LAS VEGAS — DECEMBER 6, 2024 — Hailey Kinsel and DM Sissy Hayday win back-to-back rounds taking home the Round Two win of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, presented by Teton Ridge. This marks Kinsel’s 23rd career NFR round win and added an additional $33,687 to her more than $3.2 million lifetime earnings.
“Definitely not expected with my draw, but just kind of knew I had to go for it at the bottom of the ground,” Kinsel said. “I had to drive through the ruts in order to place. Didn’t expect to win it, but I’ll take the luck, right?”
Kinsel came down the Thomas and Mack Center alleyway at No. 14 in the draw order and while some horses stumbled on the ground in Round Two, “Sister” conquered the ground in veteran rodeo horse fashion.
“I wouldn’t say it felt effortless,” Kinsel said of her run. “It felt like she was having to kind of jump some things and adjust. I remember feeling a step off the second barrel, which I started it in kind of a weird spot, but she still kind of stepped away from it, almost like she hit a spot and squared up to run to the third. So I was a little more centered in the arena running to the third. So then I really had to drive by it. So it didn’t feel like pretty run like the last night felt super smooth. This night, tonight did not. I couldn’t watch any of the ones going. So I really don’t know, but did sound like there was some trouble. So I’m just happy she’s she’s smart and she’s good with her feet.”
Kinsel and Sister — the EquiStat all-time leading NFR horse — turned in a 13.48 for the first place paycheck. Not only did it earn back-to-back round wins, but it also broke the Round Two arena record. Amberleigh Moore previously held the NFR Round Two arena record with a time of 13.54 in 2017.
Kinsel holds onto her lead in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association world standings with $281,476.90. Leslie Smalygo, who came into the NFR in the No. 2 position still holds her position with $208,623.70. First time NFR qualifier Ashley Castleberry has turned in two consistent runs aboard Skyy Blue (2013 G, Stoli x Sweetin My Dreams x Runaway) and holds onto her third-place position in the WPRA world standings with $203,055.25. Castleberry finished fourth in Round Two with a 13.62, worth $14,126.88.
While there is still plenty of rodeo left in Las Vegas, the aggregate race is shaping up with first-time qualifier Abby Phillips currently sitting No. 2 behind Kinsel. Phillips has ridden VF Expensive Taste to $35,537 in NFR earnings already (this includes the $10,000 guaranteed money each qualifier earns prior to Round One). Phillips and “Andi Anderson” finished third in Round One, and followed that with a sixth-place finish in Round Two from a time of 13.66 bringing her aggregate time to 27.20 on two runs.
Hailey Kinsel’s Round Wins
2017:
2018:
2019:
2020:
2021:
2022:
2024:
2024 NFR Barrel Racing Horsepower
Top 10 EquiStat NFR All-Time Leaders
Notable Horse Changes
Only one made a horse change in Round Two. Emily Beisel switched from Ivory On Fire (2016 M, Ivory James x Lil Miss Firewater x Fire Water Flit) to Namgis D 33 (10G, Bucks Hancock Dude x Track Goddess x Eyesa Special) for Round Two. Beisel and “Chongo” were third out on the ground and turned in a 13.80, which was out of the money, but with 10 days in Las Vegas consistency is important to the aggregate race, which pays $326,004.95 with the average champ earning $86,391 of that purse.
2024 NFR Barrel Racing Round Two Results
1. Hailey Kinsel/DM Sissy Hayday/13.48/$33.687.18
2. Kassie Mowry/Force The Goodbye/13.51/$26,623.73
3. Tiany Schuster/Famous Mic Guy Ver/13.53/$20,103.64
4. Ashley Castleberry/Skyy Blue/13.62/$14,126.88
5. Andrea Busby/Jets Top Gun/13.65/$8,693.47
6. Abby Phillips/VF Expensive Taste/13.66/$5,433
7. Wenda Johnson/Steal Money/13.71
8. Shelley Morgan/HR Fameskissandtell/13.78
9. Emily Beisel/Namgis D 33/13.80
10. Dona Kay Rule/High Valor/13.87
10. Carlee Otero/Blingolena/13.87
12. LaTricia Duke/DM High Roller/14.08
13. Lisa Lockhart/Promise Me Fame Guys/18.70*
14. Hayln Lide/Jettin Ta Heaven/19.06*
15. Leslie Smalygo/Justaheartbeattofame/NT
*Denotes penalty
NT= No Time
2024 NFR Barrel Racing Aggregate Results
- Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas, 26.86 on two runs
- Abby Phillips, Marshall, Texas, 27.29
- Andrea Busby, Millsap, Texas, 27.35
- Ashley Castleberry, Montgomery, Texas, 27.37
- Carlee Otero, Perrin, Texas, 27.42
- Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas, 27.43
- Wenda Johnson, Pawhuska, Okla., 27.59
- Shelley Morgan, Eustace, Texas, 27.62
- Emily Beisel, Weatherford, Okla., 27.67
- Dona Kay Rule, Minco, Okla., 27.91
- LaTricia Duke, Zephyr, Texas, 28.19
- Kassie Mowry, Dublin, Texas, 31.85
- Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 32.62
- Halyn Lide, China Spring, Texas, 37.81
- Leslie Smalygo, Skiatook, Okla., 13.84 on one run
2024 WPRA Barrel Racing World Standings (After Round Two)
- Hailey Kinsel/$281,476.90
- Leslie Smalygo/$208,623.70
- Ashley Castleberry/$203,055.25
- Kassie Mowry/$198,906.58
- Emily Beisel/$164,004.96
- Tiany Schuster/$162,598.80
- Abby Phillips/$151,036.94
- Lisa Lockhart/$150,887.64
- Carlee Otero/$149,512.88
- Andrea Busby/$148,646.12
- LaTricia Duke/$139,130.44
- Hayln Lide/$131,965.70
- Dona Kay Rule/131,480.98
- Wenda Johnson/$127,969.63
- Shelley Morgan/$123,906.01
