Tana Millard CFR 2021
Covy Moore Photo
Tana Millard is the number six barrel racer in the Canadian Pro Rodeo Standings heading into the Canadian Finals Rodeo. She won $7,119.56 after running at 18 rodeos in the 2021 season, and is on route to her very first CFR.
Tana Millard and her gelding Raise The Crime (by Crimewave out of Gamblers Dreams x Raise The Gamble) aka Moose are always so fun to watch. He is big and powerful and occasionally likes to kick up his heels during a run.
“He is probably one of the easiest going horses I’ve ever had the opportunity to run but he does have one quirk; he bucks, and only in a run, usually about 3-4 times a year.”
She said, “We placed at our first Pro Rodeo together this year at Medicine Hat Pro Rodeo, we were winning it when we left slack and ended up placing 4th, that same weekend we went to Strathmore Pro Rodeo and placed 5th there. One week later we went on to win our first Pro Rodeo at Sundre with a 17.60.” she said. Millard went back to Sundre for the Big Bang Barrel Race the next weekend and went home with a brand new horse trailer.
What is your background with horses and how did you get into barrel racing?
I’ve been barrel racing since before I was born, literally. My mom rode and trained barrel horses right up until a few weeks before she had me. I was 7 years old when my mom made her first CFR and it’s been a dream I’ve been chasing ever since.
What is your go to saddle, pad and bit on your main mount? What do you like about them?
My go to saddle on Moose is an Usher with a pencil roll and straight rough out. I find it fits him really well, it keeps me feeling secure and holds me back away from him. Not only does that give me an advantage in my runs, but it also gives me a few jumps to get ahold of him if he does buck. I run this saddle on a three forks pad for wither clearance. My go to bit on Moose lately has been a Dave Elliot Spur up 10 with a twisted wire floating port and a cricket. When I’m not In that you’ll find me running him in a Tom Blessing Chain port and let me tell ya, that bit has been a blessing.
What is your horses story?
Moose found his way to our place by chance, one of those, “everything happens for a reason” kind of thing.
I had a nice horse coming on and I had listed him for sale when I got a call to see if I would take Moose on trade. I knew Moose well, as he was trained and Futurity’d/Derby’d by my good friend Cassandra KC Peters before he was sold to his owner at the time. I knew he came with baggage.
I gave KC a call and said, “what do you think?” Knowing she knew full well that I don’t ride broncs. She told me, “you do whatever you can to get that horse and if you can’t handle him I will buy him back from you.” And the rest is history. Safe to say KC isn’t going to get him back, but I’ve sure been glad to have her in my corner!
It wasn’t always uphill. Within a week of owning Moose, he piled me at first barrel at our first jackpot together, but two week later he came back and won the next one. He hasn’t gotten me on the ground since, but there’s been a few times he’s tried. If I can say anything about the big guy, it’s that he is a true winner despite his one quirk, he goes out there and tries his best every time.
What do you do to keep a sharp mental edge in the game of rodeo and how do you stay motivated throughout the season?
I’ve never been one to struggle with my mental game until I owned Moose. It has taken some practice to go out and expose yourself enough to win when you could get bucked off at any point in your run. I think getting to know your horse is the most important thing. Keeping the same warm up routine has been something that has really helped me. The past month I have also worked with a sports physiology coach to help me stay sharp leading up to the end of the season.
What does your feed program look like, keeping your horses in peak condition going down the road and even in the off season?
Moose gets good alfalfa hay and cubes. He actually prefers hay to grass which is a huge help when you ride something with broncy tendencies. I also keep him on Hoffman’s Elite, Equine power 2000, Lysine and Omega Alpha to keep him feeling his best. His conditioning program probably looks a lot different than most. Moose gets rode a minimum of 5 days a week, year round and 7 days a week during rodeo season. If he doesn’t get rode, we don’t go. We don’t own an arena so a lot of it is up and down the gravel road. I try to get him into an arena at least once a week to school him. He gets loped like a cutter for an hour before I run him, more for my peace of mind but it definitely keeps him in good shape. Most times I’ll be the first barrel racer on warming up at a rodeo.
What do you do to condition your horses leading up to the season, and what does your pre CFR routine consist of?
