SCOTT MACDONALD/THE CALIFORNIAN Jolee Lautaret rounds the last barrel for a time of 16.27 in Sunday's competition at the California Rodeo Salinas. Lautaret won the buckle for the event with the fastest combined time over four races. At a glance Bigger purses and a love for the sport have helped women's barrel racing at the California Rodeo Salinas to grow to more than 130 competitors this year.

As long as there's been Big Week, women have raced the clock in barrel racing competitions, said Tom Pettit, California Rodeo Salinas vice president.

"About 30 years ago, when I came on board, we started with maybe 32 women competing, and this year we have more than 130," Pettit said. "And we put the barrel racing right in front of the track. It's a speed event and it's something that the crowd can really get into."

Even from last year, the Rodeo has seen the race increase from 100 competitors.

And next year, the Rodeo will honor these female competitors with the Big Week theme "Salute to the Great American Cowgirl," said Sally Hamana, marketing coordinator.

"California just has a lot of great cowgirls that really deserve to be recognized," Hamana said.

Barrel racing pits the competitors against the clock as they individually ride around barrels in a cloverleaf pattern. Touching a barrel is permitted, but a five-second penalty is assessed for knocking over a barrel. Lightning speed is expected, and anything less won't cut it.

Barrel racing sees the largest number of female competitors, but they're not prohibited from taking on the men in other events. This year, Tammy West of Las Oros will take on the men in team roping as well as her own sex in barrel racing.

"You don't really see too many women doing rough stock competitions, calf roping or steer wrestling, especially not at the rodeo," Pettit said. "They're not barred from those types of events; they just don't generally do it."

Barrel racing became popular as an event that would keep women busy as men competed in rough stock competition. But now the racing is more than just a way to pass time -- it's a legitimate sport with a following that will keep growing, he said.

"They'll (the women) continue to be a major influence in rodeo across the country," he said. "They'll continue to improve their skills ... and more girls are going to be competing."

The Women's Professional Rodeo Association officially started organizing in 1948, and about eight years ago, the group demanded equal pay with men for equal rides. Therefore, barrel racing purses have grown, and the Rodeo paid out more than $50,000 to female barrel racers over the course of the event.

"The money is more enticing, so it really contributes to girls growing up and wanting to be barrel racers," said Elaine Wells, California director for the WPRA. "And it's gonna become a lot tougher, because there's a new group of girls coming up that has done this since they were little girls. They've been going through the ranks and they really want to be champions."

Originally published Monday, July 21, 2003