GREEN MILE Gartner Grabs Pendleton Round-Up Barrel Racing Title By Tim Gentry K acey Gartner didn’t grow up in a rodeo family. She had just started running barrels in high school when the Walla Walla, WA cowgirl got to see the first barrel race run on the Green Mile, and it left quite the impression. Just down the road
from her hometown of Burbank, WA, and the scale of the humongous pattern there was “unreal to watch” and made her wonder what running there – maybe even winning there – would be like. In the years that followed, she spent many happy hours in the stands, watching her husband, Chance, compete in the steer wrestling and taking in the spectacle and history that makes Pendleton such a special place and the Round Up such a unique event. It’s been special to her for a long time, but it took a truly special mount to bring her down into the action: Rebel Look (JD Look x Jo Jos Dasher x Twaynas Dash). Nicknamed Mercedes, this built-from- scratch, 10-year-old mare was enough to give Gartner the itch to start rodeoing again and feels just as at home in Pendleton as her rider. “She loves that place,” she said of Mercedes’ attitude about running at the Round Up. “She runs so hard and so free. She’s honest, she’s confident. She doesn’t balk at anything. She’s accomplished a lot there” It was like that from the start. Their very first run there in 2018, Mercedes carried her to a spot in the short round and second place in the average. Funny thing is that was her rookie year in the WPRA, and momma wasn’t crazy about taking her “green six-year-old” around the longest pattern on the Pro Rodeo circuit. Good thing her husband, Chance, does their entering for them and signed her up even though she specifically said not to. 2019 brought more success with a win in the short go and another second in the average. 2020’s Round Up was cancelled due to the pandemic, and 2021’s tipped barrel cost her the fastest time in the long go. Her mantra all week was to just leave the barrels up. There’s no need to try and wrap them when you’ve got straight-line speed like Mercedes does.
From second on a late drag in Monday’s slack, the pair laid down a 28.57 second run on the Green Mile to set what would hold on to be the winning time of the long go. One of three runs in the go to break 29 seconds, the others came from California Circuit Director Katie Pascoe with a 28.84 and Teri Bangart with a 28.89. Saturday’s final round had her again running second. Nearly three tenths clear of second place, a clean and tidy run was probably all it would take to win the average. The pair started their run on the left and made a clean turn on the first barrel, but sprinting across the grassy infield Mercedes found even more speed than in their first run. Gartner was a touch on the breaks, and it cost them a stride or two past the second barrel. Making the third turn and letting Mercedes go with the wind, she felt like they had still clocked, but would it be enough? Their 28.54 was nearly identical to their first round time, but not as quick as it could have been. Leia Pluemer was third out and turned in a blazing fast 28.38 to capture the short round and the quick time of the week, but it was not enough to catch Gartner and Mercedes’ 57.11 on two runs. Pluemer took second in the average with 57.53, and Cheyenne Allan rounded out the top three with a 57.63 on two. “I knew this year we had an opportunity,” she said, with obvious gratitude. “I had a lot of confidence in her and I thank God she had a lot of confidence in me to help and we finally got it done.” Heading into the Columbia River Circuit Finals, the pair are in second place trailing Allan, who just happens to be the Pendleton Champion both years Gartner finished second. Chasing her down and making it to the NFR Open would the perfect way to end a great season. 20 years in the hair styling industry as both a stylist and now co- owner of a salon have allowed her to build a loyal clientele who work around her rodeo schedule. All it takes is a few 12-hour days to make continued on page 23 Kacey Gartner had just started running barrels in high school when she watched the WPRA barrel racers run on the Green Mile and it left quite an impression on her. In 2022, Gartner added her name to the elite list of those who have been talented and lucky enough to win the prestigious Pendleton Round-up Title. Photo by Rod Connor
Kacey Gartner had dreamed of one day winning the barrel racing title at the Pendleton Round-up and that dream came true in 2022. Gartner and Mercedes captured the title with a two run total of 57.11 seconds, ahead of Leia Pluemer in 57.53 and fellow Columbia River Circuit competitor Cheyenne Allan in 57.63 seconds. Photo by WT Bruce
14 WPRA NEWS OCTOBER 2022
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