EquiStat tracked $56 million in barrel racing earnings in 2023. Take a look at the 2023 leading horses and riders of 2024, according to EquiStat.
Statistics by EquiStat.
Article by Tanya Randall
Barrel racing surpassed the $50 million milestone in 2023 with EquiStat tabulating the results of 1,468 shows for $55.9 million. That’s an increase of $8.6 million from 2022’s $47.3 million, a growth rate of 18%, with only 27 more shows added to the data pool. The top 25 events accounted for $24.1 million, or 43% of all money won in the industry. Purses within that group rose by $4 million.
You can view the complete statistical review by purchasing the March 2024 issue of Barrel Horse News. You can also view the top 10 leaders in all categories here.
Leading Overall & Futurity Horse: Tres Chasin Babe PZ (“Rosie”)
2019 Sorrel Mare: Tres Seis x Babe On The Chase x Chasin Firewater
Breeder: Garrett & Brittany Tonozzi Owner: Teton Ridge Rider: Brittany Tonozzi 2023 Total Earnings: $507,716 ($390,278 Incentive Earnings) 2023 Total Futurity Earnings: $402,794 ($304,210 Incentive Earnings) Total Lifetime Earnings: $521,680
2023 Highlights: A second-generation star for Brittany Tonozzi, Tres Chasin Babe PZ (“Rosie”) was the product of a stud fee/ embryo swap with Mario Zerlotti and Guy Piexoto, source of the PZ initials. While Tonozzi bred Kisskiss Bangbang to Tres Seis to get her other 2023 standout Chitichiti Bangbang, Zerlotti and Peixoto got Rosie and her twin brother Seis On The Chase, by Tres Seis and out of Tonozzi’s National Finals Rodeo-qualifying mare Babe On The Chase. At 2, Rosie was started under saddle by Laura Castle and put in the 2021 Pink Buck- le Sale. A $240,000 bid made the filly the second-highest seller, and her new owners Teton Ridge put her back in Tonozzi’s hands. As a 3-year-old, Rosie won the first go of the 2022 Barrel Futurities of America World Championship Juvenile. She won the Future Fortunes Juvenile Sires’ Slots as well, earn- ing $13,964 in her debut. In between Tonozzi’s record-setting 2023 professional rodeo season, Rosie won $402,794 to be the 2023 Leading Futurity Horse. She won the Pink Buckle, $104,812; the BFA World Championships, $44,495; and the Ruby Buckle Central, $35,750. She won reserve honors at Breeders Challenge Finale, $47,600; Royal Crown Oklahoma City, $20,032; and Colorado Classic Stallion Auction Incentive, $19,599. Rosie also finished second in the Golden Buckle Slot Futurity, $6,250; and Future Fortunes Futurity Bonus at the BFA, $5,615. The mare also won $42,950 for fourth in the Royal Crown Rock Springs Futurity.
Leading Overall & Futurity Rider: Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi
Lampasas, Texas Age: 39 Profession: Barrel racer and horse trainer 2023 Overall Rider Earnings: $1.487 million 2023 Futurity Rider Earnings: $675,964, No. 1 2023 Derby Rider Earnings: $98,304, No. 4 Lifetime Earnings: $5.206 million
2023 Highlights: Three-time Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Champion Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi smashed records in 2023. She set a new barrel racing industry earnings record with $1.487 million, surpassing Kassie Mowry’s 2022 mark of $1.3 million. Brittany rode three of the richest horses in the country. Tres Chasin Babe PZ (2019 mare, Tres Seis x Babe On The Chase x Chasin Firewater), the No. 1 horse in the country with earn- ings of $507,716, led the pack. Futurity earnings accounted for $402,794 of that total to make the mare No. 1 in that division as well. Her main rodeo horse Jets Top Gun (2015 gelding, Blazin Jetolena x GL Famous First Lady x Dash Ta Fame) was the No. 3 horse in the country with $468,255. Of that total, the gelding won $83,167 in derby money to be the No. 4 Derby Horse. Brittany’s third-richest mount was her homebred Chitichiti Bangbang (2019 mare, Tres Seis x Kisskiss Bangbang x Dash Ta Fame) with earnings of $270,858. The mare was the No. 3 Futurity Horse with $238,452. All totaled, Brittany won $675,964 at futurities to be the nation’s leading rider. Her $98,304 in derby competitions made her the No. 4 rider in that category. She won the 2023 WPRA World Championship, her third, with record earnings. She won 16 rodeos in 2023: eight with Jets Top Gun, six with SR