From Arizona to Canada, these pro rodeo horses helped lead their riders to big wins over Cowboy Christmas. Barrel Horse News presents an exclusive look at the top 10 barrel racing bloodlines over the Fourth of July rodeo run.
The Fourth of July is known as one of the richest weeks in rodeo — Cowboy Christmas. It’s also one of the most hectic. It’s conceivable that contestants could have a rodeo every single day of the week, but actually being able to make them all is sometimes impossible. For the barrel racers of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association, the challenge is getting their horses to each rodeo and keeping them fresh enough to win.
Here, Barrel Horse News acknowledges the road warrior horses that won the most over Cowboy Christmas, which included any rodeo that ended between July 1 and July 7.
1. Jettin Ta Heaven, $32,550
Halyn Lide’s 12-year-old gelding earned all of her $32,550 that made her the highest-money earning barrel racer over the Fourth of July. They claimed $14,744 at the Ponoka Stampede in Alberta, Canada, and $10,099 at the Greeley Stampede in Colorado. “Keeper” is by JL Dash Ta Heaven out of the Three O Jones mare Zeros Gypsy Jet, who was Lide’s high school and college rodeo horse.
2. SR Industry Titan, $22,526
70 Ranch Performance Horses’ SR Industry Titan carried reigning WPRA World Champion Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi to earnings of $22,526. They won the Cody Stampede for $11,009 with the only sub-17-second run of the rodeo and topped the Killdeer Mountain Roundup in North Dakota for $5,002. They also placed in the first two rounds at Greeley and got a share of an average check. Titan is by Firewaterontherocks out of the Dunn Ranch’s great Mulberry Canyon Moon by Marthas Six Moons.
3. Firewaterfrenchfame, $16,244
“Apollo” carried 2023 National Finals Rodeo qualifier Summer Kosel at all of her rodeos, earning $16,244. They captured a $9,063 championship at the Livingston Roundup in Montana, placed second at the Mandan Rodeo Days in North Dakota for $4,062, earned $2,393 at the Home Of Champions Rodeo in Red Lodge, Montana, and picked up $725 at the Black Hills Roundup in Belle Fourche, South Dakota. The 10-year-old gelding is by Aint Seen Nothin Yet out of Carol Warren’s multiple NFR producer Fire Water Flyer by Fire Water Flit.
4. SME One Of A Kind, $14,347
Two-time WPRA World Champion Lindsay Sears won $14,347 en route to a Ponoka Stampede championship on her homebred stallion SME One Of A Kind. The 8-year-old stallion is by legendary racehorse sire First Down Dash out of Sears’ two-time world champion Sugar Moon Express, a daughter of Dr Nick Bar out of Baby Blue Jeans, a full sister to Marthas Six Moons.
5. DM Sissy Hayday
Four-time WPRA World Champions Hailey Kinsel and “Sis” are inching ever closer to the $3 million mark in career earnings with $13,942 from three rodeos. Rain limited their appearances, but they had a pair of second-place finishes at Cody Stampede for $8,807 and Killdeer for $4,001. They also placed 12th at Livingston for $1,113. Now 13, the Dillon Mundorf-bred mare is by PC Frenchmans Hayday and out of Royal Sissy Irish by Royal Shake Em.
6. Rosas Cantina CC, $13,597
“Rosa” was the biggest money winner of Lisa Lockhart’s trio, earning $13,597 at three rodeos. Rosa got Greeley started right for Lockhart with a first-round victory. After riding Promise Me Fame Guys in the second round and Blazin Ta Betty in the short go, the trio finished second in the aggregate, and Rosa’s share was $4,657. Rosa and Lockhart also placed third at Belle Fourche for $2,356, fourth at Cody for $5,505 and eighth at Mandan for $1,079. Bred by Alan Woodbury, the multiple NFR-qualifying mare is by Corona Cartel and out of NFR qualifier Dash Ta Vanila by Dash Ta Fame.
7. Famous Lil Jet, $12,150
2021 WPRA World Champions Jordon Briggs and “Rollo” were back in action over the Fourth after the gelding had several months off to heal a soft-tissue injury. They were second at the richest one-run rodeo of the Fourth, the St. Paul Rodeo in Oregon, for $8,869. The duo also placed sixth at Livingston for $2,719 and 12th at Killdeer for $562. Bred by Busby Quarter Horses, the 9-year-old gelding is by Dash Ta Fame and out of Blazin Black Betty by Blazin Jetolena.
8. Skyy Blue, $11,289
“Sky” has Ashley Castleberry in the hunt for her first NFR qualification. The 11-year-old gelding is by Stoli and out of Sweeten My Dreams by Runaway Rebel and was a race winner on the track for his breeders Alan and Saron Colly before becoming a barrel horse. Sky and Castleberry were second at Oakley for $6,166 and earned $5,123 after finishing seventh in the aggregate at Greeley.
9. Teasin Dat Guy, $11,165
“Chewy” won one check over the Fourth of July for Emily Beisel, and it was a big one. The duo won St. Paul for $11,165, the largest single check written during the run. Bred by Katie Lindahl, the 8-year-old mare is by Frenchmans Guy and out of Teasin Jetolena by Blazin Jetolena. She carried her trainer Molly Otto to the 2021 NFR and now belongs to 4M Equine of Decatur, Texas.
10. Cat Mai Flash, $11,066
BryAnna Haluptzok’s “Flash” won two rodeos over the Fourth and placed at two others to win $11,066. They won the World’s Oldest Rodeo in Prescott, Arizona, for $4,896 and captured a $3,457 victory at the Eugene Pro Rodeo in Oregon. Haluptzok and Flash also placed eight at the 89th Annual Independence Day Rodeo in Oakley, Utah, and Basin City Freedom Rodeo in Washington for $1,542 and $1,172, respectively. A race winner on the track, Flash is by Tres Seis and out of Debby Singleton’s Stoli mare Lulus Stoli.
