In October 2023, the tides turned for Carlee Otero and Blingolena when they got tapped off at the Ruby Buckle Eastern barrel race in Memphis, Tennessee, and they returned in 2024 to nearly sweep the Derby competition, plus bank a boatload of money before the duo heads to the National Finals Rodeo in December.
Kicking things off at draw No. 7 on the first round of the first Eastern Ruby Buckle class, Otero and Blingolena smoked a 14.825-second run that proceeded to hold through the competition for first place. As the owner and rider, Otero earned $5,100, plus $638 for Blazin Jetolena and Busby Quarter Horses on the 2018 BJO out of Dash Of Bling by Dash Ta Fame. Meanwhile, Otero, a real estate agent was back to her day job—in Texas—hours later.
“I worked the day we left for Memphis,” Otero said. “We drove about eight and a half hours up to Memphis at about 3 a.m., then I ran at 8:10. I drove right to the airport, flew back to Texas to show a house, then flew back to Memphis before the round.”
At around 12 noon the following day, Otero came rolling down the alley for Round 2 of the $125,000 2D Derby event.
“I knew the ground would be different because when I made my first run it was chilly and wet outside,” Otero said. “When I came back for the second round, it was hot and dry outside, which firms the ground up inside. Then, I heard (Brandon Cullins and MJ Segers Fast Lane run a 14.715) and I thought ‘Okay, that was really tough. I don’t need to go for the round win, I just need to get (Sly’s) nose and make sure he gets around them.”
The strategy paid off, earning Otero a 14.747 and second in the round. This added $5,100 to Otero’s week and $638 each to stallion and breeder. Her 29.572 was enough to keep her at the top of the aggregate by nearly .4 over Bailee Snow and Eysa Slick Eddie’s 29.932. It earned Otero $10,200, and $1,275 to the rest of the lineup.
Shortly after her run, Otero and her husband, Michael were on the way back to Texas once again. The intense speed is something the Oteros grew accustomed to throughout the summer months when Carlee balanced her ProRodeo runs with return trips to work.
A year of growth
The win helped Otero’s past year with Sly come around full circle. In 2023, Otero knocked on Sly in Round 1 of the Ruby Buckle East Derby, then returned to clock the fastest Buckles time in Memphis, a 14.684-second run and win the round.
“After that run,” Otero said. “It seemed like we just figured it out. That’s when the ball got rolling.”
So Otero rolled on. She terrorized some Southern jackpots, went to Las Vegas and won The Patriot Event Vegas ’23, then took to the ProRodeo trail en route to Otero’s (Pierce’s) first NFR appearance since 2015. But although she’s jockeyed some of the most iconic horses in the game, like Rare Dillion and Dash Ta Diamonds, this trip with Sly is something special for the Texas-based working mom.
“I’m just so excited to be back,” Otero said. “I had great horses back then, but it’s a science now. I’ve grown so much and have so much more respect and appreciation now for the process it takes to make these horses. I started this journey with Sly being green to rodeos, and we had to put in a lot of work. (Rare Dillion) showed me the ropes, (Dash Ta Diamonds) understood what he needed to do out there the last time I went. I feel accomplished because I did something I thought I couldn’t do this year because I didn’t have that ‘trainer’ status. But I feel accomplished because I’ve evolved, grown and learned a lot, so I’m excited to say I did that.”
Although qualifying for the NFR was a huge goal for Otero, her cash flow increased rapidly when she ended out the ProRodeo season and turned her attention to the Pink Buckle, Ruby Buckle and The Texan barrel races in October.
“Rodeos get more attention from the public,” Otero said. “But if you’re looking at it financially, when it comes to saving your horses and mental state, it’s a no-brainer to get these incentive horses and go to these. They just pay so much better. We won $112K to make the NFR and that was all money Sly won, but he’s won around $80K in the past few weeks at those races.”
Although the gelding isn’t wanting to slow down anytime soon in the arena, Otero emphasized that after the conclusion of the Ruby Buckle, it’s all about relaxing in the field, staying fit and spending time tracking calves in the practice pen until the NFR for Sly.
“Oh yeah, he’s in vacation mode now,” Otero said.
Looking for full Eastern Ruby Buckle results? Click here.