Indus- try Titan, and one each with RC Black In Famous and Babe On The Chase. Brittany finished no worse than second at the top five richest barrel racing events in 2023. She won the futurity at the No. 1 event, the Pink Buckle, on Tres Chasin Babe PZ and finished second on Chitichiti Bangbang. At the No. 2 event, the Royal Crown in Rock Springs, Wyoming, Brittany won the futurity on Chitichiti Bangbang. At the National Finals Rodeo, the third-richest bar- rel racing event, Brittany won second in the average on Jets Top Gun, owned and bred by Busby Quarter Horses, with a little help from her own mare Babe On The Chase, owned by Teton Ridge. Tres Chasin Babe PZ won the No. 4 event, the Ruby Buckle Central in Guthrie, Oklahoma, and the mare finished second in the futurity at the fifth-richest event, the Breeders Challenge Finale. Brittany also raised Babe On The Chase, (2011 mare, Chasin Firewater x Streakin Six Babe x Streakin Six), who is the No. 1 dam with four earners of $614,559. Horses raised by Brittany and her husband Garrett Tonozzi earned $1.064 million to make them the nation’s fourth-richest breeders. The Tonozzis were also the No. 8 Owners with earners of $312,220.
Leading Derby Horse: Force The Goodbye (“Jarvis”)
2018 Brown Gelding The Goodbye Lane x VF Forcit First x Burrs First Down Rider:Kassie Mowry Owner:Michael Boone Breeder:Janelle Blubaugh 2023 Derby Earnings:$178,875 ($142,810 Incentive Programs) 2023 Total Earnings:$386,659 ($208,848 Incentive Programs); No. 4 Horse Total Lifetime Earnings:$794,201
2023 Highlights: Kassie Mowry’s fiancé Michael Boone purchased Force The Goodbye as a weanling from his breeders Jason and Janelle Blubaugh. His purchase price was rather reasonable as it reflected his need for surgery to repair a hernia. Less than 24 hours after the trip from Washington State to Texas, “Jarvis” colicked due to the hernia and had surgery. Travis Fisher broke Jarvis to ride, and Boone started him on the pattern during COVID lockdown. In 2022, Jarvis won the BFA World Championship Futurity and was the country’s No. 3 Futurity Horse and No. 5 Horse Overall with total earnings of $318,470 during his first year of competition. In 2023, Jarvis topped five derbies: the Breeders Challenge Finale, $48,875; the Royal Crown Rock Springs Derby, $42,609, and their Open Derby, $9,663; the Texarkana Show- down Derby 2D, $8,830; and Elite Extravaganza, $5,460. He earned two reserve derby titles: Ruby Buckle East, $14,875; and the WPRA World Finals, $3,657. Jarvis also finished third at the Old Fort Days Derby, $6,520; and fourth at the Pink Buckle Derby, $31,000. He capped off his stellar year with a standout performance at the National Finals Rodeo, where he won two rounds and ran the fastest time of the rodeo.
Leading Derby Rider: Kassie Mowry
Dublin, Texas Age:42 Profession:Barrel racer and horse trainer 2023 Derby Rider Earnings:$407,974 2023 Overall Rider Earnings:$1.194 million, No. 2 Overall Lifetime Earnings:$6.764 million
2023 Highlights: Mowry went over the $1 million mark in yearly earnings for the second straight year. She was the No. 1 Derby Rider with her exceptional “COVID colts” winning $407,974. Her 2023 NFR dual round winner Force The Goodbye (2018 gelding, The Goodbye Lane x VF Forcit First x Burrs First Down) was the No. 1 Derby Horse with $178,875. Read more about “Jar- vis” in the Leading Derby Horse section. Mowry also won $96,836 in derby dollars on CP He Will Be Epic (2015 gelding, Epic Leader x Percilla x Dash Ta Fame). In addition to being Mowry’s main rodeo horse over the winter run — he won more than $50,000 for topping the prestigious San Antonio and San Angelo, Texas, rodeos — “Will” was second at the Breeders Challenge Finale Derby, $29,750; and fourth at the Royal Crown Rock Springs Derby, $24,884. Mowry’s 2022 Leading Futurity Horse KL Touch Of Heaven (2018 gelding, JL Dash Ta Heaven x Junior Country Girl x Deep Note Jr) earned $73,665 in derby competition. “Dove” was the Ruby Buckle Central Derby Champion, $18,275; and Texarkana Showdown Derby Champion, $13,245. Mowry, who grew up eventing in California before switching to barrel racing in high school after moving to Utah, is the sport’s all-time leading rider with over $6.7 million in career earnings.
