Turn N Burn September Fall Fest '25 | Niewohner Arena | Albion NE

The Twisted Turn N Burn September Fall Fest brought to you by S Bar S arena & Shelley Schaefer, brought three days of action to the Niewohner Arena in Albion, Nebraska on September 12th–14th, 2025. With great ground, competitive runs, and a community-focused atmosphere, the Fall Fest has become a fun weekend of barrel racing kicking off the Fall season in central Nebraska. As the official equine event photographer for this barrel race, I had the honor of capturing every run, from PeeWee riders to futurity prospects, seasoned barrel horses, and the weekend’s champions.

Cindy Baltezore riding Jacki B Dashin

View the weekend's photo gallery now! Images are organized by rider, then horse, making it easy to find your runs: View the September Fall Fest photo gallery

Friday Night Lights

Friday’s race was short and sweet, but full of energy — the perfect kickoff to a packed weekend. With 37 riders, the Open 5D gave us some quick runs and a high bar for the days ahead. Bessa Hoover and DDD Vinny N The Jets clocked a winning 1D time of 15.299 to take the opener.

Saturday Highlights

Saturday was stacked with a full slate of events, from PeeWee and Youth classes to the Senior and Gelding sidepots. A fun new addition this year was the Rodeo Race, sponsored by MVP and Lazy Y Cross. Special thanks to Sheri Kennedy, who was on-site Saturday and Sunday fitting saddles, helping riders at her booth, and supporting the event.

The Rodeo Race drew 14 entries and showcased some incredible runs:

• Sandy Highland on Hot Judge By Design — 15.235 ($845)

• Sara Jo Lamb on Takin On A Goldmine — 15.357 ($507)

• Katie Mace on Sockit To Me Nonstop — 15.433 ($338)

Competitors also got a sneak peek into the future with the 2026 Futurity Horse Showcase, a great opportunity to see young prospects in action.

The Open 5D belonged to Sandy Highland and Hot Judge By Design, who topped the leaderboard with a blazing 15.235, rolling her Rodeo Race win right into the Open to claim the top spot in both!

Championship Sunday

Despite a bit of rain that made things soggy, Sunday carried the same fun-filled energy. Riders closed out the weekend strong, with Bessa Hoover and Mr Lucky Firewater running a winning 1D time of 15.259. Hoover and Mr Lucky also went on to capture the 1D Average Champion title across Saturday and Sunday’s Open races.

Giving Back: The “Not So Average Average”

One of the most meaningful parts of the weekend was the Not So Average Average for Saturday and Sunday, with proceeds donated to help Dianne “Kick Cancer to the Gate.” This special race within a race brought extra purpose to the competition and showcased the generosity of the barrel racing community.

Congratulations to the division winners of the Not So Average Average:

• 1D Average: Bessa Hoover on Mr Lucky Firewater

• 2D Average: Keisha Tran on Justa Frosty Diamond

• 3D Average: Paul Knorr on DHR Country Girl

• 4D Average: Leah Schwindt on Big Daddy Dirtbag

Thank You & See You in October!

Thank you to everyone who joined us in Albion for the September Fall Fest. A huge shoutout to Chuck Rolf for keeping the ground in top shape all weekend, and to the Twisted Turn N Burn crew for producing another fantastic event.

I look forward to seeing everyone back at Niewohner Arena, October 10th–12th for the October Fall Fest!

View and purchase images from the barrel race here: View the September Fall Fest photo gallery