11th annual Sand Cup Futurity, Divisional Barrel Race to feature best riders, horses in country

MOSES LAKE — Bull riders have the Professional Bull Riders circuit. The roughstock guys have their specialty events. The Columbia Basin will have the opportunity to see some the best barrel racers in the western United States compete at the 11th annual Sand Cup Futurity and Divisional Barrel Race at the Kenny Ardell Pavilion on March 31-April 2.

This is the first time the Sand Cup, produced by Best of Barrels Only, will be held at the Grant County Fairgrounds and will showcase riders and horses from 12 western states, including Kathy Grimes from Medical Lake, who is currently ranked third in the WPRA world standings.

“We outgrew the Trac in Pasco, so we were looking for a place close to home with horse enthusiasts,” said Best of Barrels Only owner Bobo McMillan. “(The Grant County Fairgrounds) are really user friendly. It’s a nice indoor facility and (the fair board) is a great group to work with.”

The weekend combines nine races for an estimated payout of $130,000 with 400 contestants, who will be making close to 500 runs a day for the three-day event. Contestants will be coming from as far away as Texas, Oklahoma, Ohio and South Dakota and will feature former WNFR contestants and world class futurity barrel trainers.

“Kathy Grimes is taking a week off (of the WPRA circuit) to come and compete in the futurity here and at Walla Walla,” McMillan said. “She’s pretty sharp. She’s a veterinarian, so she’ll also take care of some of her veterinarian practice while she’s back.”

The field will also include Ashley Schafer of Yoder, Wyo., as well as an impressive list of the riders to watch.

“Schafer just came off of the Elite Rodeo Association trail. She just competed in a big national finals in Texas,” McMillan said. “You’re going to see the top futurity-derby money winners in the nation.”

There will be exhibition runs on March 30, starting at 8 a.m. The Open Division racing begins at 2 p.m. Grimes will compete in the futurity starting at 8 a.m. on Saturday (April 1). She will make one run on Sunday (April 2) morning.

“We pay two go-rounds on the average for that event,” McMillan said. “We’ll run about 40 an hour and right now we’re right at 90 horses.”

The Tim Corfield Memorial Slot race, with 50 of the toughest riders in the nation vying for $16,000, will be at 7 p.m. on April 1.

The Sand Cup Futurity and Divisional Barrel Race will also include male riders, including top money-winner Pete Oen, who has been successful at every major futurity around the country.

There will also be a Sand Cup Stallion Showcase with eight different young horses paraded through, on April 1 and April 2 by Northwest Stallions.

Rodney Harwood is a sports writer for the Columbia Basin Herald and can be reached at rharwood@columbiabasinherald.com