A View from the Top

In Profile — By admin on July 13, 2009 12:10 am

By Pat Fream

Riding her way to the top, barrel racer Lindsay Sears, credits her roots of strength and determination for her success but looks forward with her best friend, and a positive attitude for her future.

Wanna Race?

If you ask Lindsay Sears, 28-year-old world champion barrel racer, you’ll likely get a polite smile, a friendly nod, and a general sense that your chances are reasonable. The thing is, unless you’ve been in the rodeo ring with this petite Nanton-born jockey, you may not have been introduced to the flip side of Lindsay Sears; the part that contains her iron will.

“As far back as I can remember, I’ve been extremely competitive,” says the feisty 5’5” Sears. “I crave high pressure situations that really get your heart pounding. I refuse to give up! I will try, try and try again!”

Sears was born and raised on a ranch near Nanton, Alberta. From her rural roots, she claims a strong sense of security, fortified with rock solid family support.

“My parents were great in the sense that they encouraged and supported my brother and me,” says Sears. “We could pursue anything we wanted, but in return for supporting us, they expected us to give 110 per cent. They would not accept anything less.”

This virtue, it seems, took hold. In her younger years, Sears aimed her 110 per cent at a variety of sports, including figure skating, fastball and competitive swimming. She also pitched in on the family ranch, achieved honours in high school, and tried her luck at a variety of rodeo events. Ironically, in her junior years, Sears’ interest in rodeo riding was more of a hobby than a career ambition. In fact, it wasn’t until she returned home after earning a degree at Texas Tech University, that Sears met her match and found her riding groove.

Martha Mate

Sears was back home in Alberta and working at the feedlot in 2006 when she met (and bought) her ‘sole-mate’, a six-year-old mare called Martha. According to Sears, they had an instant connection.

“In barrel racing you are totally at the mercy of your horse,” says Sears. “No matter how good of a rider you are, if you don’t have a great horse, you will struggle to do well.”

For Sears, Martha has been the difference between a so-so rodeo career, and a spot at the top of the sport. The über-fast mare is a natural born racer, and with Lindsay’s quiet determination, they are a match made in barrel racing heaven.

Aside from their unmitigated compatibility in the arena, Sears calls her horse her best friend. She has lots of friends on the road, but with little time for a personal life, Martha fills the void.

“The day I bought Martha is the best day of my life so far,” says Sears. “She’s amazing! She has completely changed my life!”

World by the Tail

Indeed the world changed dramatically for Sears in 2007, when, after a so-so year of competing in 2006, she and Martha blazed their way through 27 rodeos, gaining steady momentum in their class and earning a buzz among fans and the media. The pair culminated the whirlwind year winning five rounds at the prestigious National Finals Rodeo (NFR) in Las Vegas, cinching the ‘reserve world barrel racing champion title’ and taking home record winnings of $119,255.

In 2008, Sears continued on a hot streak, taking her leading lady to 29 rodeos and stock piling record rounds and precious wins. Together the pair took top spots at the Houston Rodeo, and the Calgary Stampede, and Sears went on to be crowned 2008 World Barrel Racing Champion at NFR. Also at NFR last December, Sears was awarded the renowned ‘Gold Buckle’ and Martha won the “Horse of the Year Award,” bestowed by the American Quarter Horse Association. If that wasn’t enough, Sears finished up 2008 with $300,000 plus in earnings – an unheard of salary for a barrel racer.

View from the Top

Today, Sears is a tough champion to track down. She’s fully engaged in the 2009 rodeo season, and has so far managed to defend her world title.

A self-admitted avid shopper, last year Sears purchased a winter home near Lubbock, Texas. Taken with the Texas climate and comforted by similarities between West Texas and Alberta, she says she feels at home on her 15-acres property, complete with an old brick house, a barn, and an arena. However, according to Sears, “There’s no prettier place than the foothills west of Nanton!” And so, in late spring, the pair migrates back to their Alberta family ranch.

Not yet into her thirties, Sears may have reached the pinnacle of her career, but she doesn’t appear to take it for granted.

“When I was young, my father always told me, you’re not going to win all the time, and the way you deal with failure is how you learn how to be successful.”

For now anyway, Sears is savouring her success – glad to be riding high in her sport, and grateful to be making a living at something she loves. Quick to dispense gratitude to a long list of supporters, the jockey’s greatest praise is for Martha, whom she credits with her whirlwind rise to the top.

Asked what advice she might give to aspiring young cowgirls, Sears first reinforces the merits of education, since she knows she will eventually use her economics degree for long-term sustenance.

“And, I would tell them – never give up. Learn from everyone, and look for the positive in every situation. It is amazing how much your outlook and attitude can affect your performance.”

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Top image by Kate Kunz

Racing image by Mike Copeman

Tags: barrel racing, Lindsay Sears, Routes Magazine