LAS VEGAS — DECEMBER 14, 2024 — The race for the 2024 Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s World Champion Barrel Racer all came down to Round 10 at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, presented by Teton Ridge. Through a near shut out in the barrel racing it was a knife fight between Hailey Kinsel and Kassie Mowry all 10 rounds. Ultimately, it was career trainer and EquiStat all-time leading rider Mowry who took home the gold buckle.
“I know the fans love a horse, just a good horse race,” Mowry said. “These horses were so evenly matched, both incredible athletes. It came down to one run today, and we went out there and did the best we could, let the chips fall where we may. I had the same game plan through the whole thing, and it just worked out. But it was close.”
At first out on the ground Mowry and Force The Goodbye turned in a 13.59. Barrel racing fans sat through 10 more runners before Kinsel came up at draw No. 12. Aboard Kenny Nichols’ and Dale Barron’s KN Fabs Gift Of Fame, Kinsel and “JLo” turned in a 13.97. Ultimately, Mowry finished second in the round earning $26,623.74 and fourth in the aggregate earning $40,750.62. Kinsel finished seventh in Round 10, one place out of the money, and finished fifth in the aggregate earning $29,340.45. With Mowry and Kinsel sitting neck and neck in both the standings and the aggregate Mowry’s higher placing in Round 10 and the aggregate sealed the deal for the career trainer’s first WPRA World Championship.
“This is unimaginable. I never thought I would ever be a world champion — a rodeo cowgirl,” Mowry said. “It’s really, truly unimaginable. But now that I’m here it’s so exciting. I’m so proud that I stayed hooked through this year. I’m glad I left that driveway. It was worth it. This is incredible, and this has been a good experience for me, and a great finish to this roller coaster of a year.”
Mowry had a goal coming into this year’s NFR to give “Jarvis,” who is owned by her late fiance, leading owner Michael Boone, the opportunity to run in all 10 rounds of the NFR. She felt the earner of more than $1 million would continue to build speed and settle in at the Thomas and Mack with more rounds. Mowry, an earner of more than $7.5 million rode Jarvis in five rounds at the 2023 NFR and knew he’d have the capability to show off his talent for the full 10.
The Dublin, Texas, resident had a record-setting NFR. First, with tying current WPRA President Jimmie Munroe’s 1984 record of five consecutive NFR round wins. Then, by earning a total of $295,526.02 in single year NFR earnings, which beat Kinsel’s record of $270,615 set in 2020.
“I didn’t have expectations. I didn’t want to put that pressure on myself, because I feel like I would just crumble right now going through this,” Mowry said. “There’s a lot of emotions to get through this week, and really just having faith in my horse and letting him carry me through this — I didn’t want to force anything to happen. And he did. He just he showed out, and he did his part, and I was there. I felt like I rode good, and I stayed with him and helped him where he needed it.”
Mowry ultimately finished the season with $457,808.86 in WPRA world standings earnings. Plus, Mowry earned $295,526.02 in 2024 NFR earnings en route to her world title, which earned her the Ram Top Gun Award, which hasn’t been won by a barrel racer since Kinsel in 2020.
The more than $7.5 million earner is the all-time leading rider of barrel horses having won on nearly ever stage in the barrel horse world. She’s predominately known for her success as a futurity trainer having earned more than $3.7 million in futurity earnings alone, Mowry’s had support from across all facets of the industry. From her fellow futurity trainers, to the pro rodeo competitors and all fans in between. Mowry says she couldn’t have done any of it without the support and hopes to represent the career trainers well on the pro rodeo stage.
“They’re a part of my family,” Mowry said of her fellow futurity trainers. “I feel like I represent them. I’m a trainer, and I do feel like I represent the trainers, and so I do try to do my best.”
Andrea Busby and Jets Top Gun Win Wrangler NFR Average
Andrea Busby and Jets Top Gun were the only duo at this year’s NFR to make 10 clean runs inside the Thomas and Mack Center arena and en route to their Wrangler NFR Average title they set the WPRA barrel racing aggregate record with 136.18 on 10 runs. The average record was previously held by 136.83 on 10 runs previously held by Jordon Briggs and Famous Lil Jet set in 2021.
“I couldn’t have even dreamed this up. I don’t think Walt Disney could have written this for me,” Busby said. “I’ve worked at this a long time. It’s so special to have it on a horse that we were there when he was born. We watched him grow up. He’s just been part of our life and part of our program, and never taken him for granted.”
Started by Janna Beam Brown, Jets Top Gun is from Busby’s renowned breeding program and is by her stud Blazin Jetolena, and out of GL Famous First Lady, who’s by Dash Ta Fame. Jets Top Gun has quickly grown to stardom after helping Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi claim the 2023 WPRA World Championship. This year, he’s been in the hands of his owner Busby and they performed all year long to come into the NFR in the No. 12 position.
Busby and “Benny” went straight to winning inside the Thomas and Mack Center arena, picking up a paycheck in the first round. Though Busby is a first-time qualifier to the NFR she rode all 10 rounds like a veteran of the Thomas and Mack. Busby and Benny were the only team to turn in 10 clean runs and yet, showed no signs of safetying up.
