Sammie Willoughby and SW The Bayou Bug Dominate Elite Summer Sizzle and Youth Extravaganza held in Waco, Texas, July 18-21.
From bottle baby to champion barrel horse, SW The Bayou Bug has defied every normality as your typical winning barrel horse. From his size to his color, “Bug” and his owner, Sammie Willoughby of Stephenville, Texas, are a force at major barrel races across Texas, outrunning some of the industry’s best barrel horses and professional barrel horse trainers today.
Spending her younger years on the track watching her father train winning race horses, Willoughby honestly felt the need for speed.
“Growing up on the track, I learned I like to go fast and push the limits on everything,” the young talent exclaimed.
Upon moving to Stephenville, Willoughby had a western-pleasure-bred paint mare that she trained, making it a competitive 1D horse.
“That mare taught me a lot about making a horse. I went through that process and used much of what I learned while training her when I got Bugs. She taught me how to win,” Willoughby said.
Only five months into owning Bugs, patterning him, and taking him to the exhibition, Willoughby broke the arena record in Glen Rose, Texas, winning Destry’s Free 4 All in 10 competition runs for the powerful pair. They haven’t looked back and have been winning ever since against some of the business’s best barrel horses and barrel racers.
“Bugs was always just a freak of nature. After he did so well at Destry’s, I knew I had a winner,” Willoughby said.
After winning the Youth first go of the McGregor General State Youth Race in 2023, Willoughby sustained a knee injury.
“I didn’t feel like I jockeyed to the best of my ability after that,” Willoughby admitted.
However, Willoughby returned in 2024 with a vengeance. The young talent won the 2D in the Youth first round with a respectable 15.496.
“Back in December, Bugs got sick. He had been off the pace for a few months, and we kept returning to the vet to rule things out. His whole personality changed, and that’s when I knew there was something we were missing,” Willoughby explained. “I kept taking him back and asking them to dive deeper.”
Willoughby’s respect for her horse and persistence in finding the root of the problem paid off. She left Waco, Texas, nearly over $8,000 richer.
“Great horses have so much heart that they will try to win even when they don’t feel their best. We owe it to them to try all we can and find out what is going on with them when they are still trying; they just can’t physically do it. Why would we not try for them,” Willoughby said.
At home, Willoughby actively uses the Acuscope to treat Bugs. During the rounds at the barrel races, you can find her seeking any supplemental therapy offered at the race, such as the Salt Water Spa and Cryotherapy.
“Whenever Bugs got sick, his entire personality changed. And when you know your horse well enough, you know when something changes like their eating habits, their personality, really thetiniest thing, you can say that we need to go to the vet,” Willoughby said.
The dynamic duo turned in a time of 14.762 in round two of the Youth Race. They also won Open Race One.
“When we bought Bugs, which was bred and raised by Tasha Welsh, he missed the futurity mark because of his size. They broke him and just turned him out. He took to the barrels quickly and wanted to be a barrel horse,” Willoughby said.
Even more impressive, Bugs and Willoughby stopped the clock at 14.684 in the McGregor General Store Youth High Noon Showdown, running the weekend’s fastest time and winning $3,000. They also topped the leaderboard of Open Race Two.
“Having a horse like Bugs will give you butterflies. There’s no better feeling than knowing that anytime I enter, I will have the chance to win the barrel race. Good horses have surrounded me, whether race or barrel horses. But nothing like Bugs,” Willoughby said with utmost gratitude.
Willoughby plans to try her hand at the barrel futurities in 2025, having her first three-year-old to go to the Juvenile in November.
“I also bought my WPRA Permit, and Bugs filled it. My goal is to go to both futurities and rodeos. Ihope that in ten years, I’m still at the level I am now, riding good horses,” Willoughby said.
Willoughby thanks her mom, who encouraged her to buy Bugs initially. She also thanks her sponsors: AbraxSys Sunlight Readable Monitors and Keith Henderson, Delicious Horse Treats, Cross H Leather and Beads, HPS Liberty Sales, Big G Saddles, Betty Brand, Cole’s General Store, Pro Carpet Care, Complete Equine Performance, Stidham Equine Sports Therapy, Kickapoo Ponies of Texas, Sadies Born To Perform and Erica Rayer, Twisted T Construction and Remodeling, In Harmony Therapy, Renee Francois Frawley, Dondi Hurton, and Tina Hurley.
This article was originally published in the October 2024 issue of Barrel Horse News.