The Leading Derby Horse was Force The Goodbye (The Goodbye Lane x VF Forcit First x Burrs First Down), owned by Michael Boone and ridden by Kassie Mowry to $178,875 in derby earnings. “Jarvis” won five derbies in 2023: the Breeders Challenge Finale, $48,875; the Royal Crown Rock Springs Derby, $42,609 and their Open Derby, $9,663; the Texarkana Showdown Derby 2D, $8,830; and Elite Extravaganza, $5,460. He also was a key component in Mowry’s NFR string. Photo by Kenneth Springer
Leading Dam: Babe On The Chase
2011 Sorrel Mare Chasin Firewater x Streakin Six Babe x Streakin Six Owner:Teton Ridge Breeder:Brittany Tonozzi 2023 Offspring Earnings:4 earners of $614,559 Total Lifetime Offspring Earnings:4 earners of $646,815 2023 Performance Earnings:$68,625 Total Lifetime Performance Earnings:$549,235
2023 Highlights: Modern technology made it possible for Babe On The Chase to qualify for yet another National Finals Rodeo with her breeder Brittany Tonozzi and produce the No. 1 Horse in the country, Tres Chasin Babe PZ (“Rosie”), and her twin Seis On The Chase, the No. 19 Futurity Horse. Rosie and “Chase” were the product of an embryo and stud fee swap between Tonozzi and Zerlotti Genetics, who stand and manage Tres Seis. Tonozzi wanted to cross her homebred NFR mare Kisskiss Bangbang (“Mona”) with Tres Seis, and the Zerlottis picked Tonozzi’s other great homebred NFR qualifier “Birdie.” The pairing of Tres Seis and Birdie resulted in twins from a double ovulation. Rosie was born June 9 and Chase hit the ground June 15. A multiple futurity and open champion, Rosie earned $507,716 to be the No. 1 Horse in the country as well as the leading futurity horse with $402,794. Chase, who finished second behind Rosie at the Ruby Buckle Central Futurity, earned $99,851 with $82,188 of that total futurity money. Birdie also produced Runnin Racketeer, a 2018 gelding by Be A Magnolia Runner, and San Antonio Stinger, a 2020 gelding by Feel The Sting. Runnin Racketeer won $6,195 in divisional races with Caryn Henry riding for Kara Hurst. 2024 futurity horse San Antonio Stinger, owned by Brittany Holy, won $795 with his trainer Molli Montgomery in the opening of his career. As a competitor, Birdie collected $68,635 in 2023, winning the Rancho de Santa Fe pro rodeo in New Mexico and placing at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo in Denver, Colorado, and California Rodeo in Salinas. As a 4-year-old, she won the LG Pro Classic Slot Race for $100,000 and was the 2015 No. 3 Futurity Horse with $149,407. She has since carried Tonozzi to six NFR qualifications. Birdie is one of several champions raised by Tonozzi out of Streakin Six Babe, by Streakin Six. One of the all-time leading broodmares, Streakin Six Babe has produced 13 winners of $1.509 million, including multiple NFR competitors like Birdie, the late Ima Famous Babe and the late Ima Super Fly Guy. (Mona, who is by Dash Ta Fame, is also a 2023 Leading Dam thanks to Chitichiti Bangbang.)
