While September 30 meant the official Womens Professional Rodeo Association top 15 were named and NFR dreams came true, it also marked the near completion of the WPRA Circuit system. Over the next few months, barrel racers will be competing for circuit titles in 13 pro rodeo circuits.
Follow along here for 2024 WPRA Circuit Finals results.
—> Find complete results and standings from the 2024 WPRA barrel racing pro rodeo season here.
First Frontier Circuit Finals – Alyssa LoBello
Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, January 9-11, 2025
Alyssa LoBello and 2013 mare TL Tuff Shine (Shiners Cash x Pc Dox Chanelle x Pc Dox Cajun) win the First Frontier Circuit Finals Average and Year-End Title.
Syracuse, New York barrel racer Alyssa Lobello and her mare TL Tuff Shine had a clean sweep at the First Frontier Circuit Finals, winning the Average, Year-End and Rookie titles.
As a senior operations manager for a startup tech company outside of Boston, LoBello can be found with her horses when she’s not working. Having started her competitive career with gymkhana’s and moving her way to National Barrel Horse Association races and super shows, she entered the rodeo scene this year with “Luna,” a mare she bought and trained with her dad.
“Winning Rookie of the Year was my top goal for my first year rodeoing, and while the transition from super shows to rodeo ground seemed daunting, Luna handled it better than I expected,” LoBello said. “We faced challenges, especially keeping her sound with no backup horse ready to step in. Some health flare-ups kept us from some big rodeos, but it taught me that horse care is everything in this sport.”
LoBello added that some of her proudest accomplishments have been buying and training her own horses with her dad, including Luna who they purchased as a yearling from South Carolina.
“She’s been both a challenge and a blessing,” she said. “She’s quirky, mentally fragile, and all business in the pen, but at home we focus on English-style routines—ground rails and the occasional cross rails—never the barrel pattern. Her transformation from a throwaway horse to a powerhouse has been incredibly rewarding.”
Nicknamed the “Queen of Mean,” LoBello said they struggled with their first barrel on the first night because she couldn’t quite get Luna settled, but after consulting with a friend, they tried a different approach.
“By night two and three we were back to our classic money barrel,” she explained. “Luna, being mentally fragile, made me nervous about how she’d handle 8,000 screaming fans, but I went in with no expectations and just had fun. Running at the circuit finals went better than I could have imagined.”
An unforgettable way to cap her rookie season, including multiple arena records on the East Coast, LoBello’s future rodeo plans are undecided. With a 3 year old to train as a hopeful backup horse, she plans to make the trip to Colorado Springs, Colorado for the National Finals Rodeo Open. She also sets goals to qualify for the American Finals Rodeo in Colombiana, Ohio this next season and hit a few International Professional Rodeo Assocation rodeos along the way.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Nicole Davidson, 14.53 seconds, $2,513; 2. Joanna Reid, 14.67, $1,885; 3. Alyssa LoBello, 14.68, $1,257; 4. Jodi Colton, 14.69, $628. Second round: 1. Alyssa LoBello, 14.41 seconds, $2,513; 2. Madison Iager, 14.48, $1,885; 3. Joanna Reid, 14.53, $1,257; 4. Willie Horzepa, 14.58, $628. Third round: 1. Alyssa LoBello, 14.33 seconds, $2,513; 2. Nicole Davidson, 14.44, $1,885; 3. Montanna Lambrecht, 14.45, $1,257; 4. Karissa Landis, 14.53, $628. Average: 1. Alyssa LoBello, 43.42 seconds on three head, $3,770; 2. Nicole Davidson, 43.65, $2,827; 3. Montanna Lambrecht, 43.90, $1,885; 4. Joanna Reid, 44.04, $942.
Montana Circuit Finals – Abby Knight
Great Falls, Montana, January 9-11, 2025
Abby Knight and 2013 gelding Mable Draws A Pistol (Instant Income x Tinka Rocket Command x Brown King Command) win the Montana Circuit Finals Average and Year-End Title.
Now two-time Montana Circuit Average and Year-End Champion, Abby Knight and her home bred and trained gelding Mable Draws A Pistol won the first round of the finals and placed in the next two to take home more than $10,000.
The Charlo, Montana barrel racer is a tissue culture technician at an agricultural lab that specializes in mint and potatoes when she isn’t in the arena.
“I am very lucky that it is a seasonal job and I work full time in the winter and then have a more relaxed schedule in the summer,” Knight said.
At her fourth circuit finals, Knight rode “Pistol” who goes back to her first mount when she was 4 years old, Mable.
“I won my first National Barrel Horse Association state title on her when I was 9,” she added. “We then bred Mable to Passive Income and got ‘Mables Little Rocket’ who I ran all through high school and college. We then bred Mable to Instant Income and got Pistol. The biggest career achievements I have accomplished are all due to the amazing mare Mable.”
After a successful summer run, the pair was on top of the leaderboard for circuit standings entering the finals. Their goal was clean runs in what most consider a difficult setup.
“The pen we run in can be a tough pen to make three clean runs in,” Knight explained. “My main goal was to go in and make three clean runs, getting a round one win was a great way to start the finals. After round one I knew pistol was dialed in to the pattern and after that it was about staying out of his way.”
She did just that, kept her lead in the year-end race and secured an average time of 39.41 to best Tayla Moeykens’ 39.89 in second place.
“It is the most amazing feeling winning on a horse my family raised and he was the first horse I ever trained myself,” Knight said. “He has always been easy when it comes to training, he was put on the back burner while I was attending college so his first entry wasn’t until later in his 5-year-old year.”
Pistol is full of personality, especially in a stall and Knight rarely rides him in an arena before a rodeo because he will spook at everything. Keeping things the same, she said any time she runs him he has six braids in his hair, no matter what. When it comes to running though, he’s all business.
