SDCEA's Loralei Everard Hopes to Earn Return to Ramona Rodeo Junior Barrel Race

For 16-year-old Loralei Everard, the road to the 45th Annual Ramona Rodeo begins before the rodeo gates ever open.

The San Diego Country Estates resident will first have to earn her place by competing in the Ramona Rodeo Youth Barrel Qualifier on August 15, hosted by Rebecca Arnold-Hatch. Only the top four competitors in each division qualify for the Junior Barrel Race held during the Ramona Rodeo, making every second around the barrels count.

"Being able to qualify for the Junior Barrels at the Ramona Rodeo would be an honor because I would have the opportunity to compete in my hometown rodeo," Everard said.

Everard knows what it takes to get there. She qualified and competed in the Junior Barrel Race in 2024, an experience she says she'll never forget.

"It was an amazing experience," she said. "Even though the barrel race is toward the end of the night and it's a long wait, it was still so much fun being there and having that opportunity."

A resident of the San Diego Country Estates for nearly seven years, Everard has boarded her horses at the International Equestrian Center (IEC) for the past five years. Horses have been part of her life since she could walk, and she spends nearly every morning and evening at the barn caring for and training them.

"What I love most about the IEC is the hardworking staff who keep the ranch running, the easy access to excellent training areas and, most of all, my amazing trainer, Joann Henrickle," she said.

Although she always loved barrel racing, Everard didn't begin competing until 2024. Since then, the sport has become one of her greatest passions.

While winning is exciting, she says the true reward comes from the partnership she has built with her horse, Cass.

"What matters most to me is the bond and trust we've developed," she said. "At the end of the day, it's about my love for the horse."

Everard competes aboard Cass, a 14-year-old Hancock-bred Quarter Horse owned by her trainer, Joann Henrickle. She describes him as the sweetest and most willing horse she has ever ridden.

"One day he'll run an incredibly fast barrel pattern, and the next he'll carefully take a five-year-old on a trail ride," she said.

She is also developing her own 2-year-old Dash To Fame-bred Quarter Horse colt, Sawyer, with hopes of competing in futurity races across the country after graduating from high school.

Preparing for competition requires consistency and dedication. Everard spends three to four days each week doing flat work with Cass, incorporates trail riding into his conditioning and takes a barrel lesson before each race to fine-tune their timing.

Before every competition, Cass receives special care.

"I give him a long bath, redo his braids, give him a massage and make sure he's well-fed and feeling his best," she said. "I treat him like the athlete he is because if he feels good, he'll perform his best."

As race time approaches, Everard focuses on remaining calm and confident.

"Horses can feel your emotions just by your breathing," she said. "Before every run, I say a prayer and ask God to keep Cass, me and every other competitor safe, keep all four hooves on the ground and help us have a smooth, fast run. Once we go through the gate, I trust Cass to do what he does best."

Through horses and barrel racing, Everard has learned lessons that extend beyond the arena.

"They've taught me dedication, patience and confidence," she said. "Success comes from showing up every day, even when things don't go your way. Every mistake is an opportunity to learn. Most importantly, I've learned to trust both myself and my horse and believe in what we're capable of together."

Everard credits much of her success to the support of her family, trainer and the San Diego Country Estates equestrian community. Her parents never miss a race, her grandmother introduced her to horses at a young age, and Joann Henrickle and her husband, Ken, have encouraged her every step of the way.

"They've believed in me from the beginning and push me to become a better rider every day," Everard said. "I truly don't think I'd still be racing without them."

Looking ahead, Everard plans to travel the country with Sawyer after high school while taking college classes online. She hopes to transfer to a University of California campus, compete in collegiate rodeo, major in Equine Science and become an equine massage therapist.

For now, however, her focus is on August 15. A strong run at the Ramona Rodeo Youth Barrel Qualifier could earn Everard another opportunity to compete under the lights at her hometown rodeo and represent the San Diego Country Estates community in one of Ramona's most celebrated traditions.



Photo courtesy of Loralei Everard