prefer a harder-packed ground, while others seek soft, deep sand to perform in, and this is the ground that Smoke enjoys.
When Anderson started Smoke, it was with drills until her horse figured it out. Once this happened, they started walking the barrel pattern. When Smoke was ready, she began to pick up speed.
Recently Anderson went to the Grace and Grit Slot Race, and it was here that she won the 5D Championship.
Over the years, Anderson has won 20 belt buckles. Although she does not wear them while racing as it may get caught on the saddle horn, they are tucked in a drawer for safe keeping.
Anderson has also won three trophy saddles that sit on display in her living room. They have never been used as they have a 14-15-inch seat and she rides in a 13 inch seat, which is quite a difference when looking to stay in the saddle.
In September, Anderson will attend the Manitoba Barrel Racing Association event in Brandon. At this event, there will be 250 horses and riders ready to compete.
Qualifying is required to take part in this event. A person must ride in two jackpots in Manitoba and three in Saskatchewan or Alberta.
To qualify for a Saskatchewan Barrel Racing Association event, a rider needs to take part in six jackpots that are sanctioned by the SBRA.
She has never ridden in an Alberta event and this is something that is on her bucket list to do.
Anderson hopes to continue riding as long as she is able. She does have a torn rotator cuff, but still climbs on her horse to do barrels and loves every minute of it.
She feels Smoke may be her last barrel horse and they will grow old together. She plans to enjoy each and every time she goes to a barrel event.