“He is the most honest horse I’ve ever run, he hunts a barrel no matter what type of setup it might be,” she said. “Pistol is truly a one in a million horse. He made so many runs this year and never took a bad step.”
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Abigail Knight, 13.07 seconds, $2,933; 2. Tia Murphy, 13.24, $2,200; 3. Tayla Moeykens, 13.25, $1,467; 4. Brittney Sporer, 13.42, $733. Second round: 1. Tisha Larsen, 12.89 seconds, $2,933; 2. Ashley Day, 13.14, $2,200; 3. Jamie Martin, 13.20, $1,467; 4. Abigail Knight, 13.21, $733. Third round: 1. Ashley Day, 13.05 seconds, $2,933; 2. Abigail Knight, 13.13, $2,200; 3. Lindsay Kruse, 13.18, $1,467; 4. Tayla Moeykens, 13.20, $733. Average: 1. Abigail Knight, 39.41 seconds on three head, $4,400; 2. Tayla Moeykens, 39.89, $3,300; 3. Lindsay Kruse, 40.09, $2,200; 4. Brittney Sporer, 40.48, $1,100.
California Circuit Finals – Hayle Gibson-Stillwell
Red Bluff, California, December 29-31
Hayle Gibson-Stillwell and 2019 mare Buncha Dinero (PC Frenchmans Hayday x Rambunchkie x Bellamy Road) win the California Circuit Finals.
Kathy Petska won the Year-End Title
Hayle Gibson-Stillwell and her home bred, raised and trained mare Buncha Dinero have been on a winning streak recently, capping their 2024 year with the California Circuit Finals win. Gibson-Stillwell ultimately chose to run “Piper” at the circuit finals over her seasoned horse despite this being her first year of competition.
“Coming into the first round, I didn’t know what horse I was running. I had Piper and Fancy with me. Fancy is more seasoned at the rodeos, but she’s had some time off, and I didn’t feel I had her conditioned enough, and with that I can overthink it and get in my head,” Gibson-Stillwell explained. “I chose Piper because we’ve been on a roll. I didn’t have any expectations for the first round.”
Gibson-Stillwell and Piper ran a 13.59 in the first round to take the round win and $2,333.
“She went in focused and firing,” Gibson-Stillwell said. “She made the same run she’s been making, hitting her points perfectly. The second round she knew the game and was ready. She fired so hard and really fed off the crowd. She was electric! She’s becoming so solid in her runs, making the same run every time.”
Their 13.33 in round two was the fastest run of the event and they won another $2,333 check.
“The third round I just wanted to be clean but also didn’t want to overthink about that. Piper is so honest I knew if I stayed out of her way she would make the same run. She was really feeling it in the warmup. I call her passionate and her passion showed warming up,” she said with a laugh. “I rode a little bit timid the third round, but she still made the same run.”
The pair solidified their average win with a 13.47 in the final round to place second behind Meghann Pearce’s 13.45. Gibson-Stillwell said that while Piper is only 5 years old, she loves crowds and to show off.
“Piper feeds off and craves the pressure it seems,” she explained. “I wasn’t worried about the intense environment for her, I just wanted to make it a good situation to keep her confidence since she’s so young. I want her to keep craving and wanting it. The only thing I did was I had a friend ride my other mare with me just for her to have a buddy.”
This win is even more special because Piper is home raised and trained.
“She makes me emotional because she always shows up tries so hard,” she said. “To be 5 years old in her first year of competition she is just leaving me speechless! I’d like to thank everyone behind me and for all the help and support. My family, friends and sponsors, I couldn’t have done this without you all. It truly takes a village and I have the best one!”
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Hayle Gibson, 13.59 seconds, $2,333; 2. Emily Harryman, 13.63, $1,750; 3. (tie) Tonia Forsberg and Kathy Petska, 13.71, $875 each. Second round: 1. Hayle Gibson, 13.33 seconds, $2,333; 2. Miley Bravos, 13.51, $1,750; 3. Emily Harryman, 13.54, $1,167; 4. Shelley Holman, 13.57, $583. Third round: 1. Meghann Pearce, 13.45 seconds, $2,333; 2. Hayle Gibson, 13.47, $1,750; 3. Tarryn Lee, 13.49, $1,167; 4. Shelley Holman, 13.54, $583. Average: 1. Hayle Gibson, 40.39 seconds on three head, $3,500; 2. Emily Harryman, 40.88, $2,625; 3. Kathy Petska, 40.94, $1,750; 4. Shelley Holman, 41.23, $875.
Maple Leaf Circuit Finals – Blake Molle
Regina, Saskatchewan, November 27-30
Blake Molle and 2010 gelding DHR Oh Mercy Moon (Oh Whatta Boy x Oh Mercy Mercy Me x Merganser) win the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals.
Brooke Wills wins the Year-End title.
At just 18 years old, Blake Molle qualified for her first Canadian Finals Rodeo and won the first round. Coming off a successful top four finish at the CFR in October, she stayed consistent at the Maple Leaf Circuit Finals to win the average title aboard her gelding DHR Oh Mercy Moon.
“He’s the one I qualified for CFR on and won the first round of CFR and then ran at Maple Leaf finals,” Blake Molle said. “He’s very honest. He is all business all the time, very much a businessman. He likes to get things done.”
Molle has spent her life on the back of a horse, but she didn’t come from a rodeo family. Her dad is a chuck wagon driver and part of why Molle loves running big horses. With four clean runs, she placed 4th in the first round with a 13.86, 2nd in the third round with a 13.78 and 3rd in the fourth round with a 14.07 to top the aggregate worth $2,375.
Running “Mercy” for 10 years, the duo knows each other well and Molle said she has loved him from the first time she rode him. Her family bought him from Pete Oen, and her mom ran him for two years before handing the reins to Molle.
“At first, I actually didn’t like him,” she admitted. “I don’t know what it was, I think he just intimidated me and then the first ride, I fell in love with him, from the first time I got on him.”
