Deb has been involved with horses all her life and learned to ride by "walking out" her dad's (Bud Forell) doggin'horse as soon as she could sit in the saddle. Her parents were on the rodeo trailthe summer she was born and her first bed was the manger of a two-horse trailer. "The majority of my riding when I was a kid was bareback with a piece of twine looped around the nose - it taught me to stay very balanced and why my favorite “bit” is the s-hack.”

 

She grew up competing in rodeos, horse shows and O-Mok-See (pattern horse racing). By the time she was an adult, she had won numerous state and national barrel racing awards. Her more recent accomplishments are multiple year end barrel racing championships in the Nebraska State Rodeo Assn (NSRA) and the Mid-States Rodeo Assn (MSRA) and setting a new record for most money won in a season for all events in the NSRA.

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Both Steve and Deb are members of the American Quarter Horse Assn. Deb is also cardholder with theWomens Professional Rodeo Assn.(WPRA) competing in the Prairie Circuit. She also competes in theNebraska State Rodeo Assn, theMid-States Rodeo Assnand theKansas Professional Rodeo Assn(KPRA) where she has served as President and longtime board member.

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Debenjoys training futurity horses that go on to successful rodeo & barrel racing careers."My futurity colts get hauledon the rodeo trail, making it easy for them to go back to the rodeo trail after their futurity year.

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Steve assists in the production of barrel races and is excellent with figuring out ground conditions and making sure the ground is good. He has worked with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Assn (PRCA) Pro Rodeo Tour Finales and the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. He also serves on the board of Kansas Biggest Rodeo - Phillipsburg KS.

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On the local level,Steve and Deb produce the successful Triangle Cross Barrel Racing Winter Series at Kiplinger Arena in McCook NE and are going into their 12th season for the series.They also produce the Triangle Cross Classic - a futurity & derby held at Kiplinger Arena."It is important for us to give back to the world of barrel racing for all the great things it has given us!"