“You get out of it, what you put into it.”
That is the sage advice of Emily Beisel, who will be making her fifth-consecutive National Finals Rodeo appearance in December. Beisel is currently ranked third in the world in Barrel Racing. She has logged thousands of miles, nearly 200 days away from home and numerous runs for the honor to compete at this year’s NFR.
Getting There
With the talent pool of barrel racers continuing to grow, the competition is stiff. However, this year was a little more normal compared to the past three. For Emily Beisel, 2023 was more like the first year she earned her trip to Vegas. Yet, there are always bumps along the way.
“I guess there’s always different challenges that are presented every season. But we’re getting a little more comfortable, and we’re just kind of letting the chips fall where they may,” she said.
The red head, who now calls Weatherford, Oklahoma, home is unique in her sport. Unlike some of her contemporaries, she doesn’t partner with one horse all year long at the rodeos. Instead, she runs on multiple horses throughout the season.
Emily Beisel’s Equine Partners
Beisel has her experienced geldings, 13-year-olds, Chongo and Pipewrench, and Beau, 10. This summer she broke out a 7-year-old mare, Liza, who has proven herself as a barrel horse, winning all four rounds of the 2023 Governor’s Cup in September in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
“She has taken to the rodeo world really well. We’ve always known that she has the athletic ability. She had the heart and the mind for it. You just really don’t know until you try,” Beisel said of her new equine partner Liza.
“It’s kind of a journey, bringing them along, and I want them to sustain them, so they have a long career. I don’t want her to show up and you know, do great for four months and then disappear. I want her to be able to do this for a long time.”
“We’ve just kind of taken our time, and I’ve been fortunate because I have the other horses on that are seasoned veterans that have done this for years. They could pull a lot of the weight until she was ready to step up. And she did in a really big way when she was ready.”
Being Prepared
Emily Beisel said the primary way she is preparing for the biggest 10 Days of Rodeo is to rest up as much as possible. After multiple trips to the NFR, she knows that taking care of herself is vital to her success.
“It’s the best 10 days, but it’s also the most demanding 10 days of the whole year. You know we have a lot of obligations out there, and it’s great to meet the fans. But, in addition to all those events, we still have our horses to take care of and Vegas traffic to deal with and trying to compete at the top level every night,” she explained.
She stalls her horses away from the facilities where they are not confined to a 10×10 box stall, so they have more room to relax as well. That adds drive time twice daily to Beisel’s crazy schedule when there are early morning practices and late-night performances. Additionally, with sponsor obligations and caring for her horses, the week-plus puts a toll on the athlete. She knows that resting up now is important to her success in December.
Her Season
During the regular season, Beisel also likes to cook as many of her own meals as possible, even when traveling. She relies on lean meat, veggies and fruit to keep her going. She will meal prep in advance, when time allows, and heat up something in her living quarters while getting fuel instead of spending money or calories on a fast-food alternative.
“I think you need to fuel your body appropriately just like we do our horses. I mean it’s a team sport, you know, and we’re not going to feed them candy bars and expect them to go be a top athlete. They’ve got to be fueled properly and the same is true for us. You’ll feel better if you eat good quality foods, and so I do try,” she said.
Taking Care of Her Horses
Just like she takes care of her own body with good nutrition, Emily Beisel knows the importance of taking care of her equine partners. She’s been using Vitalize® products powered by AO-Biotics® Amaferm for several years. Vitalize products give her horses the #goodgutfeeling they need to compete at the elite levels.
“Thanks to the Vitalize products, my horses don’t seem to be affected in a negative manner whenever I put them in a new environment or a new climate or that kind of stuff. I mean, that’s the stress of the road, and one day we’re in Washington; 30 hours later, we’re in Texas. That’s not the easiest for them, but the Vitalize helps alleviate any of the excessive stress they could experience because of those changes due to our lifestyle,” she said.
Emily’s Vitalize Top Picks
All of Beisel’s horses receive Vitalize® Alimend®, Vitalize® Equine Digest More® Plus and Vitalize® Equine Gel.
Alimend
Vitalize Alimend is a liquid product for horses designed to support gastric health and GI tissue, which may relieve occasional gastric issues commonly associated with training, traveling and performance. It contains beta-glucans to support the gut and immune system, Amaferm, a prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility, and MHB3®, a patented high molecular weight hyaluronic acid that coats the stomach and supports GI tissue integrity.
Digest More Plus
Vitalize Equine Digest More Plus is a pelleted supplement for horses designed to support hindgut health and digestion of nutrients as well as hoof and coat health. In addition to Amaferm, it contains MOS (mannan oligosaccharide) to help normalize hindgut microflora and support the immune system, and biotin and zinc to promote healthy skin, hair and hooves.
Equine Gel
Vitalize Equine Gel is a prebiotic and nutrient-rich gel for horses designed to give immediate support to the digestive and immune system. It contains both Amaferm and MOS and works fast to support appetite and hydration.
Turn To Vitalize
At Vitalize, we pride ourselves in making safe, accurate products for all species of animals. Having been in the livestock and equine supplement business for more than 50 years, BioZyme® Inc., is located in St. Joseph, Missouri. Our motto, care that comes full circle, is fueled by the passion that our employees have for animals and people.
BioZyme is a member of the National Animal Supplement Council (NASC), and our Vitalize products carry the NASC Quality Seal on products specifically designed for the equine and companion animal health markets.
Vitalize utilizes an ionophore-free closed production system. BioZyme has taken great care to ensure that our Vitalize products are safely made and have no risk of ionophore contamination.
Several Vitalize equine supplements were recently Clean Sport tested. Our testing guidelines were set by the United States Equestrian Federation (USEF), International Federation for Equestrian Sports (FEI), and International Federation of Horseracing Authorities (IFHA).
Lessons Learned
Regardless of if it’s giving up time away from home or sacrificing sleep during rodeo’s biggest event, Beisel is willing to give her heart and soul to her sport. That’s part of the lessons instilled into her by her parents, who started her out by paying her own entry fees when she was just 8 years old.
“You get out of it, what you put into it. If you’re willing to work hard and you’re willing to sacrifice some of the other things that you do you know that other kids get to do while you’re all growing up. You just have to be willing to do the work if it means that much to you. And you know, it definitely pays off in the end to put 110% effort in,” she advises.
At Team Vitalize, we are big fans of Emily Beisel, and will be cheering for her and her horses through all 10 rounds of the NFR. You can be sure to find our BioZyme family of brands represented at this year’s NFR at the Las Vegas Convention Center Cowboy Christmas. Look for the BioZyme Booth #35084. We’ll be hosting our Vitalize Ambassadors, including Emily Beisel for signings the following dates and times.
- Haven Meged & Shelby Boisjoli Meged on Monday, 12/11 and Wednesday, 12/13 at Noon
- Emily Beisel on Friday, 12/15 at Noon
Be sure to watch the Vitalize social media for any updates.
You can also follow Emily on her social media.
Give your Horses the #goodgutfeeling
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