The San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo kicked off February 12 at the Frost Bank Center arena in San Antonio, Texas, featuring more than $1.5 million in payout. Over the course of 19 rodeo performances where contestants will compete back-to-back in five brackets with three rounds per bracket. The top four money earners advance to a Semifinal Round and the top five out of each Semifinal advance to the Finals. One Wildcard Round will be held February 28 with 10 contestants in each event who did not advance to the Finals from the Semifinals have one last shot at a qualification to the Finals. The fastest time in the Wildcard advances tot he Finals. The clean-slate Finals will determine the champion.
Contestant Eligibility
- Top 4 contestants from 2026 WPRA Pro Rodeo Standings
- Top 32 from 2025 Pro Rodeo Standings
- Top 4 from the 2025 WPRA Tour Standings
- Top 10 contestants from the current-year (* formerly Uvalde Qualifier)
Due to the EHV-1 outbreak in November 2025 the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo qualifier in Uvalde, Texas, was cancelled in accordance with the recommendation of the Texas Animal Health Commission. Qualification for the 2026 San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo in the barrel racing reverted to the former rule prior to hosting the Qualifier rodeo in Uvalde, Texas. The top 10 current-year money earners in the barrel racing qualified for San Antonio.
San Antonio Rodeo Notable Moments
The San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo always brings fan-favorite action to center-stage offering early season opportunities for the barrel racers to earn checks and put money on the board.
In Bracket One, Emily Beisel was the big winner picking up $7,155 from topping the first and third rounds, and finishing third in round two. Katie Jo Halbert stayed consistent picking up paychecks in all three rounds as well to be the second-high money earner with $5,504.
Bracket Two saw three different winners on the top each round. It was round one winner LaTricia Duke, who stayed solid and placed in all three round to be the high-money earner of the bracket with $7,156 earned and a qualification to the Semifinals. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi was close on her heels with $6,054 earned from a round two win and playing in all three as well.
Bracket Three turned in the fastest time of the event up to that point. Kathy Grimes and KG Just Money turned in a 14.10 to with the first round. Grimes went on to place in the second round as well to earn a spot in the Semifinals. Yet, it was four-time WPRA world champion Hailey Kinsel who was the big winner of Bracket Three. Kinsel finished fourth in Round One, first in Round Two, and third in Round Three to earn $5,504.
Bracket Four’s biggest winner was Sharon Gow earning $4,404 from a fourth place finish in both the first and second rounds, and second place in the third round. A fan favorite moment in Bracket Four was seeing Anita Ellis back in the arena after injury and qualifying for the Semifinals.
On November 15, 2025, first-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier Ellis suffered a fall, striking her head on concrete. She was rushed to the hospital where scans revealed a small brain bleed, a few additional small bleeds and fractures to the right side of her face. She was placed in the ICU where she remained until November 25, 2025. Though on the road to recovery, due to the severity of her injuries, Ellis was not able to attend and compete at the 2025 NFR.
On February 20, 2026, Ellis was back in the saddle and ready to make her bid for a Semifinals qualification at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo. Aboard 2020 gelding SGL Rico (The Goodbye Lane x Version Blue x Winners Version) Ellis turned in a 14.43 in the first round, and a 14.27 in the second round for third place and second place, respectively. Ellis earned $3,853 in Bracket Four of the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo and qualified for the Semifinals.
Michelle Alley was the big winner in Bracket Five earning $5,504 from winning the first and third rounds. Wenda Johnson picked up $4,954 for winning the second round and placing in the third and was therefore the second high-money earner of Bracket Five.
Carlee Otero and AM Regina George turned in a 14.16 to win the first set of Semifinals competitors. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell and Buncha Dinero turned in a 14.19 to claim the win in the second set of Semifinals competitors and advanced to the Finals round. Morgan Bagnell and Sir Epic topped the Wildcard round with a 14.21 to advance to the Finals.
Anita Ellis and SGL Rico Win San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo
The comeback story of the year is Anita Ellis. After she missed out on her first National Finals Rodeo qualification due to tan injury she suffered in November 2025, she was back in full-force at the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo. Together with her Calgary Stampede champion SGL Rico, Ellis picked up $3,853 in bracket competition, followed that up with $4,403 from second place in Semifinal Two to advance to the Finals. Yet, she was the Finals round run that left all barrel racing fans on their feet and cheering for the Blackfoot, Idaho, cowgirl. Ellis and Rico turned in their best run of the week a 14.16 in the clean-slate Finals round to take home the San Antonio Stock Show Rodeo Championship.
“It means so much to me. I’m so grateful to have my health enough to be here and all the prayers that have been said for me worked, so I appreciate everyone so much,” Ellis said during her on-air television interview on the Cowboy Channel following her winning run.
San Antonio Barrel Racing Results:
Bracket One: First round: 1. Emily Beisel, 14.38 seconds, $2,752; 2. Chloe Gray, 14.70, $2,202; 3. Katie Halbert, 14.79, $1,651; 4. Lisa Lockhart, 14.83, $1,101. Second round: 1. Jordan Driver, 14.41 seconds, $2,752; 2. Katie Halbert, 14.58, $2,202; 3. Emily Beisel, 14.63, $1,651; 4. Keyla Costa, 14.68, $1,101. Third round: 1. Emily Beisel, 14.27 seconds, $2,752; 2. Hailey Garrison Graham, 14.43, $2,202; 3. Katie Halbert, 14.52, $1,651; 4. Jordan Driver, 14.55, $1,101.
