2025 National Western Stock Show Rodeo Barrel Racing Updates

The 2025 National Western Stock Show and Rodeo kicked off January 6 with Colorado V. The World rodeo inside the Denver Coliseum. The NWSSR pro rodeo will officially begin January 16 with the first performance and will conclude January 26. Follow along here for all the barrel racing action from the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association at the 2025 NWSSR.

Find more info at about the NWSSR here.

By Susan Kanode for NWSSR, with modifications from Barrel Horse News

Carlee Otero and HB Firewater Vanila Earn NWSSR Championship

Carlee Otero broke her pelvis in December at the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas. She competed in several rounds there despite having to be lifted onto her horse. She took the last half of December and early January to try to heal but was back in the saddle at the National Western. The Perrin, Texas resident was the final cowgirl to compete in a tight championship round that had three runners clocking times in the late 14.7-second range and just one-hundredth between each of them. Otero rode her palomino gelding HB Firewater Vanila and turned in a 14.71 to earn the NWSSR barrel racing championship.

Carlee Otero barrel racing at National Western — Carlee Otero broke her pelvis in December at the NFR in Las Vegas. She competed in several rounds there despite having to be lifted onto her horse. She took the last half of December and early January to try to heal but was back in the saddle at the National Western. The Perrin, Texas resident was the final cowgirl to compete in a tight championship round that had three runners clocking times in the late 14.7-second range and just one-hundredth between each of them. Otero rode her young palomino gelding named HB Firewater Vanila and when they finished the cloverleaf pattern, their time was 14.71 seconds to earn the championship. NWSS Photo by Ric Andersen

Hall Sets Barrel Racing Record at the NWSSR

DENVER, COLORADO, (JANUARY 18, 2025) — The National Western Stock Show Rodeo kicked off with pro rodeo action from the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association on January 16 inside the Denver Coliseum. Pueblo, Colorado cowgirl Kelly Yates took the top spot in the first performance of the NWSSR with a 14.81.

January 18 saw three more performances of the NWSSR where Sharin Hall and Hello Stella ultimately topped the day and set the NWSSR barrel racing arena record with a 14.48. The previous record was set by Tessa Arnold, from Coleman, Texas, last year at 14.50.

Hall is currently in the top 40 in the world standings, but that could change with the success they are having in the Denver Coliseum.

Hall’s record was in the first round of competition. She came back at the evening performance and stopped the clock in 14.74 seconds. She is at the top of the leaderboard in her bracket and will be back at the NWSSR to compete in the Semifinals where all of the competition starts with a clean slate. If her success continues through the Semifinals, she will advance to the Championship Finals and will have a chance to win her first title at the National Western Stock Show Rodeo.

The top three contestants in each event from eight brackets will be part of the Semi-Finals on Saturday, Jan. 25.

Sharin Hall and Hello Stella set NWSSR arena record — Sharin Hall and 8-year-old mare Hello Stella had barrel racing fans on the edge of their seats during the fourth performance of the National Western Stock Show Rodeo. Hall, from Pilot Point, Texas, set a new arena record at 14.48 seconds. Hall was successful in both rounds of Bracket 2 and will be back for the Semifinals. NWSS photo by Ric Andersen

Scott Wins Colorado V. The World at the NWSSR

DENVER, COLORADO, (JANUARY 11, 2025) — For more than a decade, the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo has kicked off rodeo action in the Denver Coliseum with Colorado Versus the World. The first performance at the 119^th edition of the Denver tradition featured contestants representing rodeos from the world in bareback riding, steer wrestling, saddle bronc riding, women’s barrel racing and bull riding. Those eight rodeos included the Fort Worth Stock Show & Rodeo, Rodeo Austin, Rodeo Houston, and the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo in Texas, Dodge City Round-Up in Kansas, Wyoming’s Cheyenne Frontier Days, Rodeo Rapid City in South Dakota and Canada’s Calgary Stampede.

The best four from the World performance advanced to Saturday night’s performance to face off against the best four from the Colorado team. The matinee performance was all Colorado with contestants representing the National Western, the Elizabeth Stampede, the Greeley Stampede, Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, the Larimer County Fair Rodeo in Loveland and the Colorado State Fair Rodeo in Pueblo.

When it was all said and done, four contestants from the World team and four from the Colorado team competed on Saturday night where each team got one spot in a winner-take-all shootout. Three out of five championships were won by contestants representing the World rodeos.

Katelyn Scott took her horse around the cloverleaf pattern in 15.119 seconds to win the barrel racing for the World team. She rode in the Denver Coliseum for Canada’s Calgary Stampede. Super Saturday came to a close with each champion earning a pair of championship spurs to go with their $8,000 checks.

2025 NWSSR Colorado Versus The World Champions — Colorado Versus the World winners, left to right – Parker McCown, bull riding; Katelyn Scott, barrel racing; Statler Wright, saddle bronc riding; Nick Guy, steer wrestling; and Ben Kramer bareback riding. NWSS photo by Ric Andersen.

