Jonesboro, AR – Jonesboro Right Now – The Northeast Arkansas Humane Society (NEAHS) is trading kennels for the arena dirt this October with its first-ever barrel racing fundraiser.
The organization will host its inaugural “Ride, Race, Rescue” Barrel Bash on Friday, Oct. 9, and Saturday, Oct. 10 at the Flying F Arena in Harrisburg. The event will feature two days of high-speed barrel racing, with Saturday’s race boasting $5,000 in added money.
Administrative Director Amy Schmidt said while many in Northeast Arkansas associate the six-decade-old humane society strictly with cats and dogs, they also take in larger, more resource-intensive animals.
“In a different location, we also have horses, sometimes donkey,” she said.
The idea for the fundraiser was a natural fit for the organization, as several volunteers who care for the shelter’s horses also spend time at Flying F Arena.
Schmidt said when the arena approached NEAHS about hosting a barrel race fundraiser, they jumped at the opportunity, hoping to make it an annual tradition.
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The funds raised from the event will go directly toward the shelter’s efforts to take care of animals in the area. Schmidt explained that they current house over 60 dogs, two dozen cats, and three houses.
“Horses are very expensive animals, and most of the horses we get are welfare cases, so they’re in pretty bad shape when we get them,” she said. “They need a farrier, they need a dentist, they end up on complicated refeeding plans, or may have developed chronic conditions that require ongoing medication.”
Beyond equine care, Schmidt said donations from events like this also allow NEAHS to operate a low-cost clinic to help local families afford veterinary care for their pets.
For the shelter, the community turnout means as much as the financial support.
“It gets you through the hard days,” she said. “When you know there’s that many people in our area who are supporting us and rooting for us, you go to bed feeling like what you’re doing matters.”
Those interested in contributing or learning more about sponsorship tiers can email neahsrescuehorses@gmail.com.
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