Taylor Manning CFR 2021
Covy Moore Photo
Taylor Manning is no stranger to the Canadian Finals Rodeo. She first made the finals at the age of twelve. She placed in the top three in Canada for three consecutive years, but was never able to compete at the Calgary Stampede because of her young age and the WPRA rule stating a competitor must be at least 18 years of age. This year was an exception, and she was invited to compete.
Throughout the Canadian Pro Rodeo Season she competed without her main mount Matlock. A horse we watched her literally grow up with, and enjoyed watching her have great success on. This season Taylor fought tooth and nail and proved it was not just a great horse that got her to all of her previous finals qualifications, but her dedication to her craft and her talent as a barrel horse trainer and competitor.
When asked if her horses have any quirks she said, “Justmoveslikejagger aka Jagger (by Dinero and also out of a Fols Dream of Cash mare), is super spooky and it’s his way or no way. Little Sexcee Cowboy aka Archie (by Guys Casanova Cowboy and out of Jc Simply Sexcee), is pretty easy going.”
What is your go to saddle, pad and bit on your main mount, and what do you like about them?
My go to saddle is Raylee Racer with the Classic Equine pad. I love how the Raylee Racer fits all of my horses and how it allows me to ride. I use the Carol Goosetree bit on Archie and the 50-50 made by Dave Elliot.
What are your horses story?
Both horses actually came from Rayel Little. Jagger was trained by Rayel and was sold at the age of 7 to Robin Walker. I got to derby him his last year and have rode him since then. My mom bought Archie as a weanling from Rayel. My mom and I have done all of the training on him. Archies hole is turning the second barrel. My mom has always said that Archie was special, and she is right!
What do you do to keep a sharp mental edge in the game of rodeo? How do you stay motivated throughout the season?
I always try and remember to trust my homework and the horse that I’m running, and if it doesn’t go well I can always go home and fix. Try and be ready for the next one. Before I compete at the bigger rodeos my Mom won’t let me ride the colts so that I’m not in trainer mode for when I compete. I guess I stay motivated by wanting to be better. Trying to improve my riding and train my own horses. I love doing it!
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 Buckeye, probiotic, Sharp Edge Supplements, and electrolytes to my horses. I love how Buckeye keeps the weight on and keeps them feeling strong and happy. I also feed cubes that I water down for them. In the winter I will give them some time off and then start riding them again at the end of December. I will usually do a couple laps in the field to keep them in shape. In the summer I round pen them, do barrels in a line and work the barrel pattern.
What do you do to condition your horses leading up to the season, and what does your pre CFR routine consist of?
I like to take my rodeo horses to a couple jackpots before the rodeo season starts. I will also sprint them in the field to get their air built up. Before CFR we are going to go to a couple jackpots and I’ll sprint him in the field a couple times a week to get them ready.
What is the best advice you’ve been given regarding life, rodeo, horses or barrel racing?
My mom always tells me to trust my homework and if it doesn’t workout, we will just go home and fix. Hopefully be ready for the next race.
What has been your most memorable run over the years, and what made it memorable for you?
I think my most memorable run would have been at the Ponoka Stampede in 2017. It was my first year pro rodeoing and we were really just going to get our feet wet. I was going 33 in the standings before ponoka so I didn’t think I was gonna make CFR. Matlock worked great, making the final 4. He was my unicorn, he always tried to be good.
What is your favourite barrel racing bloodline, and what do you look for in a prospect?
I really love As Good As Nick Gets and Dinero, as they are what have helped me achieve my dreams and goals so far. I also really like the Guys Casanova Cowboys. I find that they are very trainable, and Archie (who is by Guys Casanova Cowboy) helped me make the CFR again this year. When buying prospects I look for something that has a very kind eye, bloodlines and how athletic they are.
What is the one thing you cannot live without on the road?
My Raylee racer saddle. I love it and couldn’t leave home without it.
What is your favourite Canadian rodeo and why?
My favourite Canadian rodeos would be the Ponoka Stampede, the Calgary Stampede or Armstrong. All three of them have really big crowds and are just really fun rodeos to compete at.
Which of the other CFR Qualifiers horses would you swing a leg over if given the chance?
This would be very hard to choose from as all the horses are really nice. But I think it would be really cool to ride Blondy. It looks like she has a heart of gold and tries so hard.
Who has been your barrel racing/rodeo mentor and what is something they’ve taught you?
My mom has been my mentor. She’s taught me almost everything I know and she always pushes me to be better. I also really like watching Kassie Mowry ride. She’s such a hand.
What are your goals for 2022?
I really love going to futurities, but one of my goals that I would like to work on is being able to switch from one horse to another, especially from a colt to a rodeo horse. Another thing I would like to improve on, is being able to train better and to get my horses more broke. As well, I would like to ride more.
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?
In 2020 I went to a lot of futurity and derby’s so we were still really busy. It’s awesome to have rodeos back. One thing I had really missed, is how exciting it is to have a loud crowd watching us compete.
I would like to thank my sponsors HillBilly Hallows, Frontier Western shop, Sharpedge Supplements, Back on Track Canada, M sport 6, and Cross Country Pipelines.
