LAS VEGAS — DECEMBER 9, 2025 — Kassie Mowry might not have her reigning world champion mount Force The Goodbye with her at the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, but barrel racing fans knew better than to count Mowry out. She’s continued to prove why she’s not only a world champion, but also the all-time leading rider of barrel horses. Aboard Mindy Holloway’s Heavens Got Credit for Round Six, Mowry and “Cornbread” turned in a 13.42 for the round win.
Mowry hit the road for the NFR without “Jarvis” in the trailer due to the EHV-1 outbreak earlier in November. As a result of the outbreak this year’s NFR is under strict protocols and horse health guidelines. As such, the process for barrel racers to get horses to this year’s event looked different than in year’s past. Jarvis is at home and healthy, but Mowry didn’t think the risk was worth the reward to bring him to this year’s NFR.
“[Jarvis is] healthy,” Mowry said. “Jarvis is great, he’s home. That was a very hard decision. I really wanted him to defend his title. If I would have done the protocol with him and the swabs, but the risk wasn’t worth the reward. There’s always next year.”
While Jarvis is missed by both Mowry and barrel racing fans alike, his absence hasn’t put a damper on the success Mowry is having inside the Thomas and Mack Center Arena. Mowry kicked off the NFR aboard CP He Will Be Epic winning Round One. The duo went on to win paychecks in Rounds Two and Three. They picked up $66,238.43 through four rounds of competition. In Round Four they turned in a 13.86 but were outside of a paycheck paying position. That was Mowry’s clue to make a horse change and give “Will” a chance to rest. She stepped aboard Heavens Got Credit, affectionately known as “Cornbread” for Round Five and turned in a 13.77 just two places out of a money-earning position.
“I just was going to start out on Will and see how long Will wanted to go,” Mowry said. “He was really tired that last run I made on him, and so I made the switch to Cornbread yesterday.”
In Round Six, Mowry and Cornbread couldn’t be stopped turning in a 13.42 to win the round. Even more impressive, the Round Five run marked the first competitive run the duo has made together. When Mowry knew she wouldn’t have Jarvis at the NFR she called her friend Holloway to request bringing Cornbread to the bright lights of Las Vegas.
“I was scrambling around thinking, you know, what could I ride? I’m not used to stepping on new horses. And so I really needed something that I thought would be user friendly. And my friend Whitney mentioned that horse that she had just won the Athens (Texas) race, and I remember seeing the videos of it. I went back and watched that video again and he looked really easy to ride, really honest, and kind of did a lot himself,” Mowry said. “Style wise, I just really focused on what she did. She rode real still and I tend to ride real still and conservative. So I thought, that would be an easier fit for me than something that you really have to be aggressive on.”
The fit seems to be picture perfect. Yet, while Mowry might have more than $8 million in lifetime EquiStat earnings, the perennial trainer says she’s not accustom to jump-riding a horse.
“[I’m usually riding horses] I train and that I’ve had a year or two at least before I ever ran them. So, I’m not used to just, like, ‘Here’s your horse!'” Mowry said with a laugh, “Not used to that at all. Usually I have a lot more time to get timing. This is having to really just go out there and be in reaction mode.”
Heavens Got Credit has garnered more than $190,260 in lifetime EquiStat earnings and can now put his name in the record books as a Wrangler NFR money-earner. Cornbread is an 11-year-old gelding by JL Dash Ta Heaven and out of the Cash Not Credit mare Credit Chicado. Mowry is using his age and success to her advantage.
“Yesterday Mindy said, ‘I went and and gave Cornbread his pep talk. And my advice to you is, he’s 11 years old, probably the oldest barrel horse you’ve ever ridden, and just to trust him.’ So, that’s what I’m doing, is just trying to ride the feel and don’t have any preconceived notions of anything. I don’t know him. So, let him make the decisions, because he knows better than I do where he needs to be.”
- Carlee Otero wins Round Five
- Tricia Aldridge wins Round Four
- Carlee Otero wins Round Three
- Hailey Kinsel wins Round Two
- Kassie Mowry Wins Round One
Resistol Rookie Night
The Resistol Rookies of the Year were recognized inside the Thomas and Mack Center during the Sixth performance of the Wrangler NFR, including WPRA Barrel Racing Resistol Rookie of the Year Makenzie Mayes. The Scroggins, Texas, cowgirl capped the year off with the honor after a grueling season of 96 rodeos earning $83,911.69.
