Horses change lives. They give our young people confidence and self-esteem. They provide peace and tranquility to troubled souls - they give us hope! - Toni Robinson |
The Heart of the Hills Barrel Race Association is a non-profit organization, promoting barrel race and pole bending jackpots for adult and youth riders in the Hill Country of Texas. More than half of our members are under the age of 18, and we consider their education and development as riders, competitors, and horse owners a fundamental goal of our organization. Membership in our organization, and participation in our shows, is open to any rider, but we particularly focus on families and youth, and seek to provide a wholesome, friendly and safe competitive environment, and we value sportsmanship over all.
Equine sports, and rodeo in particular, is a tradition here in Texas, and by training and nurturing the next generation of riders, we hope to help keep that tradition alive here in the Hill Country. Children and teenagers who rodeo spend a great deal of time and effort in practicing, training, and caring for their animals. They learn that succeeding in their sport requires patience, skill, and determination. They also learn valuable lessons about winning, losing, and simply playing the game, and while they are learning to succeed in the rodeo arena, they are also learning to succeed in the game of life.
We believe in rewarding these kids for their season of hard work (and hard knocks!) by providing outstanding year-end awards - trophy saddles, trophy buckles, tack, jewelry, and other gear. In our organization, all youth riders receive an award - whether you finished at the top of your class, or struggled at the bottom - at HHBRA, you are a winner.