There is a moment in barrel racing when everything gets quiet.
Not for the crowd. Not for the announcer. Not even for the rider.
For the horse.
The rider may see a smooth arena surface and a clear path to the first barrel. The horse sees something else entirely. A patch of ground under the fluffy topsoil feels different under his hooves. A spot packed hard like concrete might cause a slip. He eases up and takes the turn with a little more caution.
"They can feel things we can't feel," says barrel racer Dana Anderson (pictured above). "They tell us."
That trust between horse and rider is one of the things Dana loves most about barrel racing — and raising horses in general! It’s what makes her relationship with her own trusty quarter horse, Hollywood Hutch Dun It (also pictured above), so special.
Kick Em Up Cans Is Almost Here!
The dynamic duo will be among the competitors at the 21st Annual Kick Em Up Cans Barrel Race on June 27-28 at the Johnson County Fairgrounds in Buffalo. The event draws hundreds of competitors from across the region and features divisions ranging from Pee Wee riders to Junior, Senior, Rancher, Futurity, Derby, and Open competition.
For Dana, though, this annual event means much more than times on a stopwatch. It calls to mind a lifetime spent around horses and all the blood, sweat, and tears it took to get back in the saddle after being told she might never ride again.
Horses Have Always Been Part of Dana’s Story
Long before she became Compliance Officer at Security State Bank Wyoming, Dana was a ranch kid growing up in Texas.
Her family raised cattle. Her father rode bulls. Her stepmother even became Cody’s Rodeo Queen for the world-famous Cody Stampede Rodeo. Family weekends meant jackpots and rodeos where Dana competed in barrel racing, pole bending, and goat tying.
"We just grew up doing it," she says. Some of her earliest memories involve horses. They even bred some along the way.
One favorite was a young stallion her father spotted at a horse sale in town. The horse was headed for the cannery. Dad bought him for $500. They named him Extra Income, and he bred a line of well-loved colts and fillies.
"He was awesome," Dana recalls — a horse closely bonded with his owners, always looking out for his family. Now, years later, Hutch reminds her a little bit of that horse. Not because they look alike…but because they listen.
An American Quarter Horse Icon, and Dana’s Best Friend
Hollywood Hutch Dun It, known simply as Hutch around the barn, is a six-year-old gelding whose pedigree includes legendary reining horse Hollywood Dun It (Hutch’s grandfather) and the influential Shining Spark bloodline (on mom’s side). Dana got him as a three-year-old and has been running barrels on him for about a year.
The blood of champions pumps through him with every thundering stride in the arena…but few would have guessed it at first.
Her husband has a simpler description. "He calls him my dog." Dana laughs when she says it. But there is a ring of truth to the comparison.
The connection between the two goes beyond training. In fact, Hutch received very little formal barrel racing training. Most of his early work involved ranch duties. Yet somehow he became exactly the horse Dana needed.
That's because Hutch arrived during a chapter of her life when riding looked uncertain.
The Long Road Back to the Arena
Two years after starting a barrel racing division, Dana suffered a devastating accident. A horse threw her backwards and the fall shattered her pelvis.
Doctors told her she might not walk for a year. They didn't know whether she would ever ride again.
Recovery was slow. Today she still rides with hardware. A rod runs through her pelvis. Another supports her hip socket. After two years of healing, slowly building back strength and mobility, she finally decided to swing a leg over and climb back on a horse.
"Let's see what happens," she remembers thinking.
What happened was Hutch.
“He’s my spirit horse,” she says with quiet gratitude and admiration. "He takes care of me. When my legs don't want to work, I can talk to him and he pushes me through."
When footing feels questionable, Hutch gets cautious. When Dana needs confidence before a race, he gives a quick nod to show her he’s steady and everything is going to be fine. The two have developed the kind of partnership that only comes from time and shared experience.
"He trusts me, and I trust him. We protect each other."
There’s More to It Than Who Wins the Race
Barrel racing is a simple sport, at least in concept: Three barrels. A cloverleaf pattern. Fastest time wins.
That description may be technically correct, but it misses the point. Just watch competitors around the arena, before, during, and after the races. Something else becomes obvious.
The women competing against each other are cheering just as loudly for one another. That's one of Dana's favorite parts.
"You get a bunch of girls together, out there to cheer each other on," she says. "You see the kids running and say to yourself…I was that kid."
Some competitors come in to train or race after a full day working cattle, perhaps straight from the branding pen. Others arrive from jobs, families, and responsibilities that have nothing to do with horses. Then they spend a weekend doing something they love. You can get a peek into the tightly-knit community on the event Facebook page, with pictures and videos of race results, lovingly handmade prizes, and more.
"Talent and commitment and drive," Dana says. "That's the best way I can say it."
Bringing the Community Together
This year marks the first time Security State Bank Wyoming is sponsoring Kick Em Up Cans. All sponsorships help support the smorgasbord of cash and physical prizes. Just like last year, the 21st annual edition will feature a hotly anticipated electric scooter giveaway, with six scooters awarded to each of the overall division winners.
The bank first got involved when Dana approached leadership with an idea. She explained that barrel racing brings together many of the same agricultural, ranching, and western communities the bank serves every day.
"And we're all just like them," she says. "We get to participate and be there, supporting each other right alongside our community."
Because community impact is central to the bank’s mission, the sponsorship felt natural. All the people who attend and sponsor the event are neighbors, customers, and friends. They're the same people Security State Bank sees at local businesses or school events, at county fairs and rodeos throughout the year.
If you’re planning on coming out this year, you can check out the Kick Em Up cans event schedule to plan your day. Or maybe you’re aiming to compete alongside Dana and Hutch? Don’t forget to double check the rules and complete your entry form as soon as possible — the cutoff for pre-entries is June 17th!
One More Run
Last year, Dana finished just two-tenths of a second away from an overall prize. The gal who beat her is a close friend.
"Good for her," Dana says with a smile. “I’m glad she won it.”
But this year, she and Hutch have their eye on the prize. They’ll run in the Derby division, with their time carrying into the Open as well.
And yes, she'd love one of those scooters — especially with another surgery scheduled for later this year. Still, whether she wins one or not almost feels beside the point.
For Dana, Kick Em Up Cans is a chance to spend a weekend with people who understand the dedication it takes to just keep showing up.
"We can all let our hair down, be competitors, but still be friends," she says. "Cheer each other on. Leave it at the arena. Show our dedication and how far we've come."
And after everything she's overcome, that journey may be the most impressive run of all.