I try not to change my routine leading up to CFR. Moose will still be getting rode a minimum of 5 days a week and we will try to get to some smaller indoor arenas to get our timing down. I personally have tried to change my diet and work out routine to help me be the partner he needs in the arena.
What is the best advice you’ve been given regarding life, rodeo, horses or barrel racing?
Some of the best advice I’ve gotten is, “you’re only a good as your last run.” Meaning take it day by day, just because you won yesterday doesn’t mean they’re going to give it to you today, you have to keep hustling. Another one is love is “Whether you think you can or you think you can’t, you’re right.” Our mental game is so important, your never gonna get more out of yourself or your horse than you expect so you have to go in there confident you can win.
What has been your most memorable run over the years, and what made it memorable for you?
Two of my most memorable runs this year were actually back to back weekends in the same arena. When I came out of my run at Sundre Pro Rodeo I just knew it was a good run. I told Moose right then and there that he was headed to the CFR, despite there being more than half the season left. I just knew.
The other most memorable run had to be at the Big Bang in Sundre the next weekend. I had a lot of expectations on me after winning the Pro Rodeo the weekend previous however, I myself expected to be middle of the pack. I told anyone who would listen that my horse was a solid 17.6-17.8 horse (they were leading it with a 17.3) and that I would just be pleased to have a smooth run and keep my barrels up. Well Moose had a different idea in mind, not only didn’t he run the fastest run of the entire weekend with a 17.2 (way faster than we had ever ran on a standard set) but he did it while bucking going into third barrel. Moose is a “hold my beer” type personality, if you tell him he can’t, he will prove you wrong.
What is your favourite barrel racing bloodline, and what do you look for in a prospect?
The majority of what I’ve rode over the last several years have been Scrutin Beduino and they are definitely close to my heart. After owning Moose I would definitely be open to owning another Crimewave. Easy jet has also been on the papers of 95% of what I’ve owned and I don’t think you can go wrong with them. The first few things I look for in a prospect is conformation and papers. We do a lot of reselling, so I look for what is popular on the market and will suit a large range of people. The one thing that is in common in every successful barrel horse is heart and try. If we could find a way to measure that, it would change the industry.
What is the one thing you cannot live without on the road?
Bluetooth and Sirius Radio! I spend 95% of my time on the road on the phone with family or friends so having my phone connected to my truck is something I could not live without. Also google maps cause I was not blessed with a human compass and if that GPS isn’t on I will get lost.
What is your favourite Canadian rodeo, and why?
Although we didn’t get to run at it this year my favourite Canadian rodeo has always been Ponoka and I am excited to get to run Moose there one day! The atmosphere at Ponoka is just so unique and it is one of my hometown rodeos, so that always makes it more special. Getting to run down that long alley and then open up into one of the biggest arenas in Canada just really gets your blood pumping!
Which of the other CFR Qualifiers horses would you swing a leg over if given the chance?
I would have to say Blondy of Justine Elliot, or Hot Donna of Shelby Spielman.
What are you most looking forward to as you head to your first Canadian Finals Rodeo?
Going down that alley the first night. I think I dreamt about what that would feel like my whole life! I’m also looking forward to the night of Champions where we get our back numbers and our CFR jackets, I think that’s when it will really feel real.
Who has been your barrel racing/rodeo mentor and what is something they’ve taught you?
My mom is definitely my barrel racing and rodeo mentor. She has taught me everything I know and she got to come out this summer and chase her dreams right along side me, so that was pretty cool. The most important thing she’s ever taught me is, it doesn’t matter what rig you pull up in, it matters what you unload out of it. And we have stayed true to that my entire life. She’s always got me on the best horses she could, no matter what we had to do to get them. And that’s real try right there.
What are your goals for 2022?
I would love to make a 2nd CFR in 2022! And we are going to try our darnedest to qualify for Calgary, I think that would be a pretty cool experience!
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 had just bought Moose one month before the world turned upside down last year. There is a silver lining to everything. I spent the year getting to know my partner and preparing for this year. If I hadn’t had that year and a half of getting to know him, I don’t think we would have made the CFR our first year going! To make the CFR this year just makes it so special and losing rodeo for that year just makes you appreciate every run that much more.
I would like to thank my team that got us here; Jones boys Western Wear and Saddlery, Murray McGongle, Stanton Equine, Crossfire Farrier Services, Brenda Massing and of course my friends and family.
