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OGDEN — Jimmy Padgett is not nervous, really.
He's inside one of the large barns next to the racing track at the Weber County Fair Grounds, leaning against stall No. A93. Behind it are Westmont and Catchin Winnings — two of his prized horses, which he is trying to calm before the race. The two horses are brown and perfectly groomed, with braided tails and matching red-and-white head gear. They shift their legs as the booming voice on the monitors announces what races are next.
Padgett and the horse duo have to wait for two more teams to compete before it's their turn. Padgett, however, isn't concerned. Sunday marked his seventh year competing in the World Champion Cutter and Chariot Races. Padgett has won the first division world championship three consecutive times, starting in 2002. The horses he competed with back then, however, have been retired.
The voice on the monitors calls his race number: 18. Still, he's not nervous. He pats Westmont's brown coat and leads him out of the stall.
He walks through the long barn aisle past the other participants. Some are trying to cool off from the afternoon heat. Aubrey Killebrew is getting ready for the race by dressing up her horse, Dash. She braids a bright yellow ribbon into his tail while her friend from the same racing club, Tisa Helmick, shares the secret to keeping the glitter on the horses' hides: "lots of gel and hair spray." Besides the first place trophy, money and belt buckle, the competition also gives out Best Groomed and Best Dressed awards.
Padgett puts on his matching red-and-white helmet and goggles and tries to ignore the glittery competition in the other stalls. More than 100 teams from 22 racing associations came to the chariot competition this year from Utah, Idaho, Wyoming, Colorado and California. About 40 races are run per day, with one about every six minutes for several hours.
Padgett, a Coalville resident who works with power lines, now hooks the horses to the small chariot with the help of his team. His love for horses and racing developed through his family, especially from his dad, who raced "for a long while," he said. While his team warms up the horses in the middle of the track, Padgett looks out at the 440 yards — a quarter mile — of the race course. He puts on his gloves, jumps on the chariot and heads to the starting line.
The master of ceremonies announces, "They're up and running!"
Padgett has a clear lead over the Johnson racing team from Cache Valley, whose horses, Flipped A Coin and Launch Code Zero, are decked out in blue. The dirt rises as they gallop toward the finish line, and as they cross a small white flag is raised signaling Padgett's team has won.
"It's all about the speed," Padgett said. "You just hold onto the reins and balance. It's fun."
Before the race, Padgett said a good time for him was 22.9 seconds. Today, he hit 22.67.
He'll go on to compete during the last two days of the chariot races this weekend, March 30 and April 1. The races start at noon.
E-mail: abreton@desnews.com