Staying honest in all four runs, Molle said getting the first barrel was important, but she credits him with finishing the run strong.
“I had a nice first barrel, and I got excited, so I just started kicking, and then I realized the second barrel is coming up pretty fast, and I hadn’t switched my hand, and I switched just as we got the barrel, and he just wrapped it,” Molle explained. “I was like, ‘Oh, thank God. Like he just saved me. I’m not even riding him properly, and he’s just doing his job.’”
Struggling with the ground in the first run, she said Mercy knows how to take care of her and never puts them in a dangerous situation. After many years of competing together, the pair has figured out what works best for them.
“When I get on him versus other horses, it’s just like home because you can trust that they know their job and they’re going to go do their job,” she said. “I’m really excited to go to Colorado Springs. That’ll be super fun. I’m thinking about going down south to some rodeos, the Calgary qualifier in Calgary and try and make the CFR again.”
Molle thanks her sponsors: SVM Equine Therapy, Graf Mechanical, Benoit Oilfield Construction, MacStitch Promotions Inc., Xtra Equine, Mat’s Oilfield, Baredown Brand, Nolan Farrier Services and Pare Farms as well as everyone who supports her and cheers her on.
“Of course, I’d like to Mercy for being such a good horse and always taking care of us and getting business done,” Molle said.
Round 1: 1. Brooke Wills, 13.75 seconds, $1583.74, 2. (tie) Rene Leclercq and Karli Cowie, 13.82, $989.84 each; 4. Taylor Manning, 13.88, $395.94. Round 2: 1. Brooke Wills, 13.76 seconds, $1583.74, 2. Lynette Brodoway, 13.78, $1187.81; 3. Lisa Zachoda, 13.83, $791.87; 4. Blake Molle, 13.86, $395.94. Round 3: 1. Karli Cowie, 13.61 seconds, $1583.74, 2. Blake Molle, 13.78, $1187.81; 3. Lisa Zachoda, 13.86, $791.87; 4. Lynette Brodoway, 14.10, $395.94. Round 4: 1. Jayden Wilson, 13.83 seconds, $1583.74, 2. Lisa Zachoda, 13.89, $1187.81; 3. Blake Molle, 14.07, $791.87; 4. Lisa Groves, 14.12, $395.94. Aggregate: 1. Blake Molle, 55.71 seconds on four runs, $2375.60; 2. Lisa Groves, 57.05, $1781.73; 3. Karli Cowie, 60.29, $1187.82; 4. Lisa Zachoda, 60.48, $593.91.
Great Lakes Circuit Finals – Katie Chism
Louisville, Kentucky, November 14-16
Katie Chism and 2017 stallion MF Aces Famous Fling (A Streak Of Fame x Frenchmans Sally x Two Eyed Frenchman) win the Great Lakes Circuit Finals.
Austyn Tobey wins the Year-End title.
After an injury at Cheyenne Frontier Days in 2022, Katie Chism’s stallion, MF Aces Famous Fling was sidelined for her first circuit finals qualification that year. Spending all of 2023 in rehab and recovery, “Ace” made up for lost time, winning five of the 12 circuit rodeos they entered this year, qualifying for Chism’s second Great Lakes Circuit Finals.
“I found out I was pregnant in January and so I only ran competitively until the beginning of June,” Chism said.” I loped through the last three rodeos on rope horses to get my circuit count to keep baby girl safe. Rodeoing pregnant this year was definitely a challenge, but it was worth it. I have a beautiful healthy baby girl that was born in September. It was also hard work getting myself back ready to compete by circuit finals, but we did it.”
The North Central Illinois barrel racer and Ace won all three rounds and the average at the Great Lakes Circuit Finals, collecting $13,189.
“They worked on bettering the ground all weekend to improve it each night which I was super appreciative of and it is what allowed him to continue to get faster each night,” Chism explained. “I just wanted to take it one run at a time and let him do his job. Each win each night was so fun and special in its own right. Going in I was hoping for a chance at winning the average to get a trip to the NFR Open this summer so that was definitely icing on the cake.”
Ace was bred and raised on Chism’s family breeding farm, Maubach Farms. Her mom, Shirley Maubach has worked hard to breed prospects for Chism to train and compete on. Now she has horses across the country competing, from barrels to roping and ranch competitions.
Aces first foals will turn 2 years old this spring and Chism is excited to futurity on them in the next few years. Although Ace is standing to the public, collecting hasn’t affected his ability to compete. Chism hauls him two and a half hours to be collected in the morning, and often to a rodeo that evening.
“We froze his [semen] this year when I was having my baby and he froze great and we already got a mare bred first try,” Chism added. “So this year we will offer frozen [semen] on him so that should free us up to be on the road more.”
While Chism wears many hats — training and selling horses, giving riding lessons and doing clinics, promoting her book (Cowgirl Prayers 365 day devotional), shipping filters for her husband’s company Horse Hydrator and a full-time mom to her two kids — she also hauls Ace to be collected and to Pampered Ponies weekly for water treadmill therapy and Equivibe whole body vibration therapy.
“He is incredibly honest, if we have a mistake in a run, it’s because I have messed something up somewhere,” she said. “His personality on a daily basis is the sweetest. He is so gentle and kind, my 4-year-old son has ridden him. His personality before and during a run feels like a Lamborghini. Smooth, strong, and controlled with incredible speed.”
Chism and Ace ran a 14.96, a 14.82 and a 14.80 topping the leaderboard in Louisville. Although, Chism is no stranger to success. The College National Finals Rodeo qualifier for Missouri Valley College has done it all — barrel racing, breakaway and team roping as well as goat tying — and took Reserve All Around honors in the Ozark Region her junior year of college. Since then she has shifted from roping to barrel racing depending on what horses she had going. Now, she mainly barrel races with Ace on the trailer.
