The Calgary Stampede kicked off July 5 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, at Stampede Park. The barrel racing action has been full of fast times, top-shelf horseflesh and world champion competitors. Follow along here for all the barrel racing updates from the Calgary Stampede.
Find Calgary Stampede Barrel Racing results here.
Find Women’s Professional Rodeo Association world standings here.
Leslie Smalygo and Justaheartbeattofame Win Calgary Stampede
Leslie Smalygo and Justaheartbeattofame turned in a 16.940 in the Finals round at the Calgary Stampede on July 14 to take home the coveted title and $50,000.
You’ve heard of a rally cap, but have you heard of rally hair? Leslie Smalygo of Skiatook, Oklahoma, kicked off her year with the Rodeo Houston $50,000 win, quickly catapulting her to the No. 1 position in the WPRA world standings early in the season. But, beginning at the Reno Rodeo, held at the kickoff of the summer run June 21-29, through the Fourth of July Run and into the Calgary Stampede Smalygo says she was in a slump. She’d lost her lead in the world standings and wasn’t having much luck out on the road. So, she turned to her version of a rally cap and changed her hair color.
“You just have to feel a new, fresh view,” Smalygo said with a laugh. “it was a lighter burgundy before and then when I got to Calgary, Summer Kosel and I went to Walmart and we just picked out color. So, an hour before we left to actually go to Calgary we colored my hair. That’s what I did the day before Houston.”
Whether superstition, or fresh perspective, the change did the trick. Smalygo and her National Finals Rodeo qualifying mount Justaheartbeattofame turned in a 17.08 in the first round of their Pool to place second behind Hailey Kinsel and DM Sissy Hayday and earn $5,500.
The tournament style rodeo gave 30 girls the chance to claim the coveted title of through three pools of 10 contestants. Smalygo came through Pool C. Each pool competed three days in a row, with the top six in each pool receiving a paycheck. The top four money earners over the three days from each pool progressed to the semifinals. Out of the top 12 in the semifinals, only four advanced it to the final round of competition. The final four barrel racers in the championship round competed for the $50,000 championship. All of the finals and shootout money counts towards world standings, but only 70% of the winnings from pool placings counts.
Smalygo and “Gus” came back even stronger in the second round turning in a 17.06 to win the round, worth $7,000. In the third round, they followed behind Kinsel and “Sister” again for another second-place finish from a time of 17.14 and another $5,500, plus a qualification to the semifinals.
In the semifinals, Kinsel and Sister took home another round win in typical Kinsel and Sister fashion from a time of 16.97, but Smalygo and Gus weren’t going to be left behind. The duo from Oklahoma turned in a 16.99 for second place.
For as strong as Gus was running in Calgary, Smalygo says it took careful consideration to get him in peak condition including chiropractic work and veterinarian care.
“In Reno two weeks before he tied up and he was in the vet clinic with IVs for a couple days,” Smalygo said. “I was just praying Gus was going to be OK at Calgary. We went to Calgary early and I exercised him around the track to make sure he was going to be OK and then my chiropractor, Robbie Stidham, worked on him every day. From there, he felt good. He was a fire breathing dragon.”
On Championship Sunday, Gus and Smalygo had already collected $18,000, but true to Gus’ fashion he made it count when the pressure and a lucrative payout was on the line.
“I woke up that morning, and I didn’t realize, but at Houston I said the exact same thing. I woke up in Calgary and I told my husband: ‘It’s a good day to win $50,000,’” Smalygo recalled with a laugh.
They turned in their fastest time of the rodeo a 16.940 to win the Calgary Stampede and collect the $50,000 paycheck — their second $50,000 win of the year.
“It was surreal,” Smalygo said of winning Calgary. “You dream of it, and then it happens, and then you don’t know how to act, because you’re like ‘OK, am I still dreaming?’”
Kinsel and Sister finished second behind Smalygo with a time of 19.986, worth $20,000.
Smalygo and Gus qualified for the NFR in 2022 where they finished the year in the 10th position with $158,342.95 in final season earnings. The duo have also garnered more than $378,600 in total EquiStat reported lifetime earnings.
“I wouldn’t be where I am without Gus,” Smalygo said. “He’s brought so many opportunities into my life. I can always count on him.”
