Breeder’s Elite producer and organizer Helen Nowosad set the new Co Operator Agrim Center arena record, clocking the fastest time of the event, and winning the Open 1D title. Kelley Drake and Kaycee Mandel won big money in the Futurity and Derby Sweepstakes claiming the 1D wins
Breeders Elite Incentive program has reached just shy of $1 million in event payout over the past four years. The impressive payout and incentive opportunities for Canadian barrel racers was an added perk magnetizing 798 entries to Co Operators Agrim Center in Rimbey, Alberta, Canada on August 2-4. A confirmed $291,970 was paid out to the tough competition entered throughout the weekend, contributing to the total of $955,814 cashed out to contestants since 2020. A secondary event was established in Hamilton, Texas hosted at Circle T Arena.
Breeders Elite gives breeders of Canada and top tier performance horses a chance in the spotlight at one of the few big money payout barrel racing incentives in Alberta, Canda, said Breeders Elite Incentive producer and 1D Open winner, Helen Nowosad.
Nowosad Wins Open 1D
Helen Nowosad is a familiar face to the Breeder’s Elite Incentive. In previous years, Nowosad was recognized in the production-side of the event. This year looked a little different.
“I built the Breeders Elite Incentive,” Nowosad said. “But this is my first time being able to compete at my own show.”
Nowosad was not the only behind-the-scenes team member to be found on the contestant roster.
“Christine Drisner and Colin Balan help produce the event and they compete too,” Nowosad said. “Colin actually bred and owns the winning futurity horse [Perry Winkle Blue] and had Kelley Drake jockey it.”
Down Ta Drift (Dash Ta Fame x MP Wooden Cowgirl x Lone Drifter) was Nowosad’s pick for the event. The 2018 buckskin stallion made his way from Stephenville, Texas to Alberta, Canada with Nowosad.
“We bought [Drifter] in the fall of his 2-year-old year sight unseen,” she said. “I just had this feeling he has what we needed to go on with.”
Drifter is by the No. 1 all-time leading barrel racing sire Dash Ta Fame out of WP Wooden Cowgirl with lifetime earnings of over $70,000.
“We got him going pretty good as a 3-year-old, but we moved to Texas, and I started working quite a bit,” Nowosad said. “I never showed him as a futurity horse, because I was just too busy with life. When life lined out, he came along so fast.”
In 2024, Drifter had his chance to begin hauling to jackpots and the rest is history, she added.
“He quickly jumped into the 1D, then started winning shows,” Nowosad said. “He just went straight to the top. Over the fourth of July we left three rodeos leading. That just doesn’t happen.”
His unique running style makes him fast and efficient, she said. Drifter stands 15 hands contributing to his floaty, yet powerful, stride across the pen.
“His name explains him to a tee.” Nowosad said. “[Drifter] drifts into his turns and is so quick in and out. He’s just quick. He really uses his brain to make the runs he makes.”
Drifter has peaked near $70,000 lifetime earnings in only six short months of competing cashing in an additional $15,261 after a successful weekend at Co Operators Agrim Center.
“The ground was really fast,” Nowosad said. “I just let him go to work. We haven’t run on ground like that before.”
The team kicked off the weekend setting an arena record in Rimbey, Alberta. A respective time of 14.382 in the Open slid the pair to the top of the leaderboard. Becky Ring aboard Whynot finished in the No. 2 position behind Nowosad and Drifter with a 14.541.
Success did not end there for the dynamic duo. A tough race in the Derby finished Nowosad and Drifter in close second with a 14.684. Kaycee Mandel and Afamoustwistedsister (Dash Ta Fame x Missin Matilda x Missin Freckle) secured the Derby win with a final time of 14.642.
“God really just is amazing,” Nowosad said. “My radiator went out, gas was put in my diesel, my generator caught fire, but God always put us exactly where we needed to be. I really don’t know how to explain this win. It was really exciting.”
Futurity Sweepstakes
Barrel racer of more than 20 years Kelley Drake of Cremona, Alberta, Canada was handed the reins to 2019 bay mare Perry Winkle Blue (Blue Em Away x Ima Jessica Perry x Crimson Jess) by Colin and Mary Balan.
“Perry” was bred, raised, and trained by Colin Balan, Carter Walker, and Mary Balan.
“As a 4-year-old, Colin started to haul Perry to a couple different arenas,” Drake said. “In September of last year, he sent her home with me to continue her training.”
Drake’s husband, Jon Drake, diversified her outside of exclusively barrel racing training and started her in the roping atmosphere.
“She has her quirks, but every good mare does,” said 1D Futurity Sweepstakes winner, Kelley Drake. “She always wants to be a bit stiffer and straighter, so I do a lot of softening on her. This mare means so much to both Jon and myself.”
Perry is described as eye-appealing, kind, and deceivingly fast, she added. Simply put, her feet never stop moving, Kelley explained.
“She doesn’t like to be wrong and always gives me what she can,” Kelley said. “She is in the winning circle time and time again, because she’s fast footed.”
Coming into the weekend at the Breeder’s Elite Incentive, Kelley believed she needed to work a little harder in her run because the pair has struggled in this pen previously. She identified her goal of showcasing Peppy to the best of her ability, she added.
“I did a lot of alley work helping her get comfortable,” Kelley said. “The day of the [Futurity Sweepstakes] she was flat out sleeping before I caught her to run. She was running in her sleep, and I thought to myself ‘I wonder if she’s dreaming about her run today.’”
Perry’s adrenaline began rising in the warm up pen before her Futurity Sweepstakes run, she added. Kelley noticed Colin also warming up and asked to walk the pair down the alley.