“I hope to hit the road as much as possible with two kiddos and maybe take a crack at making the bright lights,” Chism said. “That’s as big as goal as you can get and I know there is no easy road, so I’ll take it the same way I did this past year, one day at a time, one rodeo at a time and be thankful for every moment in between!”
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Katie Chism, 14.96 seconds, $2,931; 2. Emma Ricke, 15.02, $2,198; 3. Austyn Tobey, 15.05, $1,465; 4. Kari Diedrich, 15.10, $733. Second round: 1. Katie Chism, 14.82 seconds, $2,931; 2. Austyn Tobey, 14.96, $2,198; 3. Emma Ricke, 14.99, $1,465; 4. Ronda Casey, 15.00, $733. Third round: 1. Katie Chism, 14.80 seconds, $2,931; 2. Austyn Tobey, 14.86, $2,198; 3. (tie) Caitlyn Clair, Kari Diedrich and Emma Ricke, 14.98, $733 each. Average: 1. Katie Chism, 44.58 seconds on three head, $4,396; 2. Austyn Tobey, 44.87, $3,297; 3. Emma Ricke, 44.99, $2,198; 4. Kari Diedrich, 45.13, $1,099.
Southeastern Circuit Finals – Alex Jones
Davie, Florida, November 8-10
Alex Jones and 2013 mare Limited Identity (Identity Theft x Flyin Chick x Chicks A Blazin) win the Southeastern Circuit Finals.
Ericka Nelson wins the Year-End title.
Having owned the 11-year-old mare since 2016, Alex Jones knows Limited Identity well. Their bond is unique, but Jones knows what works for the quirky mare, finding success in the arena and punching their ticket to Colorado Springs in July.
Jones rarely rides “Stella” at home and instead ponies her with a Kubota RTV around the pasture a couple days a week.
“I laugh and tell people she keeps her own self in shape, she is always running around in her pasture all the time,” Jones said. “My husband warms her up for me during rodeos, he just ponies her with his rope horse Black. Stella and [Black] are in love, and my husband also walks me in at the rodeos on him to just keep her calm.”
Describing the mare as sassy and avoiding attention or affection, she has found that doing things differently has been rewarded with success in the arena. When the duo first started running at amateur rodeos together, they made the International Professional Rodeo Association Finals multiple times and now add the circuit finals champion to their winnings together.
Jones bought Stella as a three year old from Chloe Gray, but actually went to look at a different horse before finding Stella.
“Splitting the first round with Chloe was an awesome feeling because that’s who Stella came from so it was a special moment me and Chloe got to share together,” Jones said. “Placing in the other two rounds was also a great feeling especially against all the girls that were entered. Going into the third round I hadn’t checked the average because I didn’t want to put pressure on myself or Stella but when I was coming down the alley to hear the announcer say I was sitting second made me excited. I went in with a mindset of just letting her do her thing, which is what I did and it ended up working.”
Jones and Stella won just more than $9,000 at the circuit finals, splitting the round one win and placing in all three go rounds to seal the average win, just 0.21 seconds faster than the reserve champion Margo Crowther.
Working as an account receivable for Freight Management in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, Jones is excited to go to Colorado Springs next summer after a favorable first circuit finals.
“This horse will never understand what a blessing she is to me,” Jones said. “God really blessed me by putting her in my life, she has opened so many doors that I had only dreamed of until she came along. I owe her the world and then some.”
Jones’s husband also ropes in the Southeastern Circuit, allowing rodeo to be something they do together, although she did not grow up in a rodeo family.
“My parents were not a part of the rodeo world, but my dad had horses growing up,” she explained. “I started out doing just local saddle club shows in our area doing western pleasure and they had barrels also and I would also compete in it. I started from there going to just barrel races then into rodeos. I didn’t start rodeoing until around 2015.”
Now, Jones is excited to keep rodeoing in the Southeastern Circuit and possibly go to bigger rodeos in Colorado next summer.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. (tie) Chloe Gray and Alex Jones, 15.13 seconds, $2,596 each; 3. Erin Wetzel, 15.14, $1,483; 4. Margo Crowther, 15.16, $742. Second round: 1. Erin Wetzel, 14.88 seconds, $2,967; 2. Kristin Hanchey, 14.91, $2,225; 3. Alex Jones, 14.94, $1,483; 4. Margo Crowther, 15.17, $742. Third round: 1. Ericka Nelson, 14.87 seconds, $2,967; 2. Chloe Gray, 14.95, $2,225; 3. Margo Crowther, 15.02, $1,483; 4. Alex Jones, 15.07, $742. Average: 1. Alex Jones, 45.14 seconds on three head, $4,450; 2. Margo Crowther, 45.35, $3,338; 3. Erin Wetzel, 45.36, $2,225; 4. Ericka Nelson, 45.51, $1,113.
Wilderness Circuit Finals – McKenna Coronado
Heber City, Utah, November 1-2
McKenna Coronado and 2013 mare Duallys Real Dream (Dual Dreams x Really Platinum x For Really 87) win the Wilderness Circuit Finals.
Ashley Castleberry wins the Year-End title.
Now three-time Wilderness Circuit Finals qualifier, southern Utah resident McKenna Coronado and Duallys Real Dream achieved their goal of winning the circuit finals average after winning the first two rounds and placing second in the last round. Earning $10,595 at the finals, the pair stayed extremely consistent running a 16.84, 16.82 and a 16.86 on a standard pattern.
Coronado’s family raised “Trashy” and owns both her sire and dam. After high school, Trashy helped Coronado fill her permit and buy her pro card, then qualifying for three circuit finals.
“Trashy has some back soreness that I have to keep up on and for the majority of the summer we were trying to figure out how to keep her happy and feeling good so to end it with a good finals was the biggest blessing,” Coronado said.
Shortly before winning the Utah State Fair rodeo in September for the second year in a row, Trashy had come up sore and went in to have an MRI. Coronado said she received good news and could run her.