After Calgary Smalygo moved back into the No. 1 position in the WPRA world standings. As of September 4, she still holds onto that lead with $185,463.
“You see [winning years] happen to other people, like last year it was Brittany [Pozzi Tonozzi] and of course you’re happy for them, but you’re a little bit jealous, because you wonder what that feels like,” Smalygo continued. “Now that it’s happening, I don’t know how to feel, because I didn’t expect it, and I still want to have tunnel vision to finish the rest of the year. So, my brain is not allowing me to soak it all in. I just want to look forward to my next rodeo and keep focused.”
Smalygo thanked her family, friends and sponsors: Stidham Equine Chiropractic, Master Saddles, PEMF Complete, and XLR8 handheld lasers.
Hailey Kinsel and DM Sissy Hayday Top Pool C and Semifinals
Hailey Kinsel and DM Sissy Hayday won the first and third rounds of Pool C at the Calgary Stampede, banking a total of $17,250 and a qualification to the Semifinals. From there, the four-time WPRA world champion turned in a 16.97 to top the Semifinals and advance to the Finals round.
Ashley Castleberry Leads Pool A
The Calgary Stampede kicked off July 5 at Stampede Park in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. The barrel racing action started strong with Tiany Schuster and Famous Mic Guy Ver (Frenchmans Guy x Disarray x Dash Ta Fame) turning in a 17.54 to top the first round of Pool A, worth $7,000. Ashley Castleberry and Skyy Blue took top honors in the second round of Pool A with a 17.34, worth $7,000. They followed that with a second-place finish in the third round of their pool with a 17.33, worth $5,500, which brought their Pool A earnings to $12,500. They advanced as the highest-earning team from Pool A. Emily Beisel and Namgis D 33 (“Chongo”) topped the third round of Pool A with a 17.10, worth $7,000.
Taycie Matthews Leads Pool B
Pool B began July 8 with Katelyn Scott topping the first round of the pool with a 17.12, worth $7,000. Taycie Matthews and Fame Fire Rocks turned in a 17.03 in the second round of Pool B to take the win, and they followed that in the third round with a second-place finish from a 17.22. They also shared second in the first round from a 17.25 with Paige Jones, worth $5,000 each. All totaled, Matthews earned $17,500 in Pool B, putting her in the driver’s seat of qualifiers from the pool.
Calgary Stampede Pool C
Pool C kicked off July 11 with Hailey Kinsel and DM Sissy Hayday turning in the fastest time of the Calgary Stampede thus far — a 16.94. The four-time WPRA world champions topped the first round of Pool C, worth $7,000.
2024 Calgary Stampede Barrel Racing Results
Pool A First round: 1. Tiany Schuster, 17.54 seconds, $7,000; 2. Lisa Lockhart, 17.63, $5,500; 3. Jessica Routier, 17.78, $4,500; 4. Taylor Manning, 17.89, $3,250; 5. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.93, $2,000; 6. Sue Smith, 18.48, $1,000; 7. Sue Smith, 19.24; 8. Bailey Smith, 20.98; 9. Karli Cowie, 22.48; 10. Ashley Castleberry, 24.33. Second round: 1. Ashley Castleberry, 17.34 seconds, $7,000; 2. Lisa Lockhart, 17.47, $5,500; 3. Tiany Schuster, 17.56, $4,500; 4. Jessica Routier, 17.62, $3,250; 5. Taylor Manning, 17.70, $2,000; 6. Karli Cowie, 17.75, $1,000; 7. Bailie Smith, 17.81; 8. Sue Smith, 17.91; 9. Emily Beisel, 22.29; 10. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 22.94. Third round: 1. Emily Beisel, 17.10, $7,000; 2. Ashley Castleberry, 17.33, $5,500; 3. Taylor Manning, 17.36, $4,500; 4. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.37, $3,250; 5. Jessica Routier, 17.39; 2,000; 6. Lisa Lockhart, 17.43, $1,000; 7. Karli Cowie, 17.47; 8. Tiany Schuster, 17.68; 9. Sue Smith, 17.82; 10. Bailey Smith, 18.17.
