# Neat article about Taylor Earnhardt



## ryano (Jul 1, 2008)

go get em girl!      hard to believe she is 19 years old already. My how time flies.

then







now






http://www.marshallnewsmessenger.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2008/062908_WEB_earnhardt.html

Earnhardt brings fearless approach to barrel racing

By Jay Neal, News Messenger

Saturday, June 28, 2008

The Earnhardt name is synonymous with racing much like Gretzky is to hockey or Tiger is to professional golf.

Miss Earnhardt's racing talents are centered on fast horses — not speedy race cars — and her visit to the area was spent at Josey Ranch where she, along with her horse, Packin Sixes Cowboy, were in town to improve their respective games in the world of barrel racing.

ESPN crews were on hand Saturday filming a segment on Miss Earnhardt and her equestrian skills.

"ESPN being here at the ranch is exciting for all the other girls too," said Stephanie Boyd, Josey Ranch Clinic Coordinator, late Friday afternoon. "It will open Josey Ranch to different people who have never had the opportunity to see what we have and that are not familiar with what we offer, not only on a national level, but a regional level as well."

In her sixth year of barrel racing, Miss Earnhardt got involved in the sport at the urging of a family friend.

"I got started in 2002," she said. "I went to dinner with our trainer and his family who were friends with my dad. I had planned to go to a barrel race with his (the trainer's) step-daughter afterwards and our pilot, Mike, said 'Why don't you run, Taylor.' Eddie, our trainer, gave me a horse and I went out and rode him the next day and that started everything."

Miss Earnhardt runs the drums across the country much of the year while also finding time to take online classes through Mitchell Community College of North Carolina.

"I barrel race mostly during the summer," she said. "Throughout the winter we have smaller rodeos around home (Mooresville, N.C.). Taking online courses allows me to travel and not have any problems."

She has racked up several big wins in 2008, a year she sums up as successful.

"So far it has been really good on my new horse," she said. "I won a 3D reserve champion here at the (Josey) Reunion and at the All-American barrel race in Mississippi I won a 2D buckle. We have had a good year and have also won a couple smaller rodeos as well."

Her purpose for trekking to Josey Ranch was to tweak techniques — both of her horse and herself.

"I have been working on my new horse here," she said. "He has been having some trouble lately so we came here and I started working on barrels and as the week went on I started roping and poling on him and he has been doing real well on all three of them. We both have been able to get more in tune with each other here this week."

It was no easy process getting Miss Earnhardt to Josey Ranch, but with a little prodding from the ranch's leading lady, Mrs. Martha Josey, and upon recommendations from friends, she was able to make the journey.

"I was here earlier in the year for the reunion and (Martha) Josey was talking to me about coming to the (2008 Josey) All-Around Camp," she said. "I had originally planned to come here next year, but I was able to change some things around on the calendar.

"Some of my friends have been here before and they told me how much they learned and how much fun they had, so I figured I would come here and see what I could learn. I am absolutely happy with what I have been able to accomplish with this horse here this week."

Miss Earnhardt fondly recalled her most rewarding moment in the sport during a break Friday afternoon.

"The first day I bought (Packin Sixes) Cowboy I ran him that night and had an OK run," she said. "Then the next day we went out and was leading it (the competition) through about 100 horses. That made my day to have bought a horse that was leading for a while."

Miss Earnhardt's passion has actually spawned another branch of racing for famed Dale Earnhardt, Inc. (DEI), which owns four full-time NASCAR Sprint Cup teams in addition to other racing interests.

"The past two years I have been able to get out in the spotlight as a DEI ... racer also," Miss Earnhardt said. "They (DEI) took me on to build the equestrian circuit of our company and I hope to bring other family members and friends of mine on to the Earnhardt team and be able to grow and expand the corporation so that it is more than just an automotive one."

Sharing her late father's keen desire to run fast, to win and to constantly demand more, Miss Earnhardt strives to do just that.

"I go to a barrel race and I want to win," she said. "I will go all out, as fast as I can. If I knock over a barrel and I have a really fast time, that's good for me. I always want to win, I always want to improve and do better than I did last time."

Despite having a famous and highly recognizable last name, Miss Earnhardt states her family name is not a distraction for her on the barrel racing circuit.

"Yes, I get noticed, people know my name," she said. "At the same time, the way I act and carry myself tells the other girls that I am really just one of them. I am no more special than anyone else here. I am just like everyone else."

Miss Earnhardt cherishes the memories of riding horses on the family farm with her dad as a young girl and believes the man known to race fans across the nation as "The Intimidator" would be very happy with the choices she is making.

"The way I am riding, the number of rodeos I have been riding in and the things that I have been expanding into this week like roping and pole bending would please him because he loved horses and loved riding horses and he loved me riding with him," she said.

"I know if he could see me out here competing and racing on horses he would be thrilled to death just because he loved to do it and he knew I loved to do it."

Contact sports writer Jay Neal at jneal@coxmnm.com.


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## Arrow3 (Jul 1, 2008)

Great article Ryan....Thanks for posting it...


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## KDarsey (Jul 2, 2008)

Yes it is....Thanks!


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## RBoleman (Jul 2, 2008)

Earnhardt and racing just go to together......well not only racing but being the best 

again great article and yes time has flown


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## gdaagent (Jul 2, 2008)

Whoever hooks up with that philly is gonna get in to some of that money that Junior couldn't get.


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## ryano (Jul 2, 2008)

gdaagent said:


> Whoever hooks up with that philly is gonna get in to some of that money that Junior couldn't get.



huh? He never asked for money   Jr made over 30 million dollars last year and will probably make more than that this year..........I doubt he needs a dang thing Teresa has. 

this is a article about Taylor Earnhardt. It has absolutely nothing to do with Dale Jr. Please try and stay on topic.


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