The Calgary Stampede kicked off July 3 in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, at Stampede Park. Follow along here for all the barrel racing updates from the Calgary Stampede.
There will be three Pools formed from the qualified contestants as follows:
- Pool A – July 3 – 5, 2026
- Pool B – July 6 – 8 2026
- Pool C – July 9 – 11, 2026.
Each contestant will compete each of the three days of her Pool. Each day will be a complete go-round. The top three in the money standings from each Pool will advance to the Semi-Finals on Showdown Sunday. The top four contestants in each event from the Semi-Finals will advance to the Showdown.
Bracket One:
Heidi Gunderson qualified for the prestigious rodeo through the regional qualifiers aboard leading futurity horse and The American Rodeo Semifinals champion Wonder If Im Lucky. They kicked off their bracket with a sub-17-second run to with the first round. Canadian barrel racer and trainer Taylor Manning was not far behind aboard Bringin The Bling, placing second with a 17.01.
Sydney Graham and stallion Dupont First ran the fastest time of the rodeo so far in round two, a 16.87. In round three they ran a 17.42, earning a total of $10,250 in Calgary.
2025 National Finals Rodeo champion Julie Plourde and Wateverock RC won there third round in the rain, earning $11,000 to advance.
First round: 1. Heidi Gunderson, 16.94 seconds, $7,000; 2. Taylor Manning, 17.01, $5,500; 3. Jayden Wilson, 17.32, $4,500; 4. Catherine Asmussen, 17.35, $3,250; 5. Julie Plourde, 17.37, $2,000; 6. LaTricia Duke, 17.52, $1,000.
Second round: 1. Sydney Graham, 16.87 seconds, $7,000; 2. Emily Beisel, 17.01, $5,500; 3. Catherine Asmussen, 17.23, $4,500; 4. Taylor Manning, 17.24, $3,250; 5. Julie Plourde, 17.34, $2,000; 6. LaTricia Duke, 17.41, $1,000.
Third round: 1. Julie Plourde, 17.17 seconds, $7,000; 2. Emily Beisel, 17.29, $5,500; 3. Heidi Gunderson, 17.37, $4,500; 4. Sydney Graham, 17.42, $3,250; 5. Catherine Asmussen, 17.48, $2,000; 6. LaTricia Duke, 18.32, $1,000.
Qualifiers: 1. Heidi Gunderson, $11,500; 2. Julie Plourde, $11,000; 3. Emily Beisel, $11,000.
Bracket Two:
First round: 1. Carlee Otero, 16.92 seconds, $7,000; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, 16.93, $5,500; 3. Katelyn Scott, 16.94, $4,500; 4. Blake Molle, 16.98, $3,250; 5. Gracen Harman, 17.07, $2,000; 6. Anita Ellis, 17.24, $1,000.