“Coming into circuit finals I was sitting 12th with not having Trashy the whole summer,” Coronado explained. “I didn’t have the greatest summer but with that I had a goal in my mind and that was to win the average. I never imagined that I would go win two go rounds but when Trashy shows up she gives it her all. I knew Trashy was special but she proved to me how special she truly is. To run three 16’s on a standard back-to-back like that was special to me and is something that I cherish.”
Coronado said she got her name from how awful she was when she was younger.
“She couldn’t pick up a lead to save her life and she couldn’t stop, you had to run into things to stop. One trait she had when she was young was pawing and unfortunately that trait stuck but it’s slightly less annoying and I deal with it now,” she said with a laugh.
With typical mare attitude, Coronado said she’s the kind of horse that does her job when you send her to the right spot, but if you get in her way or get behind her she’s going to let you know.
“Trashy has been a huge blessing in my life. In December of 2021 my dad passed away and since then she has picked me up on some of my hardest days and kept me going,” Coronado said. “Trashy is very personable and she loves to be right with me in whatever it is I may be doing but she is a busy body and can’t ever hold still.”
Trashy stays in peak condition and feeling her best with regular Equivibe treatment time, Magnawave treatments, laser and thermal blankets and is exercised every other day, rarely getting pattern work. Coronado, who is currently in the process of applying to veterinary school, said Trashy is somewhat spoiled.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. McKenna Coronado, 16.84 seconds, $2,493; 2. Sue Smith, 16.88, $1,870; 3. Lauren Porter, 17.03, $1,246; 4. Sara Winkelman, 17.34, $623. Second round: 1. McKenna Coronado, 16.82 seconds, $2,493; 2. Sue Smith, 16.85, $1,870; 3. Abby Phillips, 17.06, $1,246; 4. Lauren Porter, 17.13, $623. Third round: 1. Anita Ellis, 16.76 seconds, $2,493; 2. McKenna Coronado, 16.86, $1,870; 3. Toria Madsen, 16.90, $1,246; 4. Abby Phillips, 16.97, $623. Average: 1. McKenna Coronado, 50.52 seconds on three head, $3,739; 2. Sue Smith, 50.81, $2,804; 3. Ashley Castleberry, 52.11, $1,870; 4. Lauren Porter, 55.91, $935.
Turquoise Circuit Finals – Katelyn Scott
Camp Verde, Arizona, November 1-2
Katelyn Scott and 2014 mare Watch The Freak Fly (View Me Flying x Freak Nasty x Brimmerton) win the Turquoise Circuit Finals
Shannon Griffon won the Year-End title.
Seasoned to the rodeo scene, Katelyn Scott and 2014 mare Watch The Freak Fly dominated the first round of the Turquoise Circuit Finals, winning the round by nearly half a second.
“She exceeded my expectations in the first round,” Scott said. “I knew she had a great first [barrel], but I really had no idea how fast that run would be. Even being last on the ground in the second go she powered through incredibly deep ruts.”
While much of the country is now experiencing cooler weather, the Turquoise Circuit Finals is held outdoors in sunny Arizona. Scott’s first circuit finals was in 2020, making this a completely different experience. She said she aways enjoys an opportunity to run outdoors and against fantastic horses.
Residing in Odessa, Texas, all-around cowgirl Scott says it was like horses were bred into her and her three other siblings and still a large part of all their lives. After college rodeoing for Odessa College and Eastern New Mexico University, Scott now trains horses full time and is mentor and coach for youth in the arena.
This summer Scott qualified for the Calgary Stampede at the inaugural Salina, Utah qualifier along with Chelsea Moore.
“Calgary was huge for me, it was just an awesome production and all,” Scott said. “To experience such a prestigious rodeo and the fans there are on a whole other level!”
Scott purchased “Baby Cakes” early in 2023 after some convincing from her sister who had rode the mare as a 4-year-old. With intentions to keep her in training with her sister, Scott quickly changed her mind when she saw the mare start competing.
Only a few months later, Baby Cakes got hurt, resulting in time off for recovery. In the fall she was rechecked only to come up sore again.
“So by then I did what every great barrel racer does and decided I should breed her,” Scott said. “Come that following spring after she didn’t take, my sister said ‘she looks sound, let’s take her back to the vet.’ That was May 1, so I legged her up for a month, and took her back to the vet. He said ‘she looks great let’s do this for another month!’ and I looked at him and said ‘I’m leaving for the summer, I need to know if she can go with me. Can I go ahead and run her?’”
After riding her for two weeks after, she entered a race to cruise Baby Cakes through and ended up second. They haven’t looked back since.
“She made a lot of runs this summer with me, but people didn’t really know I was running her too because she looks a lot like her hauling partner, Twiz,” Scott added.
Baby Cakes first owner, Tammy Balch is still very much a part of the mare’s story and part of what Scott loves about Baby Cakes.
“She’s supports and prays for me and is so happy regardless of the outcome and right there is what it’s all about,” Scott explained. “Having people in your corner to just go along for the ride and make the journey with you. I say all the time I’m so glad Baby didn’t want to have a baby. Yet, I’m glad God intervenes because even when we have no idea what is happening and we don’t really know why, He is faithful.”
Scott had planned to run her other horse in the third round for the circuit finals to give Baby Cakes a break, but after praying and consulting her people, she stayed on Baby Cakes and secured the average win with 52.78 on three runs.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Katelyn Scott, 17.39 seconds, $2,331; 2. (tie) Jana Bean, Shannon Griffin and Kynzie McNeill, 17.83, $1,166 each. Second round: 1. Katelyn Scott, 17.55 seconds, $2,331; 2. Sabrina Ketcham, 17.57, $1,748; 3. Jana Bean, 17.65, $1,166; 4. Shannon Griffin, 17.66, $583. Third round: 1. Tara Seaton, 17.46, $2,331; 2. Shannon Griffin, 17.52, $1,748; 3. Doskie Edwards, 17.57, $1,166; 4. Sharon Harrell, 17.73, $583. Average: 1. Katelyn Lide-Scott, 52.78, $3,497; 2. Shannon Lee Griffin, 53.01, $2,622; 3. Jana Pierce Bean, 53.23, $1,748; 4. Megan Albrecht, 53.51, $874.
