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Twelve-Year-Old Trains Horse To Barrel Race In Months

FORT SMITH (KFSM) — The first-ever Slingin’ Dirt Dandie Style barrel racing fundraiser and competition ended Sunday (April 10), with more than 300 c...

FORT SMITH (KFSM) -- The first-ever Slingin' Dirt Dandie Style barrel racing fundraiser and competition ended Sunday (April 10), with more than 300 competitors at Harper Stadium.

Twelve-year-old Ardania Small has been training and competing with her horse for a few months.

“I put her on a horse when she was about two years old,” her father, Sonny said.

She started training the horse she rides, named "Lucky Boy,” in December.

“One day I just took him out in the arena and tried him on the barrel pattern. I don't know, it just felt like he's done it all his life,” she said. “A lot of horses, it takes years, some of them, to be a consistent 1D barrel horse it takes about two years, a year. It's just a God-given thing, and I feel blessed that he came into my life in the time that he did."

Lucky Boy came into her life right before her horse “Real Deal” died unexpectedly in February.

“He had a liver infection and it just happened all at once,” she said.

A family friend gave her "Lucky Boy" to ride in barrel racing competitions.

“I feel that it was just a blessing from the good Lord that Lucky come into our life at the time we lost Real Deal,” Sonny said.

Even though Real Deal wasn't with her at Harper Stadium, it's easy for her to keep him close to her heart.

“I carry him with me every time I run,” she said. “I have a locket. A good friend of ours, she got a locket and she put his horse hair in it for us, and I take it with me everywhere I go.”

Small finished sixth place in the 2D division on Sunday, according to Sonny, and she said she hopes to compete in Las Vegas one day.

Competitors came from throughout the region, including Texas and Louisiana. A portion of the entry fees will go toward the Dandies.

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