67-year old Mary Burger and her horse Mo kicked butt at this year’s Calgary Stampede. The duo won the barrel racing competition four days in a row!

Mary Burger is a grandmother, she loves horses and she is one of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s top barrel racers. Mary began competing in 1984 and has 39 rodeos under her belt. Already this year she’s earned nearly $100,000 – who says you can’t make money riding horses?

Mary and Mo’s winning teamwork impressed the Calgary crowd and also won their hearts. Before they even entered the arena, the grandstand crowd roared. After each race, Mary and Mo were given standing ovations.

“I’ve got a little age, but I’ve had so many people come up and say, ‘You’re my inspiration,’” said Burger. “When I hear the crowd go, I just get goose bumps all over and I’m really, really proud.”

During one race Mary lost one stirrup against the first barrel but still won the day. When asked the secret to her astonishing success at Calgary, and the Oklahoma grandmother doesn’t hesitate to assign credit to Mo, the horse she’s been training for the last five years.

 “My horse just really tries to please me, and he knows his job.” she said.

Thank you Ingrid Hurrell for the news tip!


Photography Courtesy Mike Ridewood/Calgary Stampeded

Edited from the Following Sources: http://www.calgarysun.com/2016/07/10/barrel-racing-grandma-thrills-fans-in-calgary-stampede-rodeo-action, http://www.huffingtonpost.ca/2016/07/11/mary-burger-calgary-stampede_n_10928700.html