Name: Michelle Woolf Born: Moses Lake, WA, 8-19-74 Residence: Eatonville, WA Status: married Family: husband, Andy, expected a little boy at the end of August Member of the WPRA since: 2000 Accomplishments: being able to compete at the WPRA level, establishing a wonderful home with my husband to raise a family

1. What do you do for a living? I have a business selling swimming pool and hot tub supplies; it's called Barth's Valley Pool Supply in Puyallup WA

2. What do you enjoy doing outside of riding? I enjoy trail riding, dancing and camping as well as helping local kids that are new to horses, with their riding and horse husbandry skills. I think it is very important to help upcoming generations understand the necessity of proper nutrition, hoof balance, preventative veterinary care and proper equipment fit. Stuff that was not always easy for me to find answers to as an inexperienced kid with horses growing up.

3. How did you get started in rodeo? My grandparents owned Meeker Shows Carnival, the largest independently owned show in the United States 1943-1987. So I grew up on the other side of fence traveling all summer ironically the same path as the Columbia River circuit watching and dreaming how I could run with the WPRA girls at the rodeos. Grandpa or Dad would trade ride tickets for rodeo tickets, so my sister and I got to go to every performance of every rodeo we were at. We had had ponies and horses at the other grandparents' farm that I had been riding when we weren't on the road. By age ten it was my life goal to barrel race. So I watched every video and read every book I could get my hands on about barrel racing. I trained my horse to the best of my ability and started barrel racing, to my delight, very successfully at game shows, state games and playdays. Then NBHA's came around for a higher level of competition, I went to Ogden for the finals in 1998 on Docs Roan Girl aka Missy. I eventually took a leap of faith and started entering rodeos. After my first one I knew I would need a faster horse! That's when I bought "Dash".

4. What is your horse's name? How old is he or she? MS Dashing Bunny, aka Dash, a 19 year old mare. I bought her as a 6 year old unpatterned and a little wild eyed. With a lot of patients and hundreds hauling miles behind us she has turned out to be one heck of a horse. She has taken me up through the ranks first winning my WPRA permit money then on to winning money on my WPRA card.

5. How would you describe his/her style? She is a big bodied mare, full of steam, with a lot of rate.

6. Does he/she have any quirks that make them unique? Yes, I always have people ask if I need help getting in the pen to make my run. She acts hot by the gate, but really she is just waiting for them to get out of the way. Once I put my over-n-under over my leg, she knows its go time. That and I think she likes to see people run, you can almost feel her smile when she creates a little drama with the guys behind the chutes or people walking by.

7. What is your riding regiment during rodeo season? I usually ride after work. We do laps around our field. If I can't ride, I will lunge her 20-30min.

8. Do you have any superstitions or quirks when competing? I won't check any of the times until after I make my run. I don't pick up checks till the end of the weekend.

9. Do you have any hauling partners? I usually go by myself, sometimes if our schedule permits, I go with my sister, Jilliaun Meeker, or friend, Patty Childers.

10. What is your favorite rodeo to compete at? Molalla, OR. They have really good ground and the show is run very well with a great crowd. I also love Pendleton, OR, it is so over the top big, mentally challenging and breathtaking. I've only run there twice, but both times we ended up in the top 20, just an awesome place to run.

11. What is something that people would be surprised to learn about you? That I grew up "carnie", traveling from fair to fair in the summer. I actually got my health food permit when I was 9 years old so I could make cotton candy and work the food stands.

12. What is your goal for this rodeo season? Before I knew I was going to have a little one, the plan was the same as every year. Have fun, shoot for the stars, stay safe and make some money doing the sport I love. Maybe make it to circuit finals. Now it's to have my little boy, get in shape and start going again. Maybe hit a few of the fall rodeos. Right now my mare chases any trailers that come in the driveway thinking it is her turn to go. She can't wait to hit the road again just as much as me!

Want to learn more about Michelee, visit her website, barthsvalleypoolsupplies.com

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