Horse and Rider photography sessions

Kaitlyn rodeo barrel racer

(5-minute read)

Kaitlyn DeSousa is a female rodeo barrel racer.

She competes in rodeo events in her home state of Arizona, and all over the western United States.

2023 is the year she began to believe the results before she would see them.

And for Kaitlyn, racing for saddles is something she’s done for a long time.

Horse and Rider photography sessions

Growing up in the pristine Chino Valley area, just outside of Prescott, AZ- Kaitlyn grew up in the saddle and is looking to compete her way into the professional rodeo circuit.

Horse and Rider photography sessions

Tango is the name of her number two steed, a 16-year-old, 17.5-hand, brown gelding who loved eating apples more than racing and with whom Kaitlyn DeSousa has spent two years training to be quicker in hopes of matching the racing instincts of Dixie, her spontaneously more competitive dark brown mare.

Horse and Rider photography sessions

Known to bring home a check nearly every time she enters a barrel racing competition, Dixie was Kaitlyn’s notoriously testy partner for her entry into barrel racing.

Now, driven by an inner strong desire to train Tango- a former rope horse, she spends many more hours in the ring with the gelding.

Horse and Rider photography sessions

Speaking of training, both rider and horse have to develop the skills to bring home the championships in barrel horse racing.

Here’s how she and Dixie do it… (how do they do it?) lots of patience with Dixie.

The mare’s hot-tempered nature has her so boiled and bothered that she’ll overlook turning a barrel from time to time.

Horse and Rider photography sessions

Rodeo has long been a male-dominated world, and barrel racing has empowered and opened doors for so many women.

When asked about being seen as a role model, Kaitlyn responded, “Not yet anyway. I’m just a girl riding her horse.’

She did though mention she does notice women Hailey Kinsel and Fallon Taylor as a couple of the greats of the sport that she enjoys observing, and appreciates seeing how much effort they put forth.

Horse and Rider photography sessions

Thanks, Kaitlyn for giving us a closer look at this high-speed, high-stakes sport that combines, agility, grace, and glamour.

It takes a strong horse and a stronger woman to turn the cloverleaf pattern around three barrels quicker than the rest.