Leading Breeder: Victory Farms
Ada, Oklahoma 2023 Breeder Earnings:1,026 earners of $1.572 million Lifetime Breeder Earnings:$7.622 million
2023 Highlights: Danny Ray’s Victory Farms raised winners of nearly $1.6 million in 2023, highlighted by two of the industry’s leading futurity horses. Victory Farms’ top earner was TNR Wannaseemy- cancan (2019 mare, Eddie Stinson x Chase This Ivory x Ivory James) with earnings of $482,386. “Can Can” was the No. 2 horse in the nation and No. 2 Futurity Horse with earnings of $348,541. Ridden by DaCota Monk for Suzonne Franks, Can Can won the Kinder Cup, BBR World Finals, Royal Crown Oklahoma City and Breeders Challenge Finale futurities. Two-time futurity champion Ever Eddie (2018 geld- ing, Eddie Stinson x Curiocity Corners x Silver Lucky Buck) contributed $118,353 to Victory Farms’ total. The gelding, ridden by Jamey Hunt for Edwin Cameron, won the inaugural Old Fort Days 5-Year-Old Futurity and Ruby Buckle East Futurity. He was the 16th best futurity horse in the country. Texarkana Showdown Futurity champion VF Rock Em Stinson (2018 gelding, Eddie Stinson x Beduinos Chick Jet x Rock Em Smooth) earned $80,288. He also finished second in the Pink Buckle Sale Futurity. Multiple futurity finalist and Ruby Buckle Central 2D champion TJR Thunderstruck (2019 mare, Eddie Stinson x Strikin Back x De Best Cash) earned $79,436. VF Expensive Taste (2017 mare, Eddie Stin- son x Expensive Crystal x Southern Cartel) was the Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo co-champion and WPRA World Finals Derby Champion with total earnings of $50,814.
Leading Owner: Teton Ridge
Weatherford, Texas 2023 Owner Earnings:$555,789 Lifetime Owner Earnings:$2.477 million from all disciplines
2023 Highlights: Teton Ridge is an integrated Western media and entertainment company founded and chaired by Thomas Tull. Along with their media and entertainment endeavors, they sponsor rodeo and Western performance athletes, including cutting, reining and reined cow horse. In their stable of barrel horses, Teton Ridge owns Tres Chasin Babe PZ (“Rosie”), the country’s No. 1 Horse with earnings of $507,716, and her dam Babe On The Chase (“Birdie”), who produced earners of $614,559 in addition to running out $68,625 this year. Rosie, a 2019 Tres Seis mare, was bred by Garrett and Brittany Tonozzi as part of an embryo and stud fee swap with Zerlotti Genetics. Teton Ridge pur- chased the mare as a 2-year-old from partners Mario Zerlotti and Guy Peixoto at the 2021 Pink Buckle Sale for $240,000. Teton Ridge privately purchased her dam, Birdie, in early 2021. Bird- ie, a 2011 Chasin Firewater mare, was bred by Tonozzi out of her great Streakin Six mare Streakin Six Babe. Birdie has helped Tonozzi qualify for six National Finals Rodeos. Halfway through Promise Me Fame Guys’ winning futurity season in 2021 with Samantha Flannery, Teton Ridge purchased the 2016 gelding for their sponsored rider, Lisa Lockhart. “Levee” was bred by Tenley Epperson in her parents Demrece and Harvey Keller’s name. He is by Aint Seen Nothin Yet and out of Epperson’s tough rodeo mare Bar Blue Lass by FC Aboo. With Lockhart, Levee has made three appearances at the NFR. In 2023, Lockhart and Levee won $377,097, highlighted by a $100,000 victory at The American Rodeo and a $209,096 NFR average championship, which catapulted Lockhart to her third WPRA Reserve World Championship. Teton Ridge also owns MP Jet Royal Money and Sees An Eagle, rid- den by Sherry Cervi to earnings of $4,967 and $500, respectively. Both were purchased in 2021. MP Jet Royal Money is a full sister to Cervi’s multiple WPRA world cham- pion and NFR producer MP Meter My Hay, popularly known as “Stingray.” The 2010 mare is by PC Frenchmans Hayday and out of Miss Meter Jet by Bar Tonto Jet and was bred by Cervi’s father Mel Potter. Sees An Eagle, a 2018 mare, is by One Famous Eagle and out of the Wimpys Little Step daughter Wimpys Latigo. She was bred by Burnett Ranches.
