LONG BEACH — On a spring Saturday dozens of local equestrians of all ages assembled at Red Barn Arena along Sandridge Road for the final installment of a barrel-racing series that’s spanned 25 years.

The Red Barn Arena Award Series held its sixth and final race of the season on Saturday, April 15, where prizes and awards were presented to riders who tallied the highest point totals through the year.

Currently, roughly 30 riders participate in a continuously evolving class, including some that have returned each year since the first season, in 1998.

“We’ve had two-year-olds all the way up to people in their 70s,” said Red Barn owner and series organizer Amy McHale.

“Barrel racing is very widespread.”

Barrel racing, where riders are timed racing a pattern around preset barrels, was the first event, followed by pole bending, a timed event where a rider must weave through a series of poles.

“We always run barrels and poles. Our barrels [event] is co-sanctioned with other organizations, so that people that run barrels here can also get points in the other organizations,” McHale explained.

At the end of the event on Saturday, the points were totaled, including results from five previous races, and awards were presented in a loft above the arena. Riders must attend a minimum of four of the events during the year to be eligible.

Among the awards and prizes were trophies and certificates, cowboy hat cases, horse tack and the coveted custom-made, gold cowboy belt buckles emblazoned with “Red Barn Arena Series Champion,” ultimately presented to riders Ayrianna Walters and Jessie Harman.

“We have sponsors in the community that support us and the contestants pay entry fees, so that all goes into the pot,” McHale summed.

“It’s pretty rewarding to hand that out.”