Mountain States Circuit Finals – Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi
Loveland, Colorado, October 25-26
Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi wins the average and Year-End title aboard 2018 gelding Sir Epic (JL Sirocco x So Very Epic x Epic Leader).
Aboard the 2018 gelding Sir Epic, owned by Pete Carr and Morgan Bagnell, Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi placed in rounds one and two, won the third round and claimed the average win and $8,135 total during the circuit finals.
She got “Sir” about two weeks before the Breeders Challenge Finale in Fort Worth, Texas where they placed third in the Open Derby Semifinals and won $4,250 in the finals.
“Morgan has two other horses that are really, really nice and didn’t really need a third one and they kind of toyed with the idea of selling him, and that just didn’t pan out,” Pozzi Tonozzi explained. “Pete and I have been friends for about 10 years and he called me and he knew that I didn’t have a horse to ride and said do you want to take Sir?”
A month later they won more than $50,000 at the Pink Buckle Derby in Guthrie, Oklahoma.
“I kind of had a little bit of difficulty riding him at first,” Pozzi Tonozzi said. “He’s a little bit different than what I’m used to, so I kind of had to change my style of riding just a little bit, and got some help from Kassie [Mowry] and Kelly Allen.”
While Sir still needs more time getting seasoned in the rodeo arena, Pozzi Tonozzi plans to run him at the WPRA World Finals in November and the Oklahoma City Derby in December.
“He comes in there and you’re like is he going to turn, he’s got his ears pushed forward, and he’s kind of looking around,” she said. “He always comes to you when you pull him. So that’s kind of the saving grace on him, he does listen, but there are moments in the run where you’re like is he really looking at the barrel, or looking somewhere else? I think with just some age and some seasoning, that should probably come around. According to Kassie, he’s kind of been like that his whole life, so, and that might just be him, so we’re just going to work through that.”
With more than $291,000 in EquiStat lifetime earnings, Sir Epic was trained and futuritied by Kassie Mowry, winning round two and seventh in the average at the 2022 Pink Buckle Futurity as well as round two of the Open race and placing in the average.
“I guess the next big thing we’ll go to is Denver, and just kind of see what Pete and Morgan want to do from there,” Pozzi Tonozzi said.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Kelly Yates, 15.65 seconds, $2,244; 2. (tie) Karson Bradley Berger and Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 15.69, $1,403 each; 4. Andrea Busby, 15.72, $561. Second round: 1. Cheryl Kennedy, 15.19 seconds, $2,244; 2. Taryn Boxleitner, 15.29, $1,683; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 15.31, $1,122; 4. Rachel Huerkamp, 15.59, $561. Third round: 1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 15.25 seconds, $2,244; 2. Alex Odle, 15.29, $1,683; 3. Rachel Huerkamp, 15.39, $1,122; 4. Karson Bradley Berger, 15.43, $561. Average: 1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 46.25 seconds on three head, $3,366; 2. Karson Bradley Berger, 46.77, $2,525; 3. Rachel Huerkamp, 46.82, $1,683; 4. Kelly Yates, 46.90, $842.
Columbia River Circuit Finals – Hailey Garrison Graham
Redmond, Oregon, October 17-19
Hailey Garrison Graham and TM He Be Gee Be (Smoke Flash Im Gone x Abbys Fame x Dash Ta Fame) win the Columbia River Circuit Finals.
Megan McLeod-Sprague won the Year-End Championship.
Three-time circuit finalist, Hailey Garrison Graham won the first two rounds and were third in the last round of the Columbia River Circuit Finals to take the average win. The 25-year-old from Glen, Montana rodeoed in the Montana Circuit before transitioning to the Columbia River Circuit this year when she moved to Lakeview, Oregon.
She grew up on her family’s ranch, surrounded by cattle and horses. Despite having a nice barrel horse in high school, she preferred putting her efforts toward goat tying and roping until she went to college.
“It wasn’t until college when I trained my brother’s heel horse on the barrels and she kicked butt that I started to truly feel like I was becoming a barrel racer,” the Montana State University graduate said.
She got “Hebe” as a backup horse to that mare during her freshman year of college. Unfortunately, the mares career got cut short and Hebe became her number one mount starting that summer. In 2021 he was diagnosed with Equine Protozoal Myeloencephalitis (EPM) and Garrison Graham was told the probability of Hebe making a comeback was slim.
“The vet told us starting him on the medication could shock his system and that could kill him,” Garrison Graham recalled. “Ten months after his diagnosis he was EPM free, [with full negative tests], and qualified me for the College National Finals in the barrels, and we ended up fourth at the college finals that year.”
Hebe wasn’t done with remarkable comebacks though. After moving to a new environment requiring more travel to rodeos that were farther away, and still struggling with a weakened immune system, the summer rodeos were hit or miss.
“I felt like this year Hebe and I had everything thrown at us that we could,” Garrison Graham explained. “We struggled with allergies and ulcers and colic at the end of the season. He had to sit out all of July but still managed to place at most of the big rodeos we entered this year.”
Things took a turn for the worse when, after their run in Lewiston, Idaho the beginning of September where they placed eighth, Hebe colicked.
“We rushed him to [Washington State University] and I had to say my goodbyes to him in case he didn’t make it,” Garrison Graham said. “His first run at the circuit finals was his second run back since the colic episode and he felt amazing. He truly overcomes anything that is thrown at him and I believe it’s because he really loves his job and his humans.”