“It’s just like in sports, you got to keep swinging for the fences, because the minute you back off, it goes wrong,” Busby said. “On those kinds of horses I think when you start trying to safety up is when things go wrong. I honestly tried to just ride him jump for jump and he is pretty honest.”
En route to the NFR aggregate championship Benny crossed the $1 million mark in EquiStat lifetime earnings. He now has $1,090,385 after earning $227,880 in Las Vegas.
Those earnings also helped push Busby from No. 12 to finish third in the WPRA world standings with $343,706.
2024 NFR Barrel Racing Horsepower
Top 10 EquiStat NFR All-Time Leaders
Emily Beisel and Ivory On Fire Win Round 10 of Wrangler NFR
Emily Beisel and Ivory On Fire finish the Wrangler NFR on a high with the Round 10 win from a time of 13.51, worth $33,687.18. Beisel of Weatherford, Oklahoma, shared her NFR aboard three mounts, her fan favorite Namgis D 33 aka “Chongo,” the young gun she brought to last year’s NFR “Liza” and new to her team this year Teasin Dat Guy aka “Chewy.”
Liza, while has only been a part of Beisel’s team for nearly two years has already proven herself inside the tough set up of the Thomas and Mack Center arena at last year’s NFR. She continued to prove that this year as well placing three of the four rounds in which she ran.
Through 10 rounds Beisel and her standout horses earned $107,801 in total NFR earnings and finished the year in the same position they entered the NFR in — No. 5. While some can get caught up in the wow-factor of setting records and winning on the biggest stage of pro rodeo Beisel strives to keep a level head and keep the opportunity to run barrels professionally in perspective.
“What a great group of women and horses. My gosh, we had to run 13.6s to get checks. It was crazy. It was so tough. Every night was a knife fight. Everybody has worked so hard to be here, and sometimes it’s your weekend, sometimes it’s not, but the biggest competition we have is with ourselves, not with anybody else, and so we’re always pulling for one another,” Beisel said.
- 2024 NFR Barrel Racing Round One Results
- 2024 NFR Barrel Racing Round Two Results
- 2024 NFR Barrel Racing Round Three Results
- 2024 NFR Barrel Racing Round Four Results
- 2024 NFR Barrel Racing Round Five Results
- 2024 NFR Barrel Racing Round Six Results
- 2024 NFR Barrel Racing Round Seven Results
- 2024 NFR Barrel Racing Round Eight Results
- 2024 NFR Barrel Racing Round Nine Results
2024 NFR Barrel Racing Round 10 Results
1. Emily Beisel/Ivory On Fire/13.51/$33,687.18
2. Kassie Mowry/Force The Goodbye/13.59/$26,623.74
3/4. TIE- Shelley Morgan/Bucky Wonder Horse/13.61/$17,115.26
3/4. TIE- Andrea Busby/ Jets Top Gun/13.61/$17,115.26
5. Halyn Lide/Jettin Ta Heaven/13.66/$8,693.47
6. Ashley Castleberry/Skyy Blue/13.78/$5,433.42
7. Hailey Kinsel/KN Fabs Gift Of Fame/13.97
8. LaTricia Duke/DM High Roller/14.06
9. Wenda Johnson/Steal Money/14.27
10. Abby Phillips/VF Expensive Taste/14.52
11. Lisa Lockhart/Promise Me Fame Guys/18.36*
12. Tiany Schuster/Show Mance/18.70*
13. Carlee Otero/Blingolena/19.32*
14. Leslie Smalygo/Justaheartbeattofame/23.85**
15. Dona Kay Rule/ Injury Out
2024 NFR Barrel Racing Aggregate Results
- Andrea Busby, Millsap, Texas, 122.57 on 10 runs, $86,391.31
- Ashley Castleberry, Montgomery, Texas, 142.73, $70,091.06
- LaTricia Duke, Zephyr, Texas, 143.84, $55,420.84
- Kassie Mowry, Dublin, Texas, 144.12, $40,750.62
- Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, Texas, 145.70, $29,340.45
- Emily Beisel, Weatherford, Okla., 146.65, $21,190.32
- Tiany Schuster, Krum, Texas, 146.97, $14,670.22
- Halyn Lide, China Spring, Texas, 148.17, $8,150.12
- Carlee Otero, Perrin, Texas, 152.55
- Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., 156.91
- Wenda Johnson, Pawhuska, Okla., 158.46
- Abby Phillips, Marshall, Texas, 158.69
- Shelley Morgan, Eustace, Texas, 162.23
- Leslie Smalygo, Skiatook, Okla., 149.16 on nine runs
- Dona Kay Rule, Minco, Okla., 88.26 on six runs (injury out)
2024 WPRA Barrel Racing World Standings (After Round 10)
- Kassie Mowry/$457,808.86
- Hailey Kinsel/$430,352.51
- Andrea Busby/$343,705.75
- Ashley Castleberry/$287,273.20
- Emily Beisel/$261,806.45
- Carlee Otero/$261,441.26
- Leslie Smalygo/$251,547.69
- LaTricia Duke/$211,394.88
- Tiany Schuster/$208,511.16
- Lisa Lockhart/$187,291.53
- Shelley Morgan/$176,610.15
- Abby Phillips/$165,163.82
- Halyn Lide/$157,502.76
- Dona Kay Rule/$140,174.45
- Wenda Johnson/$127,969.63