Qualifiers: 1. Ashley Castleberry; 2. Lisa Lockhart; 3. Tiany Schuster; 4. (tie) Jessica Routier and Taylor Manning.
Pool B First round: 1. Katelyn Scott, 17.12 seconds, $7,000; 2. (tie) Paige Jones and Taycie Matthews, 17.25, $5,000 each; 4. Sissy Winn, 17.53, $3,250; 5. Lynette Brodoway, 17.55, $2,000; 6. (tie) Chelsie Moore and Blake Molle, 17.60, $500 each; 8. Ilyssa Riley, 18.16; 9. Abby Phillips, 22.41; 10. Carlee Otero, 26.74. Second round: 1. Taycie Matthews, 17.03 seconds, $7,000; 2. Chelsea Moore, 17.09, $5,500; 3. Carlee Otero, 17.10, $4,500; 4. Katelyn Scott, 17.30, $3,250; 5. Ilyssa Riley, 17.44, $2,000; 6. Abby Phillips, 17.51, $1,000; 7. Sissy Winn, 17.60; 8. Lynette Brodoway, 17.68; 9. Blake Molle, 18.06; 10. Paige Jones, 22.29. Third round: 1. Carlee Otero, 17.00 seconds, $7,000; 2. Taycie Matthews, 17.22, $5,500; 3. Katelyn Scott, 17.26, $4,500; 4. Paige Jones, 17.37, $3,250; 5. Lynette Brodoway, 17.49, $2,000; 6. Chelsea Moore, 17.65, $1,000; 7. Sissy Winn, 17.66; 8. Ilyssa Riley, 17.79; 9. Blake Molle, 17.79; 10. Abby Phillips, 17.89. Qualifiers: 1. Taycie Matthews; 2. Katelyn Scott; 3. Carlee Otero; 4. Paige Jones.
Pool C First round: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 16.94 seconds, $7,000; 2. Leslie Smalygo, 17.08, $5,500; 3. Summer Kosel, 17.35, $4,500; 4. Stevi Hillman, 17.38, $3,250; 5. Wenda Johnson, 17.47, $2,000; 6. Halyn Lide, 17.57, $1,000; 7. Jordon Briggs, 17.71; 8. Sara Winkelman, 17.82; 9. Taylor Carver, 22.66; 10. Kassie Mowry, 27.32. Second round: 1. Leslie Smalygo, 17.06 seconds, $7,000; 2. (tie) Jordon Briggs and Summer Kosel, 17.15, $5,000 each; 4. Hailey Kinsel, 17.18, $3,250; 5. Halyn Lide, 17.32, $2,000; 6. Kassie Mowry, 17.43, $1,000; 7. Wenda Johnson, 17.52; 8. Sara Winkelman, 17.92; 10. Stevi Hillman, 22.20. Third round: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 17.06 seconds, $7,000; 2. Leslie Smalygo, 17.14, $5,500; 3. Jordon Briggs, 17.27, $4,500; 4. Summer Kosel, 17.30, $3,250; 5. Halyn Lide, 17.35, $2,000; 6. (tie) Stevi Hillman and Wenda Johnson, 17.40, $500 each; 8. Kassie Mowry, 17.46; 9. Taylor Carver, 17.58; 10. Sara Winkelman, 18.06.
Qualifiers: 1. Leslie Smalygo; 2. Hailey Kinsel; 3. Summer Kosel; 4. Jordon Briggs.
Semifinals: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 16.97 seconds: 2. Leslie Smalygo, 16.99; 3. Katelyn Scott, 17.26; 4. Paige Jones, 17.27; 5. Summer Kosel, 17.30, $3,000; 6. Jordon Briggs, 17.40, $2,500; 7. Tiany Schuster, 17.41, $2,000; 8. Lisa Lockhart, 17.42, $1,000; 9. Taycie Matthews, 22.27, $1,000; 10. Ashley Castleberry, 22.33, $1,000; 11. Taylor Manning, 22.61, $1,000; 12. Carlee Otero, 23.58, $1,000.
Finals: 1. Leslie Smalygo, 16.940 seconds, $50,000; 2. Hailey Kinsel, 16.986, $20,000; 3. Katelyn Scott, 17.243, $10,000; 4. Paige Jones, 22.330, $7,500.