Garrison Graham truly loves the horse before the sport and takes it month by month, putting the horses care and health before her rodeo plans.
“If my horses don’t feel good I don’t care to go,” she said. “I believe it’s truly all about them and have been shown the past few years to trust God’s timing even if it’s not what I had in mind.”
Garrison Graham works part time for a marketing and web design firm as well as raises and trains horses with her husband Jack, who also qualified for the Colombia River Circuit Finals in the team roping.
“I have a ton of young horses to get going and I work for an amazing marketing company, so I stay plenty busy,” she said.
Barrel Racing First round: 1. Hailey Garrison, 14.68 seconds, $2,395; 2. Cheyenne Allan, 14.84, $1,797; 3. Tristan Parrish, 14.96, $1,198; 4. Lacy Diefenbach, 15.00, $599. Second round: 1. Hailey Garrison, 14.88 seconds, $2,395; 2. Cheyenne Allan, 14.90, $1,797; 3. Shelly Mull, 14.96, $1,198; 4. Lacy Diefenbach, 15.14, $599. Third round: 1. Kathy Grimes, 14.95 seconds, $2,395; 2. Whitley Sharp, 15.12, $1,797; 3. Hailey Garrison, 15.13, $1,198; 4. Lacy Diefenbach, 15.22, $599. Average: 1. Hailey Garrison, 44.69 seconds on three head, $3,593; 2. Cheyenne Allan, 44.97, $2,695; 3. Lacy Diefenbach, 45.36, $1,797; 4. Tristan Parrish, 45.57, $898.
Prairie Circuit Finals – Tana Renick
Duncan, Oklahoma, October 17-19
Tana Renick and Wild Childs Fling (Streakin Boon Dox x XV Wild Child x Whos Salty Dog) win the RAM Prairie Circuit Finals.
Emily Beisel is the Prairie Circuit Year-End Title.
Professional Barrel Horse Trainer of 25 years and professional hairstylist, Tana Renick is a living example of what it looks like to not give up and wait for your time. Growing up on a farm, she’s shown every livestock species, competed in almost every sport and was a sale barn rider for her dad. At 14, she got the opportunity to ride with Barb Lucas, who qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in 1985, through her dad’s connection.
“From the day we met she couldn’t get rid of me,” Renick said. “I knew nothing and she spent so much time with me, she would let me ride with her all day long for years to come, not only was she my mentor, but she also became one of my best lifelong friends.”
Not able to afford a finished barrel horse, Renick would keep horses from the sale barn and train them on the barrels because that was her only option. After buying a son of 1983 stallion Sticks An Stones, by Easy Jet out of a sale she started to rodeo more, placing at open rodeos and jackpots. In 1998 she bought her permit, but after one rodeo, “Sticks” passed away from colic complications.
It wouldn’t be until 2006 that Renick would find one to take her to the next level. She acquired 1997 mare XV Wild Child (Whos Salty Dog x Do Doc Me x Doc A’Lock) from a friend because she had bucked her off and hurt her.
“Wild Child” and Renick would later qualify for the Texas Circuit Finals twice, the Prairie Circuit Finals four times, win the Prairie Circuit Finals Year-End Championship twice as well as the 2011′ Dodge National Circuit Finals. They lit the rodeo world on fire, doing well in Houston and numerous pro rodeos across the country, but in July 2011, sitting No. 8 in the world they had a bad fall in Eugene, Oregon resulting in Renick’s broken foot, ankle and separated shoulder. After recovering they came back in 2012, and in July they were sitting No. 9 in the world when Wild Child got hurt.
“It was so hard having to give up on my dream that year,” Renick said. “It just wasn’t meant to be for us, but I learned so much. It was a hard journey in the beginning, she was such a spooky, quirky mare but I loved her.”
In a full circle moment, Renick ran home raised and trained 2016 stallion Wild Childs Fling at the 2024 RAM Prairie Circuit Finals. “Fonzie” is by Streakin Boon Dox, which Renick ran for four years for Spitz Quarter Horses and out of her mare, Wild Child.
“He’s had a rough go of things, when he was three months old, he was run through a fence and had to have surgery, then two weeks later his recip mom died,” Renick explained. “But it didn’t hinder his growth he’s 16.2 hands tall now, he’s a big guy.”
She didn’t start running him until he was 5-years-old, and after about six months running him he needed another surgery followed by an additional surgery a year later.
“I found an outstanding vet, Dr. Cameron Stout Donnell and she helped me get him going again and feeling better than ever, I’m so thankful for her,” she said. “He just had some bad luck there for a while.”
After his last surgery, Renick got him back in February and he started placing. His second run back he won a race, followed by placing at a pro rodeo and then the BBR Finals where he landed in the 1D.
“I took a leap of faith and set a goal to make the circuit finals with not many rodeos left in our circuit and when we left for the Dodge City run, I knew we had to make it count and he did show up that week and do great for me,” Renick added. “He also won just more than $11,000 at the Pink Buckle the week before the circuit finals.”
A gentle giant at home, she described him as a hot, wild gazelle in the warmup pen. Taking after his dam, he doesn’t warm up well around other horses and has a huge personality. Progeny of the two best horses she has competed on, Fonzie and Renick have both overcome huge hurdles to get to this point.
“There’s not a day that goes by that I don’t say ‘thank you God for all my blessings’ and I know in my heart that God is the reason were still going,” Renick said.
She plans to take it one run at a time and wait and see what’s in the cards for them this next season. She plans to continue hosting clinics, training horses and doing hair in the meantime.
