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Name: Kelly Yates Location: Pueblo, Colo.
Business: http://www.kellyyates.com/
Family: Jan and Dick Yates, parents—J.D. Yates, brother—Trey Yates, nephew
College: University of Southern Colorado (now CSU Pueblo) graduated from Sam Houston State University, Huntsville, Texas
I was put on a horse the day a came home from the hospital—it has been a part of me forever. We grew up in a rodeo family and we have been extremely thankful and successful; but it has been a lot of hard work, but I wouldn't change it for anything.
How long barrel racing and were you doing something else before that or has it always been barrel racing?
I ran barrels at the age of five—high school rodeo—college rodeo—became a professional at the age of 13 so I could go with my father. I competed in the goat tying, breakaway roping, barrels and poles, and also team roped. I was a gymnast for seven years and a cheerleader also in junior high and high school.
Your main mount?
I train and raise horses and have been successful on several of them. My claim to fame is Firewater Fiesta, she was a winner in the barrel futurities, derby’s and pro competition. She became lame at nine and now is producing babies.
How many do you work with on average?
Anywhere from three to six—depends on my schedule and my location. I have a place in Ft. Worth and when I go to Texas I only take three horses with me, and leave the others in Pueblo.
Do you take in outside horses?
No, I do not anymore---I will just ride colts out of Fiesta; as I sell the eggs to her.
Tell me how you split your time between states and why?
I enjoy the holidays with my family and return back to Texas the end of January, stay there for two or three months and come back to Pueblo. Trade horses and go back south for a few rodeos and the Ft. Smith Futurity, then I came back to my new home in Pueblo; rodeo thru the summer and fall, then go back the end of September and stay thru December at the World Championship Barrel Futurity.
Tell me about your breeding program and how that's going?
It is going great!!! The first set of colts out of Fiesta were 4-year-olds last year (2009) and the the colts that were in the futurities estimated $80,000.How is Denver going?
My horse worked nice, but I realized why my time was not as I expected . . . I started to the left of the alley way and when I crossed the time line, I crossed it to the left of the electric eye which made my time be a little longer. I should have went more down the middle of the alley and go straighter to the first barrel (right). The pattern is set square with the alley, but not square with the arena; which means it is set at an angle. Me, the pilot, got in the way!!
Where are you competing nowadays?
I have another Fiesta colt for the futurities this year; plus I will go to some rodeos. I will be riding two Fire Water Flit horses: one I raised that is now eight, I C Elegance and a 7-year-old gelding " Flyin Hi Firewater"
Do you ever see yourself going for the NFR again? Or is that always in the back of your mind?
Times have changed, and I do have some bad memories from the NFR. I really like riding my colts, as I have a lot of patience with them. It's a lot of work to get to the NFR, and then it’s work and time consuming for 10 more days. Yes it does cross my mine, but when I said times have changed, they have. It is real hard to go down the rodeo when there are rodeos that limit their entries. It is not profitable for me to go across the country to try and win money to be able to go limited rodeos. I've been there and done that and I am enjoying riding my colts and spending time with my family.
Worst habit? Smoking
Best attribute? I am a very giving person.
If you weren't barrel racing, what would you be doing?
As a child I always was fixing peoples hair; so if I wasn't barrel racing I would own a beauty salon.
Any other horse sports that you love?
I like watch Quarter Horse Racing, the quality of horses at the World QH Show, team roping and I like to watch a calf roping.
If there was one thing you could change about how people enter the arena (or a bad habit you see on a regular basis) what would that be?
My main concern in the 4D or 5D barrel races is SAFETY . . . people don't watch out for other contestants or horses. Be considerate of others during the warm up time and stay out of the way. A number of accidents happen when people are not thinking about others and just themselves. If there is a person having trouble entering the arena, be kind and ask if they need assistance, or stay away from the situation.
Best part of the sport?
It's exciting, fast and the spectators love it. The people you meet are great and you are never too old to learn. The stories, learning experiences, and knowledge is worth a million dollars.
Worst part of the sport?
I feel the worst part of the barrel racing industry is paying equally throughout the divisions . . . this happens a lot in barrel races in Texas more than Colorado. You should want to get better and your horse also, but paying equally is not an incentive.
Thanks for your time Kelly!
