Lisa Zachoda CFR 2021
Jackie Jensen Photo
Rolling into Red Deer in tenth position with $6,313.05 is Lisa Zachoda and her gelding Possibly Dynamite (by Perfect Possibility out of Lenas Flashy Maiden x Doc O Dynamite) aka. Junior.
This year Lisa headed south of the 49th parallel and competed at PRCA rodeos, becoming the 2021 Eastern Oregon Livestock Show Pro Rodeo Champion, the Belt Montana Pro Rodeo Champion, was a Snake River Stampede, Nampa, Idaho Pro Rodeo Finalist, Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo Colorado Qualifier, and a Cheyenne Pro Rodeo Quarter Finalist.
In Canada she was the Okotoks Pro Rodeo Champion, and the Stavely Pro Rodeo Reserve Champion. The duo placed at Thermopolis, WY; Spanish Fork, UT; Strathmore, AB; Lacrete, AB; Regina, SK; Taber, AB. One heck of a season!
Lisa describes Junior as, “very determined and has no quit in him. It makes him very competitive but has made the training process a bit difficult at times.” She says, “he isn’t overly fond of being in a stall when he can’t see his buddies. Otherwise, he is very easy to be around.”
What is your background with horses, how did you get started barrel racing?
When I was 13, my mom put me in a ‘Learn To Ride’ summer program at the North Peace Light Horse Association in Fort St. John, BC. I got my first horse that fall and rode him English. My friend, Jenna, was starting to barrel race and convinced me to ride western. My first barrel clinic was with Isabelle Miller when she came up to Fort St. John. I began to barrel race when I was 14. I continued to take barrel clinics with Isabelle, Kay Blandford, Deb Guelly and Dee Butterfield. After high school, I spent time training under reiner JP Forget, and NFR barrel racer Judy Myllymaki.
What is your go to saddle, pad and bit on your main mount? What do you like about them?
I love my Bob Marshall treeless saddles. I have always rode Junior in one, and ride most horses in them. However, I do have other saddles I will ride horses in if I think it just feels better all around. I love how the Bob Marshall saddles conform to the horses back and if I need to two-hand a horse around a barrel, I like the security of the deep seat.
I ride all my horses in the Weaver Synergy saddle pads. They already come contoured to the shape of a horses back and contour even more with a couple rides and provide the perfect amount of cushioning.
I run Junior in a combination bit from Shallow Creek bits. When riding or tuning, I use their Knuckle Bit on him, which feels quite nice.
What is your horses story?
I bred and raised him along with his older brother, who I also qualified on to my first CFR in 2014. I barrel raced their mother and she had so much try and grit. Junior is so much like his mother. I had Kent Williamson start him under saddle as a 2 year old, and Kendra Edey patterned him as a 3 year old. From the moment I took him through the pattern, he felt so much like his mom, and I knew he could be great. He is so smart and everything comes easy to him, too easy, and he thinks he knows it all. He has so much determination and I spent a few years having to contain a lot of his speed just to keep him correct on the pattern.
Tell us about your year competing south of the border.
I exceeded my expectations completely. I accomplished new wins and goals that I knew he could do but it just always seems surreal when they actually happen!
What do you do to keep a sharp mental edge in the game of rodeo? How do you stay motivated throughout the season?
I try to get enough sleep and eat well which is often hard, and even harder when rodeoing in the States because the schedule gets more hectic. I also do a lot of visualization of my runs prior to competing. As well, I do everything I can to set myself and my horse up to succeed, even if it’s different from what everyone else is doing. I know my horses very well, and if I have done all I can, then at least I won’t have any ‘what-ifs’ if it doesn’t work out as planned.
What does your feed program look like, keeping your horses in peak condition going down the road and even in the off season?
I feed mainly alfalfa hay with a bit of grass or timothy hay. They get pre-soaked alfalfa cubes in the trailer while travelling. My horses have hay in front of them 24/7. I also feed Pureform Equine Health Supplements.
What do you do to condition your horses leading up to the season, and what does your pre CFR routine consist of?
Leading up to the season mainly consists of hauling up to indoor arenas because it’s still winter! I ride outside sometimes in the snow for a change. I like to start making some practice or jackpot runs to keep their lung capacity good and their muscles firing. We bought a Pro-Trainer panel exerciser this year, which I feel helps keep them conditioned as well. I also get my horses into my vet for evaluations and any treatment.
What is the best advice you’ve been given regarding life, rodeo, horses or barrel racing?
My favourite quote is “Courage does not always roar. Sometimes, it is the quiet voice at the end of the day saying ‘I will try again tomorrow’.”
What has been your most memorable run over the years, and what made it memorable for you?
That’s tough. I think whenever I have won a Pro Rodeo, whether it was on Junior this year, or Jack, his older brother in previous years. The last run I made on Jack before he sold, we won Lea Park Pro Rodeo. Those runs definitely stick in my mind. Also, when Junior won the preliminary round in the Senior Barrels at the AQHA World Championships in 2019.
What is your favourite barrel racing bloodline, and what do you look for in a prospect?
I ride a variety of bloodlines, so I don’t necessarily have a favourite, but I have done extremely well with the Perfect Possiblity/Doc O Dynamite cross
I love studying bloodlines as well and I think there are so many outstanding lineages and crosses nowadays that you just never know what you might prefer over another. I currently ride offspring of Dash Ta Fame, PC Frenchmans Hayday, Blazin Jetolena, Judge Cash and Tres Seis. Each are so different and have their own unique strengths and I enjoy the opportunity to learn how to tailor my training and riding to suit them.
What is the one thing you cannot live without on the road?
Cell phone
Favourite Canadian rodeo?
CFR!!
Which of the other CFR Qualifier horses would you swing a leg over if given the chance?
I think Blondy looks really fun to ride!
What are your goals for 2022?
I want to see how far Junior and my other up and coming horses can go! My plan is to go south of the border again to compete, then back to Canada.
Canada lost rodeo last year. What did you do with your time off, and what does it mean to you to have rodeo come back and to now be headed to finals?
I trained horses almost every day. It’s really nice to have rodeo come back because my intent is to train these barrel horses ultimately for rodeo. It’s a thrill to be headed to the CFR again!!!
Thank you so much to these companies who sponsor me.
Pureform Equine Health Supplements, Hoof Armour, Canadian Energy Services and Synergy by Weaver Leather
