Leslie Smalygo has won in Western pleasure and reining before making her mark in barrel racing. Her unique training approach, shaped by years in multiple disciplines, helped her gelding Gus dominate at RodeoHouston and the Calgary Stampede in 2024—securing both titles and landing her No. 2 in the...

Leslie Smalygo looks back on her journey to qualifying for her first National Finals Rodeo in 2022. That season came down to a numbers game, but when the dust settled, she secured her spot and made her way to Las Vegas.

Leslie Smalygo reflects on her 2021 season, sharing the highs and lows that shaped that year. It was the first year she broke into major rodeos like Houston, Fort Worth, and Denver, but it wasn’t until the summer runs that Gus truly found his groove. With consistent placings and checks rolling in...

Take a peek inside Leslie’s trailer as she breaks down her go-to bits and why she uses them for different situations.

You couldn't miss Leslie running down the Thomas and Mack in her custom Masters Saddle. In this video, she shares the full story behind the flames on the saddle.

That’s Leslie Smalygo’s no-nonsense approach to training her barrel horses. She focuses on simplicity in her method and knows how she likes her horses to feel.

Leslie Smalygo shares her expert tips on using a whip effectively and demonstrates her strategic approach with Gus. She explains how to keep him "square" in his turns with a tapping method going into the turn to keep his shoulder up in position and moving forward.

Leslie Smalygo breaks down how she uses her legs in the saddle, comparing it to driving a car. She explains where she sits and how her leg cues change at each barrel to let her horses work.

Watch as Leslie demonstrates her rollback technique, sharing tips to keep your horse responsive without overtraining.

Leslie Smalygo demonstrates how she counter-arcs Balzin Boss, keeping forward momentum while lifting his shoulder. This inside rein movement helps move a horse off the barrel when they come in too tight and keeps their rib cage lifted to avoid flattening out.

In this practice session, Leslie Smalygo let us look at how she prepared Gus for the 2024 National Finals Rodeo.

Leslie Smalygo is taking Blazin Boss to the 2024 NFR and is still getting a feel for him. She shares drills to keep him soft and demonstrates the proper technique for counter-arcing around the barrel.