Barrel Racing First round: 1. Emily Beisel, 16.18 seconds, $2,279; 2. Tana Renick, 16.41, $1,709; 3. Mataya Eklund, 16.42, $1,139; 4. Ari-Anna Flynn, 16.43, $570. Second round: 1. Tana Renick, 15.98 seconds, $2,279; 2. Tracy Nowlin, 16.25, $1,709; 3. Mataya Eklund, 16.30, $1,139; 4. Chelsie Shoop, 16.31, $570. Third round: 1. Tana Renick, 15.97 seconds, $2,279; 2. Mataya Eklund, 16.06, $1,709; 3. Emily Beisel, 16.26, $1,139; 4. Kallie Gates, 16.27, $570. Average: 1. Tana Renick, 48.36 seconds on three head, $3,418; 2. (tie) Emily Beisel and Mataya Eklund, 48.78, $2,136 each; 4. Sadie Wolaver-Troyer, 49.20, $855.
Badlands Circuit Finals – Alyssa Gabrielson
Minot, North Dakota, October 11-13
Alyssa Gabrielson and Rare Kelly (Darkelly x Man Its Gettin Hot x Rare Bar) won the Badlands Circuit Finals.
Lisa Lockhart won the Badlands Year-End Title.
From a small town in South Dakota, four-time circuit finalist Alyssa Gabrielson has been barrel racing since she was 12 years old thanks to her grandpa. While she prefers the circuit rodeos, now with the help of Katie Lindahl, she plans to enter a few winter rodeo qualifiers and a possibly a 4th of July run on the way to the NFR Open in Colorado Springs next summer.
“I do have high expectations of myself and my horses but always know that these wins aren’t what define you,” Gabrielson said. “I try to work hard day to day and be the best prepared I can be so when God does open doors, we’re ready to go. Until then we will just keep working.”
Gabrielson and “Kelly” clicked since the day she bought him in 2023. Planning to season him some for the 5-year-old futurities and sell him, she said she couldn’t let him go after the futurity year ended.
“He shows up over and over for me, at only 5-years-old, but I know if I didn’t have the horses I did leading up to this one, I wouldn’t have been prepared,” Gabrielson said of her time from play days to now rodeos. “Winning the circuit finals on him is probably my biggest accomplishment now.”
Described as a naughty bronc when he was a 3-year-old, Gabrielson said Kelly has a big personality.
“Over time something must’ve clicked in him because he has the biggest personality but such a sweetheart too,” she said. “I don’t know if he realizes how much he has done for me, he just simply does it because I asked it of him and to that he will give 110% every time.”
While his stiffer, fast snap back style has cost the pair many average titles because of hitting barrels on the way out, Gabrielson and Kelly placed at the Texarkana Showdown at the beginning of the year as well as the Diamond Classic Derby. He also won multiple pro rodeos and has nearly $100,000 in EquiStat lifetime earnings.
“Allergy issues really caused us to be sidelined quite a bit but we experimented with a couple different things with the help of Dr Fonda Melby and Dr Lara Robbins,” Gabrielson said with appreciation. “He works honest at home, shapes up and responsive so I have started to just let him work how he fits and it’s been fun watching him get seasoned to the rodeos.”
Previously rodeoing in the Great Lakes Circuit, Gabrielson took on the Badlands Circuit this season coming out on top. With plans to keep rodeoing with Kelly, she aslo has a few 3-year-olds she will futurity on.
“God will plan it. I have always had big dreams but I’m not a huge goal setter,” she admits. “If I set goals, I look at the end results and not enjoying the journey it took to get there.”
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Taylor Hanson, 14.11 seconds, $2,379; 2. Fonda Melby, 14.14, $1,784; 3. Lakken Bice, 14.17, $1,189; 4. Emilee Pauley, 14.24, $595. Second round: 1. (tie) Lisa Lockhart and Molly Otto, 14.17 seconds, $2,081 each; 3. Lakken Bice, 14.23, $1,189; 4. Alyssa Gabrielson, 14.28, $595. Third round: 1. Alyssa Gabrielson, 13.73 seconds, $2,379; 2. Kristen Zancanella, 13.90, $1,784; 3. Lisa Lockhart, 14.01, $1,189; 4. Raelin Jurgens, 14.05, $595. Average: 1. Alyssa Gabrielson, 42.57 seconds on three head, $3,568; 2. Lisa Lockhart, 42.62, $2,676; 3. Fonda Melby, 42.85, $1,784; 4. Jessica Routier, 43.02, $892.
Texas Circuit Finals – Ilyssa Riley
Waco, Texas, October 8-11
Ilyssa Riley and Mistys Money Blurr (The Money Depot x Misty’s Dash Of Fame x Dash Ta Fame) win their second Texas Circuit Finals, placing in all four rounds. Read more about Riley and Money here.
Tiany Schuster won the Texas Year-End Championship. Read more about her impressive summer rodeo success.
Barrel racing: First round: 1. Kaycee Killingsworth, 15.92 seconds, $2,331; 2. Ilyssa Riley, 16.11, $1,748; 3. Oceane Veilleux, 16.14, $1,165; 4. Katie Halbert, 16.16, $583. Second round: 1. Kalli McCall, 15.73 seconds, $2,331; 2. Katie Halbert, 15.78, $1,748; 3. Ilyssa Riley, 15.89, $1,165; 4. (tie) Tillar King and Kylee Scribner, 15.93, $291 each. Third round: 1. Jordan Driver, 15.70 seconds, $2,331; 2. Oceane Veilleux, 15.93, $1,748; 3. Ilyssa Riley, 16.00, $1,165; 4. Tillar King, 16.01, $583. Fourth round: 1. Kylee Scribner, 15.67 seconds, $2,331; 2. Katie Halbert, 15.89, $1,748; 3. Ilyssa Riley, 15.99, $1,165; 4. Oceane Veilleux, 16.12, $583. Average: 1. Ilyssa Riley, 63.99 seconds on four head, $4,661 each; 2. Katie Jo Halbert, 64.12, $3,496; 3. Oceane Veilleux, 64.28, $2,331; 4. Kaycee Killingsworth, 64.69, $1,165 each.
