Barrel racing in Brazil: how Três Tambores works
Speed, tight turns and hundredths of a second: how the sport known in Brazil as Três Tambores works.
What it is
Barrel racing is a timed speed event. Horse and rider turn three barrels set in a triangle, in what is known as the cloverleaf pattern, and race back to the finish line. The fastest time wins. In Brazil the sport is called Três Tambores, Portuguese for “three barrels”.
Time and penalties
Events are decided in hundredths and thousandths of a second. Knocking over a barrel generally adds 5 seconds, which usually takes a run out of contention. Details follow the rulebook of each event and of the ABQM.
Categories
Categories separate riders and horses: Open, Amateur, Ladies, Youth, Professional, Beginner Horse, Potro do Futuro, Derby and others. Many events use divisions such as 1D and 2D, time bands that allow different levels to earn placings.
What a barrel horse needs
The event combines the burst of a short race with the ability to turn in a tight space. That is why pedigrees often join racing lines, such as First Down Dash, with working lines. At B2B Ranch, times in the 16-second range mark the high level, as with B2B Quaker Tux Guy and Mended Heart.
Main events in Brazil
Competitions mentioned on this site include the Brazilian Congress, the ABQM National Championship, the Potro do Futuro, the Barretos International Rodeo, the Grand Slam Cutter and state championships such as the RJQM.