The unlikely tale of a young rider and her barrel racing mate

By Dave Di Somma, Harness News Desk 

Sharing a name with an edgy American rock band it seems only right that nine-year-old mare Faith No More now has a less than conventional life.

The daughter of Majestic Son, Faith No More retired from the racetrack in November 2021 after winning two races from 42 starts. In August 2020 she gave Laura McKay her first ever success as a trainer when they combined to win at Addington.

These days Faith is enjoying her ‘retirement’ as a "barrel and pole horse" for 10-year-old Phoebe Price.

In barrel competitions riders race around a triangular pattern of three barrels while in pole racing horses weave around six poles in a pattern. Both are timed, with the fastest deemed the winner (if they do not incur any penalties along the way).

"To run round three barrels the way they do, Standardbreds don't usually bend like that," says mum Amy Price, "there are certainly not many Standardbreds out there barrel racing!”

Faith is Phoebe's first horse, and she grazes at Chanelle Dickie's equestrian centre in Selwyn. It was Dickie, an educator for HRNZ's re-homing and re-educating (HERO) programme, who was charged with helping Faith's transition to her life after racing.

"I ride her four times a week and when she hears Mum's car, she is always quick in coming out to the gate to see us," says Phoebe.

"We heard that Chanelle had a nice horse, and we bought her in March 2023 while she was still being re-educated to saddle."

Dickie, an accomplished rider in many equestrian disciplines, then helped Phoebe and Faith as they learned the intricacies of barrel and pole racing.

"There are many hours of training and so much work involved," says Amy.

"When I first started riding her she was very bouncy," says Phoebe, "but she's very calm and she listens."

Together they have been in over 20 competitions at jackpots and rodeos throughout the middle of the South Island and have made quite the impression.

"Both Faith and Phoebe are smashing it," says Amy, "they are riding against 10 to 18 year-olds and Phoebe's usually third or fourth."

"She'd love to win a Junior title but that may take a year or 18 months - they'll have to work on their speed and technique."

Along the way there have been a few mishaps - all part of the education process for horse and rider.

"I was concussed once," says Phoebe, "we were coming off a barrel and running back to the gate and she got excited and bucked and I fell and her back collided with my head.

"It was an oh shit moment," laughs Amy.

But incidents have been few and far between and the unlikely combo of a young rider and a re-educated trotter in the fast paced world of rodeo seems to work.

"She takes amazing care of Phoebe," says Amy, "they are incredibly well-connected."

Footnote:

Faith No More formed in 1979 and were an alternative rock outfit best known for their songs Epic and Falling to Pieces and their re-make of the Lionel Richie classic Easy.