Mary Walker

Mary Walker overcame a tragedy that led to the highest accomplishment in her life. Walker was sitting third in the world in the 2011 barrel racing standings, until tragedy hit her. Within a two month period, her son died in a car accident and her horse fell on her when she was making a run - the result being she was being rushed to the hospital. Mary didn't allow this tragedy to stop any of her dreams. Mary Walker is an inspiration because she overcame many obstacles and won the barrel racing world title, all of this happening in a little of a year's time.

Walker's son died and then two months later she was in the hospital herself. Reagon, Mary's son, was driving to a rodeo in Jacksboro, Texas with his girlfriend, when they got hit head on by another car. Reagon was life flown to the nearest hospital. Mary and Byron rushed there but it was too late. This was one of the worst things that had ever happened to the Walkers, but their story only gets worse as two months later Mary herself was in the hospital. Walker was running Latte (her horse) and as they were going around the third barrel, he fell on her. She was rushed to the hospital in an ambulance. Even though she was in a lot of pain, she was more worried about Latte than herself. The result of Mary's accident was being in a wheelchair for four months. She had shattered her pelvis, had multiple breaks in her hip, two broken vertebras, and two broken toes. Walker went through three months of physical therapy and got back on Latte as soon as she could.

Mary Walker Barrel Racing at the NFR (https://www.google.com/search?q=mary+walker+barrel ())

Latte was being auctioned. The Walkers half owned him with Cheri Cogburn and Cogburn wanted to sell him. The decision to sell Latte was the result of a January lawsuit between Cogburn and the Walkers. This was result meant that Mary could no longer run him. The auction was on March 28 at the Waxahachie Rodeo Complex. Mark Wallace bought Latte for $850,000 and said that Mary could continue running him. Wallace is a friend of Byron's and said that he bought Latte so Mary could run him forever (Hoffman, Brett. Barrel Racer Walker and Her Horse Latte Will Remain a Team.)

After all of the tragedy and drama in her life, Latte and Mary won the world title in the barrel racing. Following her injury, Walker had problems with hitting barrels. Byron kept trying to tell her what she was doing wrong and make her watch the videos but nothing worked. Finally, after one of her runs, she was so mad she threw a bucket. Byron said, "She won't tip another barrel." This was true, as she went on to win $12,000 one week and $39,000 the next week. Once they made it to the NFR, she won $146,941 there, which made a total of $274,233 for the entire year. Walker is the second oldest barrel racer to ever win the World Title (Voepel, Mechelle. Walker Overcomes Tragedy, Trauma.)

Byron and Mary Walker with her saddle (https://www.google.com/search?q=mary+walker+barrel ())