A few years ago Kari Clingan from Hontubby purchased a small, unregistered mare from the Walden family at Wister.
The little mare, named Sissy is approximately 15 years old and barely stands 14 hands tall, which is small for most barrel horses.
The Waldens found the little mare working in a feedlot after a friend of theirs called them and said that she was special. So, they went and got her and Trisha Walden had her running barrels in no time at all. Kari Clingan purchased her from the Walden family.
Kari Clingan said she was fortunate to get yer bought. It wasn’t long and Kari realized the little mare loved running poles. The three years she competed at the state Playdays, the little mare was the pole bending champion each year. She was also the barrel racing champion for two years in the state playday association.
Kari says the little mare called Sissy has big heart. She has never refused to run her hardest. She gives her all every single run and she’s honest. If we hit a barrel, 99.9% of the time, it’s me and not her. She’s a, “once in a lifetime type of a horse.”
Kari had knee surgery and couldn’t ride the mare for about a year. She loaned her to Hope Lockhart to use at the college rodeos. Hope almost made the college national finals riding the little mare.
This summer Kari hauled Sissy to several CRRA rodeos. She won a couple and placed in the money at several others. They will compete at the CRRA finals this coming weekend in Ada. Sissy will be running against some of the finest, best pedigreed barrel racing horses in the world.
No one knows Sissy’s pedigree, or when she was even born. I’ve watched this mare run for the last few years. All I know is the scoreboard doesn’t lie, no matter what the pedigree is – and that’s what really matters.
James Lockhart lives near the Kiamichi mountains in southeast Oklahoma. He writes cowboy stories and fools with cows and horses.
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