MBRA finals at Keystone Centre this weekend

The Manitoba Barrel Racing Association is hosting its finals at the Keystone Centre with competitions starting Friday and running through the weekend.

The competition is expected to be the largest ever held by the MBRA — with record numbers of entries and competitiors, MBRA board director, Aisha Janssen, said in a recent interview.

“The excitement around this year’s event is really high,” Janssen said. “We have a ton of increased added money, exceptional prizes, and tremendous sponsorship support.”

Janssen said that the prize pool this year is larger than years past, due to growing popularity of the MBRA and contributions from supporters.

“The participation has been remaining strong, and with new riders and families joining every year, it’s just getting larger and larger,” she said. “We’re seeing growth across every aspect of the sport.”

A record number of vendors have also signed up for the event.

With more membership money to draw from — the MBRA reached 923 memberships this year — the finals jackpot increased, she said. The projected payout this weekend exceeds $109,000. Last year, the event paid out $87,000.

Contestants will start moving into the Keystone Centre this morning. The opening ceremonies will take place tomorrow morning, with races starting at 8 a.m., and competitions will carry through to Sunday, according to the MBRA finals schedule.

Janssen said the weekend event allows people and businesses in the barrel racing community to come together and socialize. The finals are a contest, but they are also seen by the community as a gathering place, she said.

“It’s become so much more than a competition. It’s become kind of a destination event that brings together the horses, the competitors, spectators, sponsors, vendors and volunteers, really from all across Canada.”

A total of 630 horses are signed up for the races, and 648 runs are planned per day on Friday and Saturday.

Friday will see the Open 1st Go, Select 1st Go, Pee Wee 1st Go, and Youth 1st Go runs. Saturday will follow up with Youth Go 2nd Go, Select and Open 2nd Go, Pee Wee Go 2nd Go, Pee Wee Awards, and Swap and Shop. On Sunday, the Open Short Go Top 30 will take place, as well as Select Short Go and Youth Short Go.

Entry is free for spectators at the Assiniboine Credit Union Agricultural Centre. There is seating space for hundreds.

Janssen said that the event returns to the Keystone Centre every year because the facility is “premiere.” Amenities make the weekend comfortable and smooth for contestants, she said.

“You have all your indoor stalls, you have your wash racks indoors, there’s an indoor warm up arena, it has an amazing arena for us to run it. They just take such good care of the ground,” she said. “The barns, everything is just so lovely, and there is so much space for all these people.”

Barrel racers are “infamously known” for being picky about the dirt they run on, and the staff do a great job, she said. The attached Canad Inns hotel and available camping spots also make the destination attractive, she said.

The Keystone Centre has attracted a number of events this year. It was chosen to host Canada’s National Arabian Championship, the Manitoba Quarter Horse Association Thanksgiving Classic and the Fall Festival Dressage Show, among a host of other events.

In a July interview, Keystone Centre staff told the Sun that a significant amount of work went into preparing the facility for Canada’s National Arabian Championship. The preparations involved a 24-hour crew starting two weeks ahead, laying the dirt flooring for the competition. Thirty maintenance staff and 11 managers were involved at the time, and the dirt competition floor was worked 10 to 15 hours each day.

The CEO said at the time that the Keystone Centre aims to create an enjoyable experience for competitors and guests. She said that the staff know the facility is a big draw to Brandon — and they work to keep it that way.

“We try to make it as easy as possible for everyone who’s coming here,” CEO Connie Lawrence said in July. “The biggest thing they like about Brandon is our facility. It is a world-class facility.”

» cmcdowell@brandonsun.com