Dona Kay Wreck

I would suggest you are the one out of bounds and flagrantly blaming a daughter for her mother’s injuries.

1 Like

I’m not. Bless her heart, that’s a tough deal.
That corner sucks. I felt she hadn’t been set up for it.
Not totally cussing the daughter, she did as needed or told to help as it’s tight specially when youre 8+ round in? I feel for them. That’s a lot for a horse campaigning all year long and deal with that tight pen and go for go- round money.

1 Like

?

I have not yet seen any social media updates on her recovery but just what the WPRA released that she “suffered a head abrasion, a left ankle sprain and a sacrum contusion” and subsequently decided to draw out of Round 9. Per rules, then she must also draw out of Round 10.

Valor is only bruised with no major injuries, thank goodness. Had the impact been farther back on his body, vet report said it could have been worse.

And fun fact, Carlee Otero has been running with a broken pelvis. I can’t imagine how much that hurts.

The entire setup for the barrel racing is terrible, and always has been. And heaven forbid they take two minutes to drag the ground halfway through the barrel racing pack.

When I am at a race, I keep my horse far, far away from the gate until we are ready to go. At the NFR? All those horses are forced to stand and wait in the alley. As a fellow barrel racer, I don’t understand that. There are so many ways they could make it better.

Every year I am baffled that the best of the best aren’t running at the BEST. (ground, set up, etc)

And indeed you are. Shame on you to say that.

Her help was her daughter, Kayla. Watch her social media post. What she did in the alley was exactly what their team had PLANNED. She stuck to the plan that they all agreed on (including Donna) to get Valor down the alley. It was a horrible freak accident.

Just go back and re-read your own posts. Comments like that are why she felt the need to post a tear-filled emotional social media post. Keyboard warriors are the cruelest of cruel.

Have you even barrel raced … ever?

4 Likes

I could not agree more. I am a long time rodeo fan and listen to The Money Barrel podcast for fun, the work and effort it takes to make these careers and horses has long fascinated me (across the spectrum of horses). Donna stood out to me for her own story and journey. What happened in that round was sickening to hear, much less see. Kayla has been very public about her disappointment in herself and comments from the peanut gallery critical of her are salt in a very fresh wound.

Accidents happen, it’s not always someone’s fault. Being loud and proud about being an asshole about how Kayla let her mother down is quite the flag to fly.

I have run barrels exactly zero times beyond open shows when I was a teen. I am speaking about one person willfully being cruel and nasty toward a fellow human being who is devastated about an accident they were involved in. You don’t have to life lifetime earnings to have a voice here in pointing out foul behavior. I am not the person needing to get their shit together (she’s since edited that out).

2 Likes

I didn’t see the wreck, but a friend and I were watching the coverage yesterday and talking about its an improvement that helmets and flack vests are now the norm in bull riding.

I wonder how long before they catch on in the other disciplines.

2 Likes

This is Kayla’s heart breaking over the accident.

https://www.facebook.com/share/v/14ipAhv9dfh/

Her wreck is all over the media - youtube link.

I’ve worn a helmet for the last 35 years. Most of my life, myself and my family are the only ones at western events (both shows and rodeos) that would be wearing one. I will say that I see more and more barrel racers in my area that are wearing helmets. It’s still the minority, but there are more than there used to be. However, you do still see it less in the rodeos.

I think it’s just “tradition”. I suppose the same way it is with Hunt Caps in the English world. Folks have a hard time deviating from traditional looks.

Anyway … certainly not for this thread to turn this into a helmet debate.

DK posted an updated on her social media today. My oh my, the BRUISING on her lower back. It’s entirely purple. I’m so glad she and Valor were not hurt worse, and I can guarantee you that we’ll see them again in the rodeo pen! She is a class act.

3 Likes

I wouldn’t want to have to make that snake turn to get into the alley and my horses are nowhere near as fired up as some of those at NFR. I don’t understand why they don’t use the same gate to go in as out. It might take a few extra seconds, but worth not having to get a fire breathing dragon to zig zag.

2 Likes

Most barrel racers band their feet It.

For NFR the chutes need to be straight and padded when necessary.

1 Like

I’m aware most band their feet in, which is why I said pretty sure she does as well. (But actually she does not.) it was nothing towards it being wrong. Just a statement.

The chute has been this way since the beginning. I doubt they will change it. The ladies have never made a fuss over it that I know of. They worry more about the ground.

1 Like

Yes ground is a bigger deal but the chute will likely change next year. They can’t change it for this year in mid competition.

Honestly, I highly doubt it will ever change. 1 wreck this season isn’t enough to shake Las Vegas. And the girls do not ever talk about the chute. DK is good, but it would take every girl across the board amongst multiple years for them to even consider it.

While we would like one wreck to do something, it won’t. Because if that were the case, the ground would hold up better and honestly the race would have remained in TX. The racer I worked for went 12 times, always in the same chute.

Not sure if this was shared here or not, but Ranahan awarded KK the True Grit Award.

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1X1cnEuhAc/

2 Likes

I highly doubt they are going to change the chutes.

If they didn’t make changes to the set up after seeing how awesome it could be in Texas in 2020, I don’t have much faith. Again, they can’t even make a simple change to drag the ground ONCE in the middle of the pack. Rodeos everywhere are making it mainstream to drag every 5 to 10 (unless it’s terrible muddy) so I don’t understand why the NFR makes all 15 go on the same ground, with the best of the best hard-turning horses in the industry. (Even the NFR in Texas did a drag mid-way)

Yup, saw that. The way she shielded DK when Valor was running full speed back to the alley, shows her character. Very deserving indeed!

3 Likes

It’s been problematic forever. What’s driving the change you are predicting?

Different times.

Plus after this incident which is a lawsuit in itself, another is a harder lawsuit to beat. The insurance company for the arena, the event, the rodeo producers, NBHA or whomever puts on the event, may insist on it.

I’ll bet $20 nothing changes about the chute and alley set up for barrel horses in 2025 at the NFR at Thomas & Mack.

2 Likes

No one will insist on a change because this isn’t a lawsuit. When you go and run anywhere, or ride anywhere, you sign a waiver saying that any accidents that happen within the facility is not the facilities fault. This is normal across the board even at the cheapest of places.

These women have been running in the chute for decades. They are not going to change it because of Donna Kay.

3 Likes

Nevada negligence law is based on the idea that people should act reasonably and avoid causing harm to others.

2 Likes