Lee County Posse Arena to hold charity race
For the Lee County Posse Arena, barrel racing is the bread and butter of what it does for the youth and horse lovers of Lee County.
The month of November will be proof of this, with no less than five barrel races being done at the arena, several of which are being run for charity.
On Saturday, a fundraiser race for the Lee County Junior Posse was held to benefit its year-end awards program. Last weekend, another benefit race was held for a pair of girls who qualified for the Junior National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas next month.
The fundraiser set for Nov. 16 is a big one.
The Terri Brantley Memorial 4D Barrel Race will start at 9 a.m., for exhibitions with the competition starting at noon. More than 100 racers are expected to sign up and race for the money, of which $2,000 has already been added on top of what the racer contribute when they pay their entry fee.
The race has been approved by the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, the governing group of women who participate in pro rodeo, primarily barrel racing.
Members who race here can earn money and points toward qualification for the National Finals Rodeo at the end of the year.
Brantley was a big fan of rodeo and a lifelong member of the posse, who attended most of the barrel races held at the arena monthly, many of which her kids and grandkids raced in. Proceeds will assist in the research of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension, the disease that took Brantley’s life.
Buckles will be given to each winner in the four open divisions.
A 4D barrel race allows for riders and horses of different abilities to compete for money. The four winners will be the overall winner and those who are a half-second, second and two seconds behind the overall winner, meaning the results can change right up to the last rider.
There will be several other races as well. They include the monthly Friday night jackpot race coming up this week. Exhibitions start at 6 p.m., with competition at 8.
On Saturday will be the National Barrel Horse Association’s Florida Region 10 show (which cover Southwest Florida) starting at 6 p.m., with exhibitions starting at 4.
On Sunday, Nov. 17, the day after the Brantley race. The Lee County Junior Posse will hold a speed show starting at 11 a.m., following Cowboy Church. There will be barrel racing, pole bending and hairpin and keyhole races.
The Lee County Posse Arena is at 17401 Palm Creek Drive, off Bayshore Road. For more information, visit leecountyposse.com.