Bauserman won the Old Fort Days Derby in Fort Smith, Ark., on May 28 on the Quarter Horse Promises To Dash, who was bred, raised and raced in Sequoyah County by Stacy Charette. Charette raises, trains and races horses at Blue Ribbon Downs. Promises To Dash was owned by Robert and Tama Gifford of Marshal, Texas, and was sold just before the Old Fort Days Derby.
In addition Bauserman placed fourth in the Old Fort Days Barrel Futurity, one of the richest barrel futurities in the United States, on VF Burrs Alive, a 4-year-old filly owned by Danny Ray of Ada. "We should have won it but we tipped a barrel (over)," Bauserman explained.
Bauserman said Promises To Dash was second in the futurity last year and named reserve champion. The gelding's total earnings last year were about $110,000, after he won the three top barrel races in the country which are known as the Barrel Racing Triple Crown. The title includes the Speed Horse Silver Cup, the Speed Horse Gold Cup and any other barrel race with a purse of at least $10,000 or more. Based on money earned, Promises To Dash was named the Barrel Futurities of America reserve champion last year.
Bauserman said he rode nine horses in this year's Fort Smith futurity and two in the derby.
Originally of Zanesville, Ohio, Bauserman said he moved to Sequoyah County, just east of Sallisaw, in 2001 to be "more centrally located" to major barrel racing competitions and "closer to the action."
"I've been riding ever since I can remember," Bauserman said, "and competing since I was 9."
Now, as a barrel racer, the slight and light Bauserman said he travels from September through May campaigning barrel horses, most of which are owned by others. With a jockey's build, Bauserman can take the load off a barrel horse's back, and is a popular rider for barrel horse owners.
He also trains horses, and has about 20 now, in competition and training, with a few brood mares.
Bauserman said his biggest wins so far were in the Old Fort Days Futurity in 1998, when the winner's purse was about $93,000; in this year's derby where, with his futurity placing, he brought home about $20,000; and in December when he was riding BF Shenanigans who won the Barrel Futurities of America World Championship Barrel Futurity with a purse of about $34,000.
But Bauserman said those winnings don't come easily. "We get a lot of horses off the race track," he said. "It takes a couple months for them to let down and about four months to get them started. It can take up to 12 months to train a barrel horse, depending on the horse.
"A lot of money has to be invested by the owner to win," Bauserman said.
Now, in the summer when barrel futurities slow down, Bauserman doesn't. He directs his attention elsewhere, and will be fixing up his place, and riding 10 to 13 horses a day, training for next year.
With that much on his agenda, even in the off-season, Bauserman can still be found "where the action is."
