by Steve Cook, Owner
Norman, OK, January 2022 — What started as a fun challenge for a YouTube video shoot turned into a real display of the Oklahoma Standard and a shining example of the equine community in central Oklahoma. Emily Beisel, a barrel racer from Weatherford who ranked nationally in the top ten for 2021, shared her grand prize of a $10,000 shopping spree with her fellow contestants. Beisel and other barrel racers competed in challenges to earn points in hopes of claiming the prize. But after the competition and being named winner, Beisel asked competition host Steve Cook if she could share the timed shopping spree with the other barrel racers.
“I knew it was going to be a blast doing crazy challenges with these athletes, but one thing that surprised me was seeing how even though these women are competitors, they also really care about one another’s well being. It’s really fun to watch,” said Steve Cook, second-generation owner of Cook Feed & Outdoor which sponsored the contest as part of a YouTube video shoot. Speaking about Beisel’s generous act, Cook said, “What an insanely classy move by a star in the industry who a ton of young girls look up to. She’s a class act.”
For her part, Beisel sees it as the right thing to do. “Of course we all wanted to win, but most importantly this event provided the opportunity to meet some amazing people and have a ton of fun. You can’t put a price on that, so I was very excited to share the prize,” she said.
Other competing barrel racers and now sharing in the grand prize are Amy Ferguson of Mustang, Macaila Portz of Yukon, and Sophia Knox of Guthrie.
Cook Feed & Outdoor is a local, performance equine feed and supply store with three locations in the Oklahoma City metro area. The Cook Family represents three generations of horse people. Seeing the importance of the equine industry to Oklahoma and the deep connections the community shares, Cook Feed aims to serve this industry and its people unlike any other feed or supply store.