Qualifiers: 1. Emily Beisel, $7,155; 2. Katie Jo Halbert, $5,504; 3. Jordan Driver, $3,853; 4. Hailey Garrison Graham, $2,202.
Bracket Two: First round: 1. LaTricia Duke, 14.68 seconds, $2,752; 2. Paige Jones, 14.91, $2,202; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 14.96, $1,651; 4. Halyn Lide, 15.06, $1,101. Second round: 1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 14.29 seconds, $2,752; 2. LaTricia Duke, 14.39, $2,202; 3. Julie Plourde, 14.46, $1,651; 4. Paige Jones, 14.54, $1,101. Third round: 1. McKenna Coronado, 14.21 seconds, $2,752; 2. LaTricia Duke, 14.32, $2,202; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 14.61, $1,651; 4. Jayden Wilson, 14.63, $1,101.
Qualifiers: 1. LaTricia Duke, $7,156; 2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, $6,054; 3. Paige Jones, $3,303; 4. McKenna Coronado, $2,752.
Bracket Three: First round: 1. Kathy Grimes, 14.10 seconds, $2,752; 2. Austyn Tobey, 14.82, $2,202; 3. Loralee Ward, 14.84, $1,651; 4. Hailey Kinsel, 14.87, $1,101. Second round: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 14.37 seconds, $2,752; 2. Kathy Grimes, 14.38, $2,202; 3. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, 14.43, $1,651; 4. Loralee Ward, 14.61, $1,101. Second round: 1. Hailey Kinsel, 14.37 seconds, $2,752; 2. Kathy Grimes, 14.38, $2,202; 3. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, 14.43, $1,651; 4. Loralee Ward, 14.61, $1,101. Third round: 1. Loralee Ward, 14.30 seconds, $2,752; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, 14.34, $2,202; 3. Hailey Kinsel, 14.44, $1,651; 4. Austyn Tobey, 14.48, $1,101.
Qualifiers: 1. Hailey Kinsel, $5,504; 2. Loralee Ward, $5,504; 3. Kathy Grimes, $4,954; 4. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, $3,853.
Bracket Four: First round: 1. Tricia Aldridge, 14.18 seconds, $2,752; 2. Tristan Parrish, 14.37, $2,202; 3. Anita Ellis, 14.43, $1,651; 4. Sharon Gow, 14.46, $1,101. Second round: 1. Carlee Otero, 14.23 seconds, $2,752; 2. Anita Ellis, 14.27, $2,202; 3. Leslie Smalygo, 14.30, $1,651; 4. Sharon Gow, 14.34, $1,101. Third round: 1. Tayla Moeykens, 14.23 seconds, $2,752; 2. Sharon Gow, 14.26, $2,202; 3. Gracen Harman, 14.27, $1,651; 4. Carlee Otero, 14.29, $1,101.
Qualifiers: 1. Sharon Gow, $4,404; 2. Carlee Otero, $3,853; 3. Anita Ellis, $3,853; 4. Tricia Aldridge, $2,752.
Bracket Five: First round: 1. Michelle Alley, 14.14 seconds, $2,752; 2. Emma Parr, 14.29, $2,202; 3. Morgan Bagnell, 14.32, $1,651; 4. Kassie Mowry, 14.33, $1,101. Second round: 1. Wenda Johnson, 14.36 seconds, $2,752; 2. Kara Kreder, 14.39, $2,202; 3. Morgan Bagnell, 14.48, $1,651; 4. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 14.51, $1,101. Third round: 1. Michelle Alley, 14.11 seconds, $2,752; 2. Wenda Johnson, 14.23, $2,202; 3. Kassie Mowry, 14.29, $1,651; 4. Morgan Bagnell, 14.35, $1,101.
Qualifiers: 1. Michelle Alley, $5,504; 2. Wenda Johnson, $4,954; 3. Morgan Bagnell, $4,403; 4. Kassie Mowry, $2,752.
Semifinals One: 1. Carlee Otero, 14.16 seconds, $5,504; 2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 14.18, $4,403; 3. Jordan Driver, 14.19, $3,302; 4. Kathy Grimes, 14.24, $2,202.
Qualifiers: 1. Carlee Otero, $5,504; 2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, $4,403; 3. Jordan Driver, $3,302; 4. Kathy Grimes, $2,202.
Semifinals Two: 1. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, 14.19 seconds, $5,504; 2. Anita Ellis, 14.22, $4,403; 3. Katie Halbert, 14.36, $3,302; 4. Wenda Johnson, 14.41, $2,202.
Qualifiers: 1. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, $5,504; 2. Anita Ellis, $4,403; 3. Katie Jo Halbert, $3,302; 4. Wenda Johnson, $2,202.
Wildcard: 1. Morgan Bagnell, 14.21 seconds, $5,504; 2. McKenna Coronado, 14.22, $4,403; 3. Paige Jones, 14.56, $3,302; 4. Sharon Gow, 14.71, $2,202.
Qualifiers: 1. Morgan Bagnell, $5,504.
Finals: 1. Anita Ellis, 14.16 seconds, $16,512; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, 14.23, $11,008; 3. (tie) Emily Beisel and LaTricia Duke, 14.24, $4,403 each.