“He was happy to do so, and I believe right there was the start to her success,” Kelley said. “As soon as Colin pet her forelock she calmed right down. As he walked us down the alley she walked in so confidently and with ease.”
The pair stopped the clock at 14.803 to punch a ticket to the winner’s circle taking over the leaderboard and secure a $26,234 check.
“When the announcer announced that we were currently leading it I had tears of joy,” she said. “There was a crowd of people cheering for her. It was the most electric moment.”
Stacy Lunde, Kelley’s best friend, texted Kelley at the conclusion of the Sweepstakes confirming and congratulating her on the win.
“Winning something this big is such a dream, Kelley said. “I had a lot of emotions sitting in my trailer.”
Kelley gives credit for the accomplishment to Perry and the Balan’s, she added.
“[The Balan’s] deserved this win and I wanted it so badly for them,” Kelley said. “They spend hours upon hours with their breeding program. Their mares are so strong in their pedigree and winnings and their stallions, too, are mouth-dropping beautiful.”
A dedicated thank-you is recognized to Drake’s family, Colin and Mary Balan, Roan and Co., Alliance Equine, Zesterra by Pro Earth Animal Health, and Coyote Design.
Derby Sweepstakes
Kaycee Mandel, originally from Alberta, Canada, relocated to Happy, Texas pursuing a career as an emergency nurse.
“I have always been involved in horses,” said 1D Derby Sweepstakes winner, Kaycee Mandel. “I went to school in Texas on a rodeo scholarship [at Sul Ross State University]. I have only been in the futurity world since about 2019.”
Barrel racing runs in the family, she added.
“Both my daughters ride and my husband ropes calves,” Kaycee said. “I originally got into riding and barrel racing because of my mom (Elaine Watt), who is big into barrel racing.”
Afamoustwistedsister (Dash Ta Fame x Missin Matilda x Missin Freckle) was bred and raised by Kaycee and Elaine.
“We call her Afamoustwistedsister because she was a c-section baby,” Kaycee said. “The mare had a twisted uterus, so she was taken to a surgical center. The chance of the mare or baby surviving was very slim. She was the first c-section the facility did that the foal survived.”
Kaycee officially partnered with “Sister” as a 3-year-old. Sister was a natural from the beginning, she said.
“We haven’t entered too many derbies because I’ve been busy moving,” Kaycee said. “She had a great futurity year. I just started introducing her into the rodeo world. That’s our next adventure with her.”
Sister has a consistent, gritty running style that will be an asset in the rodeo environment and contributed to the team’s success at the Breeders Elite event, she added.
“I ran her [at the Breeders Elite] last year and won second,” Kaycee said. “I knew she did good last year, so I had high expectations for her this year.”
Compliments to the event staff was mentioned by Kaycee for a well-ran, organized event with fast ground, she added. The Breeders Elite is an annually scheduled event for Kaycee.
Sister clocked a 14.744 in 2023 improving by one-tenth of a second this year, running a 14.642.
The pair collected $13,629 in the Futurity Sweepstakes. An additional $6,006 was distributed to Sister’s breeder Elaine Watt.
“I would like to thank the producers and all the volunteers of this amazing event,” Kaycee said. “The futurity world isn’t quite as big in Canada, so it’s wonderful to have these incentives up there in Alberta. It’s a wonderful event and I hope they continue it.”
Friday Open 1D: 1) Helen Nowosad/Down Ta Drift/14.382/$2,049; 2) Becky Ring/Wynot/14.541/$1,576; 3) Carlene Reiner/Turn Quick On Red/14.726/$1,183. 2D: 1) Gina Shantz/Fame For Jas/14.924/$2,049; 2) Marie-Elaine Dubuc/Miss N Sirocco/14.928/$1,576; 3) Cora Guest/Df Jewels N Sunfrost/14.945/$1,182; 3D: 1) Shelby McIntyre/Cu Miss Lakota Frost/15.382/$2,049; 2) Nevada Dynneson/Justa Cadallic Queen/15.384/$1,576; 3) Laci Erunelle/Perks Alive N Famous/15.390/$1,182. 4D: 1) Kallie Kelder/NorthernBoonlit Dude/15.890/$2,049; 2) Marty Salmong/Srs Peppy San Virtue/15.893/$1,576; 3) Denise Formo/Sr Check Ta Fame/15.910/$1,182.
Futurity Sweepstakes: 1D: 1) Kelley Drake/Perry Winkle Blue/14.803/$26,234; 2) Chelsea Moore/CD Gold Mate/14.870/$16,396; 3) Taylor Cherry/Blazin Sugar Daddy/14.923/$10,493. 2D: 1) Kali Kott/Boons High Tide/15.522/$6,558; 2) Dakota Mcivor/CI Myster Infamous/15.400/$4,099; 3) Dana Lovell/One Heckofa Judge/15.408/$2,623.
Derby Sweepstakes: 1D: 1) Kaycee Mandel/Afamoustwistedsister/14.642/$13,629; 2) Helen Nowosad/Down Ta Drift/14.684/$8,518; 3) Taylor Cherry/Oaks Lucky Crime/14.701/$5,452. 2D: 1) Frankie Wilson-Harrell/Sheza Royal Goldmine/15.367/$3,407; 2) Gina Shantz/Flingsfamoushotshot/15.400/$2,130; 3) Laci Brunelle/Bugsfamousfirewater/15.408/$1,363.
This article was originally published in the November 2024 issue of Barrel Horse News.
