Pendleton, OR -The 99th Annual Pendleton Round-Up marked the 10th anniversary of the running of the WPRA sanctioned barrel race at the rodeo. In 2000, spurred by the PRCA's new Wrangler ProTour which required all Tour rodeos to include the ladies of the WPRA, the WPRA Board approved the most unique barrel race in the country due to the circumstances of the Pendleton arena.

A move that was controversial at the time, the Board allowed a pattern to be set which was 280 feet between the barrels-nearly three times the size of the standard pattern allowed in the WPRA rulebook. In addition to the length, the barrels were set on the track, allowing turns to be made in the dirt, but the distances between barrels crossed the famed football field, creating a pattern where horses run across the grass.

The Pendleton Round-Up barrel race has become a favorite among many cowgirls. Since the inception of the WPRA barrel race, only a handful of ladies, six to be exact, have been able to take the victory lap around the track as Pendleton Champion. Rookie Gloria Freeman went into the record books as the first ever WPRA Pendleton Champ back in 2000. Charmayne James etched her name into the history of Pendleton as well, winning two years in a row in 2002-2003 and setting an arena record which still stands at 27.50 seconds.

A new name was carved in the record books a year ago when Conway, Wash., cowgirl Linzie Walker captured a third title on the grass. In 2009, Walker added to her record by claiming a fourth straight win. Walker and her horse, Azura Dude, have been unbeatable since 2006. They claimed the win in the long go with a 28.32 second run, short go with a 28.22, and the average in 56.54 on two runs. Their checks totaled $8,833.

"There is nothing like it," Walker talks about the huge course in Pendleton. "When you sit back and watch the other ladies run, you go - 'oh boy, I have to do that?'"

After three straight victories one might think that Walker didn't get nervous for the Round-Up at all. Quite the opposite is true, however.

"There is more pressure every year," she laughs. "I know what my horse can do there and I can't do anything wrong. He does what I say right now, so if I make a mistake, it costs us."

Dude is 11 this year and has made the march through the entire Walker family before landing in Linzie's barn. Her dad, Mike, bought the horse off the track in California as a two year old and trained him for the barrels, competing in futurities. Linzie's sister took the horse during his derby year before deciding to put more time into other sports. Mom took the reins for a time before Linzie's turn came beginning in 2006.

"He has the mind and heart to do anything you ask him to," said Walker who is understandably proud of her horse. "And he showed that early on in his training."

In fact, Dude is a real pleaser, with the versatility to compete in many events. The Walkers use all their horses for "gaming," gymkhana type events which involve not only barrel racing but many other events as well.

"We game on all our horses," says Walker, "it teaches them to run and be looking for something to turn."

Dude has already won the Omoksee meet, a large two-day, ten-event competition in Washington which brings competitors from across the northwest. Walker's father used the colt as a four year old at the event following the loss of his primary horse to colic just prior to the event. In early signs of greatness to come, he won it. He repeated the victory a year ago and is looking for a third title in a few weeks.

Victory at Pendleton is not by accident or chance, however. Walker takes great pains to prepare her horse for the long course before she ever pulls into town. Her uncle owns an equestrian facility which includes a quarter mile track, cross country track, and hay fields. Walker does sprints on the tracks to help build the horse's wind. Then, just before the rodeo, her uncle plows three squares in the hay field, at the exact dimensions of the Pendleton pattern, for Walker and Dude to practice.

"I feel so lucky to be able to do that because I know most girls don't have a place to practice like that," she says. "It makes a big difference and I think that even if it was a longer pattern, Dude could do it."

She couldn't say the same for herself, however. The length of the pattern will wear the rider out more than the horse, with all the adrenaline pumping through the system and the thirty seconds of work. "I wish I could get in as good shape as Dude is," Walker laughs, "but I'm tired at the end!"

Though Dude is appendix and has siblings in California who have set turf track records, Walker believes it's more than speed at the heart of her success. "He has stamina and a big stride but I think it must be heart more than anything. Dude would run until he can't run anymore if you asked him to."

Walker currently sits third in the Columbia River circuit standings but you won't see her at the Columbia River Circuit Finals in Redmond, Ore., come November. A full time student at Bellingham Technical College, Walker is working toward becoming an x-ray technician and school is the priority.

"I did a summer internship, which is when I usually rodeo, and of course drew the weekend shift," Walker explains. "I didn't finish up until August 6 so Dude was off all of July. We only went to three rodeos so it felt like it was meant to be at Pendleton this year. We drew up right, Dude was probably fresher than the other horses and had run better at each of the three rodeos leading into Pendleton."

Already back in classes, Walker will finish up school in June 2010 and has plans to hit the trail a bit more than past seasons. She has two young horses to campaign at the futurities and rodeos as well as Dude, and is looking forward to possibly making that trip to the circuit finals in coming seasons.

"I feel so lucky to have that horse," she says of Dude. "I am proud of him and so grateful."