Carol Pool is your typical American cowgirl. She is hard-working, fun-loving and knows her way around a horse. She’s been a cowgirl her whole life, all 70 years of it. Growing up around fox trotters, near the town of Eldridge, Mo., she’d always been fond of horses. Her interest in the sport of barrel racing didn’t begin until she saw a picture of a barrel racer turning a barrel on a beautiful, strong horse. Carol said with her contagious laugh and smile, “I wanted a picture like that to hang on my wall.”
So she set out to earn a fancy picture of her own, but it took a while. She didn’t get it until after she bought her second barrel horse, her “good horse”. By that time though, she became hooked and hasn’t slowed down since. Her rodeo resume is packed with awards and honors, which proves that this spunky cowgirl still works hard at what she does and loves every minute of it.
Carol holds card number 55 with the American Cowboy Rodeo Association, meaning she was the 55th member to join. The group’s membership numbers are now over 7,800. She has competed in the American Cowboys Rodeo Association (ACRA) Finals four times and the Pro Rodeo Cowboys Association Great Lakes Circuit Finals three times. Also on her resume, the Senior Pro Rodeo Association Finals for the last 10 years, where she has won the average for the over 60 division as well as a year end buckle.
Carol is also a Gold Card Member of the Women’s Pro Rodeo Association, where she competed in their National Finals in 2008, and has attended the National Barrel Horse Association Senior Finals nine times – qualifying for their World Finals from 1995 thru 2009.
Carol credits her success to the help she has received from numerous friends. “Horse trainer Jack Laurie was such a big help when I was just starting out,” explained Carol. “He always trained and sold good horses, and I was fortunate to have his help.” Carol also mentioned a few of her many rodeo friends, Gail Alsup and Rogenia Esther. “Those gals were (and still are) very helpful to me,” she added.
Carol said that anyone wanting to get involved with the rodeo scene should ask for help from someone who is knowledgeable and trustworthy.
This All American Cowgirl said that she’s thought about retiring her horse. “But I’ll probably stick with the old mare I have right now. She takes care of me, and I like that,” joked Carol.
Carol’s life is a storybook of a true American cowgirl, just like rodeo girls in the pictures she used to admire – now on Carol’s walls hang her rodeo resume.