Keeping Up with ‘Keeper’
Halyn Lide’s 2025 NFR looks anything but like what she had planned. Aboard borrowed horses she’s making the best of her experience while keeping her main mount affectionately known as “Keeper” on her heart and mind each day.
On November 30, Lide posted to her social media that Keeper wouldn’t be making the trip to this year’s NFR due to contracting EHV-1. The post read: “Keeper is at A&M doing a great job of getting better from EHV. My other horses are (healthy so far) in quarantine at home. My mind is in a million places, and my heart is back home with my horses.”
She started the NFR aboard Halos Frosted Fame owned and bred by Nina Moore. “Halo” is by the Dash Ta Fame son Mister Big Fame and out the PC Frosty Bid mare Aprils Frosty Knight. In Round Two, Lide stepped aboard Kappie Bryant owned 7-year-old gelding Smooth As Rico Suave. “Pancakes” is by A Smooth Guy out of The Royal Quick Dash mare Little Thunder Rolls, bred by Lauren Solomon. Lide and Pancakes took a few rounds to get their stride, but steadily improving their times until banking their first paycheck in Round Five tying second and third places with Lisa Lockhart and Blazin Ta Betty with times of 13.55. In Round Six, Lide and Pancakes looked sharp at draw No. 12 turning in a 13.47 to finish second behind Mowry and earn $28,980. With that check Lide moved from 11th in the world to No. 8.
2025 NFR Barrel Racing Round Six Results
Place, Name, Time, Money Won
- Kassie Mowry / Heavens Got Credit / 13.42 / $36,667.95
- Halyn Lide / Smooth As Rico Suave / 13.47 / $28,979.51
- Hayle Gibson-Stillwell / Buncha Dinero / 13.49 / $21,882.48
- Hailey Kinsel / DM Sissy Hayday / 13.52 / $15,376.88
- Lisa Lockhart / Blazin Ta Betty / 13.53 / $9,462.70
- Megan McLeod-Sprague / Seis Corona / 13.62 / $5,914.19
- Katelyn Scott / Justa DTF Frenchman / 13.69
- tie-Andrea Busby / Born On Derby Day / 13.72
- tie-Emily Beisel / Ivory On Fire / 13.72
- Julie Plourde / Wateverock RC / 13.76
- Carlee Otero / AM Regina George / 13.78
- Wenda Johnson / Steal Money / 13.79
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi / JL Roc Lost A Sock / 13.86
- Tayla Moeykens / SCR Cats Merada Pep / 15.53
- Tricia Aldridge / Adios Pantalones / 18.53*
2025 NFR Barrel Racing Aggregate Standings
- Kassie Mowry / 82.11 on six runs
- Katelyn Scott / 82.32
- Julie Plourde / 83.98
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi / 84.15
- Hailey Kinsel / 86.99
- Tricia Aldridge / 87.12
- Emily Beisel / 87.54
- Megan McLeod-Sprague / 787.61
- Andrea Busby / 88.64
- Lisa Lockhart / 78.225
- Hayle Gibson-Stillwell / 91.92
- Halyn Lide / 93.83
- Carlee Otero / 96.74
- Wenda Johnson / 98.88
- Tayla Moeykens / 88.99 on five runs
2025 WPRA World Standings (after Round Six)
- Kassie Mowry / Dublin, Texas / $316,351.88
- Hailey Kinsel / Cotulla, Texas / $292,718.71
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi / Lampasas, Texas / $261,492.27
- Carlee Otero / Perrin, Texas / $251,829.85
- Emily Beisel / Weatherford, Oklahoma / $251,050.08
- Lisa Lockhart / Oelrichs, South Dakota / $236,243.19
- Tricia Aldridge / Sanger, Texas / $222,152.60
- Halyn Lide / China Spring, Texas / $209,024.81
- Katelyn Scott / Odessa, Texas / $208,776.89
- Hayle Gibson-Stillwell / Redcrest, California / $208,582.70
- Megan McLeod-Sprague / Marsing, Idaho / $198,577.48
- Anita Ellis / Blackfoot, Idaho / $156,991.74
- Tayla Moeykens / Three Forks, Montana / $152,560.90
- Andrea Busby / Millsap, Texas / $149,012.93
- Wenda Johnson / Pawhuska, Oklahoma / $148,428.07
- Julie Plourde / Krum, Texas / $128,276.34
