Taylor County Expo Center general manager Tony McMillan came up with a solution with the help of several of the riders involved in the events. The barrel racers were offered the coliseum for the same agreement as the horse barn. GiGi Robinson, one four directors of the Texas Best 2001 Barrel Association, said most of the members were indifferent about the change. She said the dirt was good in the coliseum and that is the barrel riders' major concern. It would seem that the seating would be a greater attraction than the horse barn.
Action continues today for the barrel racers in the coliseum.
With the 105th Fort Worth Livestock Show and Rodeo that runs through Feb. 4 now underway, there are a dozen or more Professional Rodeo Cowboy Association-sanctioned rodeos in Texas during the next six weeks. Because of increased numbers of livestock show entries each year, officials started a week early this year. Stock Show publicist Delbert Bailey said the official opening of the stock show will probably come a week earlier in 2002 as well. The 11th annual Invitational Ranch Horse Show and Sale will be held Feb. 3, a day before the official ending of the 17-day livestock show and rodeo. Ranches participating in the sale this year include Burnett Ranches in Guthrie, Moorehouse Ranch in Benjamin, Pitchfork Ranch in Guthrie and the Jackson Hereford Ranch in Ranger.