Famous Barrel Horse Honored While Still at the Top of Her Game

One of the greatest barrel horses in history has been honored by her owner while she is still competing and winning.

Lisa Lockart / Sean Pokorny-USA TODAY Sports

Often times as an industry, we wait until it becomes a memorial to honor people and horses. Alan Woodbury didn't wait to honor his great mare, Rosas Cantina CC.

Woodbury has an eye for horses and layers of knowledge to go with his instinct. He has spent his life breeding and raising top quality performance horses. In 2003, he started purchasing embroys from the first barrel racing futurity Triple Crown winner, SX Frenchmans Vanila.

"Woody" used his incredible sense of horses to produce a Dash ta Fame cross with "Vanila" and ended up with Dash ta Vanila - a Wrangler National Finals qualifier.

Continuing his genetics, Dash ta Vanila produced Rosas Cantina CC. Fans know "Rosa" from her time being ridden by the 17-time WNFR qualifier Lisa Lockhart.

This great buckskin mare has won nearly $600,000 and Mr. Woody knows how special she is.

Woody commissioned John R. Rule - husband of Dona Kay Rule, to sculpt a near life size bronze of the incredibly talented mare.

According to a social media post by Woodbury Performancee Horses, the statue made it's way from Oklahoma to Dickinson, North Dakota on Thursday, June 20.

Just inside the gates of the home of Woodbury Performance Horses you will find the "magnificent" statue honoring a stand-out athlete, "Rosa."

Complete with the beautiful face everyone can recognize if you have been within near distance of the powerful mare and sporting the always recognizable Woodbury brand, the statue will surely be the pride and joy of the Woodbury family - right behind the living, breathing wonder horse, Rosa herself.

In a time where it seems many people take winners for granted, Mr. Woodbury has shown us the value of recognizing the here and now and in celebrating the life and success of our athletes.

Rosa isn't just a winner inside the arena, either. She has been producing offspring - incredible athletes. Rosa is the dam to Lucky Wonder Horse owned by Myers Performance Horses, Monsterr and Jaguarr - just to name a few.

Thank you Mr. Woodbury, first for your knowledge and the legacy you have created for all of us to watch and admire, but also for sharing Rosa with the world.