Baylie Moon, 19, stood outside the gates of the rodeo ring in the community building at the Douglas County Fairgrounds, her chocolate-brown horse Dozer at her side.

The pair were fresh off their run around the cloverleaf-shaped course in the fair’s annual jackpot barrel racing, and Dozer, an 11-year-old quarter horse, was eager for his post-race treat.

Courtenay DeHoff, of Tonganoxie, rides her horse named Perks as they compete in the jackpot barrel races Friday evening as part of the Douglas County free fair.

“He’s ready for his hosing,” Moon said, giving her partner’s mane a playful tousle. “If it’s really hot I’ll let him roll around in the dirt. He’s real spoiled.”

In just over 15 seconds, Moon and Dozer looped around the pattern without knocking over any of the three metal barrels– quite an accomplishment, especially in the sweltering late-July heat.

Temperatures remained in the 90s Friday evening as Moon and about 50 others competed in the Douglas County Fair’s jackpot barrel racing.

For many riders, Moon included, the event is something of a family affair. Her mother introduced her to the sport early on in life, and she stuck to it.

With tempatures close to 100F, Regan Zaremba, 16, of Lawrence, takes time to cool down her horse named Bully after the duo competed in the jackpot barrel races on Friday evening as part of the Douglas County free fair.

She even competed alongside her mother, Raelynn, on Friday night.

“I was kind of born into it,” Moon said of barrel racing. “Always since I was itty bitty, I was walking around the barrels.”

Sarah Schaake can relate. The Lawrence resident helped collect entry fees at the races before making a run around the course herself later in the evening.

She, too, passed the sport along to her children.

Eight-year-old Lawrence resident Mallory Qualseth concentrates on catching an egg during an egg-toss game held during a break between jackpot barrel races at the Douglas County free fair on Friday evening.

“Amateurs and professionals can play together,” said Schaake, who counted 40 adult riders and about 10 competitors in the youth and peewee divisions. “Most of the people here tonight go to these events during the year and enjoy the camaraderie.”

Perhaps, though, the most important component of barrel racing is the relationship between horse and rider. It takes being “one with your horse” to run a successful course, Schaake said.

Moon agrees.

For her, every race begins with a deep breath. If she’s nervous, “my horse gets nervous,” too, Moon said.

Nerves or no nerves, at the end of the night Moon and Dozer walked away with the race’s fastest score.

“I just think of a perfect run, a perfect pattern,” she said. “It doesn’t matter if I win or not.”