Britany Fleck, 2011 NFR Finalist

Britany Fleck and Rootie Horse: Dasher Dude aka Rootie

She is an 11-year-old mare sired by Texas High Dasher and out of April Dell Dude. We purchased her for only $800 as a baby. I needed some extra credits while going to college, so took Rootie to a colt-breaking class and our journey began.

Due to her quirky personality, Rootie was sent home as a 4-year-old and had a foal. I took her back to Nebrask with me as a 5-year-old and started her on the barrels. I was primarily competing on my college mare at the time, so was able to take my time and take it very slow with Rootie.

I moved to the Sandhills of Nebraska shortly after I graduated college, and rode miles and miles ranching on Rootie. I still wasn't sure if she had what it took to be a barrel-racing horse—she was a small horse, but with a lot of go. We continued to work on the pattern, and then, as a 6-year-old, Rootie and I ventured off to our first jackpot. She outran my competitive college mare and won the 1D. She'd convinced me that she was a special horse.

In 2008, Rootie, now eight, and I started competing in the North Dakota Rodeo Association and won the year-end barrel racing champion title. She also helped me win the All-Around Cowgirl Champion in both the NDRA and the NRCA. I also bought my WPRA permit, allowing us to travel to some of the tougher rodeos. We filled our permit at just one rodeo in North Platte, NE. My goal was then to qualify for the Badlands Circuit Finals in Minot, ND. We qualified and finished eighth in the circuit. In 2009, our goal was to win the title of Badlands Circuit Champions. We accomplished this goal and also won enough money to qualify us for the big winter rodeos.

My goal in 2010 was to finish in the Top 30, and to qualify for the Canadian Finals Rodeo in Edmonton, AB, CN. We finished 17th in the World NFR standings and finished 4th in the Canadian Professional Rodeo Association. I also was able to leave my position of three-and-a-half years as a Communications Coordinator, to devote my efforts and focus to rodeo full-time. Rootie, that small horse with a huge personality and even more go, has brought us both all of these long, sometimes difficult, but always rewarding miled to the 2011 NFR, where I'm confident we will surprise everyone yet again!