2025 NWSSR Barrel Racing Results

Bracket One: First round: 1. Kelly Yates, 14.81 seconds; 2. Oceane Veilleux, 14.86; 3. Jennifer Sharp, 14.96; 4. Chloe Woods, 15.03. Second round: 1. Summer Kosel, 14.77 seconds; 2. Ashley Day, 14.83; 3. Acey Pinkston, 14.89; 4. Karson Bradley Berger, 14.91.
Qualifiers: 1. Oceane Veilleux, 29.83 seconds on two head; 2. Kelly Yates, 29.89; 3. Ashley Day, 29.90.
Bracket Two: First round: 1. Carlee Otero, 14.56 seconds; 2. Stephanie Fryar, 14.88; 3. Kim Schulze, 14.89; 4. Kayla Jones, 15.11. Second round: 1. Stephanie Fryar, 14.51 seconds; 2. Carlee Otero, 14.57; 3. Kim Schulze, 15.02; 4. Chris Gibson, 15.33.
Qualifiers: 1. Carlee Otero, 29.13 seconds on two head; 2. Stephanie Fryar, 29.39; 3. Kim Schulze, 29.91.
Bracket Three: First round: 1. Sharin Hall, 14.48 seconds; 2. LaTricia Duke, 14.64; 3. Jordan Driver, 14.87; 4. Ilyssa Riley, 15.03. Second round: 1. Sharin Hall, 14.74 seconds; 2. Jordan Driver, 14.88; 3. Cassidy Deen, 14.92; 4. Katelyn Scott, 14.96.
Qualifiers: 1. Sharin Hall, 29.22 seconds on two head; 2. Jordan Driver, 29.75; 3. Cassidy Deen, 30.00.
Bracket Four: First round: 1. Abbie Crews, 14.79 seconds; 2. Alyssa Urbanek-Wade, 14.87; 3. Summer Schaffran, 15.00; 4. Maggie Poloncic, 15.01. Second round: 1. Maggie Poloncic, 14.83 seconds; 2. Alyssa Urbanek-Wade, 14.93; 3. (tie) Alex Odle and Summer Schraffran, 15.17 each.
Qualifiers: 1. Alyssa Urbanek-Wade, 29.80 seconds on two head; 2. Maggie Poloncic, 29.93; 3. Summer Schaffran, 30.17.
Bracket Five: First round: 1. Abby Phillips, 14.75 seconds; 2. Gracen Harman, 15.11; 3. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 15.14; 4. Taryn Boxleitner, 15.21. Second round: 1. Emma Parr, 14.68 seconds; 2. Kaitlyn Schuck, 14.90; 3. Lorilee Lord, 14.93; 4. Sammi Hegwer, 15.29.
Qualifiers: 1. Emma Parr, 29.98 seconds on two head; 2. Shy-Anne Jarrett, 30.46; 3. Kaitlyn Schuck, 30.54.
Bracket Six: First round: 1. Emily Beisel, 14.72 seconds; 2. Krystal Dillman, 14.94; 3. Jackie Ganter, 14.96; 4. Kim Squires, 15.00. Second round: 1. Emily Beisel, 14.79 seconds; 2. Jackie Ganter, 14.84; 3. Emma Ricke, 14.85; 4. Jymmy Cox, 14.90.
Qualifiers: 1. Emily Beisel, 29.51 seconds on two head; 2. Jackie Ganter, 29.80; 3. Kim Squires, 29.93.
Bracket Seventh: First round: 1. McKenna Coronado, 14.75 seconds; 2. Kailey Mitton, 14.81; 3. Michelle Alley, 14.83; 4. Ivy Hurst, 14.90. Second round: 1. McKenna 14.56 seconds, 2. Kailey Mitton 14.72; 3. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 14.78; 4. Michelle 14.90.
Qualifiers: 1. McKenna Coronado, 29.31 seconds on two head; 2. Kailey Mitton, 29.53; 3. Michelle Alley, 29.73.
Bracket Eight: First round: 1. Shelley Morgan, 14.74 seconds; 2. Kristi Cole, 14.89; 3. Tricia Aldridge, 14.91; 4. Makala Pierce, 15.12. Second round: 1. Kristi Cole, 14.68 seconds; 2. Shelley Morgan, 14.70; 3. Hailey Kinsel, 14.75; 4. Raelin Jurgens, 14.97.
Qualifiers: 1. Shelley Morgan, 29.44 seconds; 2. Kristi Cole, 29.57; 3. Raelin Jurgens, 30.32.

Semifinal One: 1. Carlee Otero, 14.92 seconds, $3,794; 2. Kelly Yates, 14.93, $2,845; 3. Kim Squires, 15.01, $1,897; 4. Cassidy Deen, 15.03, $949.
Semifinal Two: 1. Michelle Alley, 14.55 seconds, $3,794; 2. Sharin Hall, 14.63, $2,846; 3. Stephanie Fryar, 14.73, $1,897; 4. Kristi Cole, 14.86, $949.
Semifinal Three: 1. Jordan Driver, 14.63 seconds, $3,794; 2. McKenna Coronado, 14.79, $2,946; 3. Kim Schulze, 14.88, $1,897; 4. Oceane Veilleux, $949.
Finals: 1. Carlee Ortero, 14.71 seconds, $5,454; 2. Jordan Driver, 14.76, $4,743; 3. Oceane Veilleux, 14.77, $4,032; 4. McKenna Coronado, 14.78, $3,320; 5. Kristi Cole, 14.80, $2,609; 6. Cassidy Deen, 14.84, $1,897; 7. Stephanie Fryar, 14.85, $1,186; 8. Kim Schulze, 14.98, $474.

Colorado V. the World Barrel Racing Results: Cinch Jeans World Team Performance: 1, Taryn Boxleitner, Dodge City (Kansas) Round-Up, 15.070, $1,050. 2, Katelyn Scott, Calgary Stampede, 15,342. 3, Amy Jo Reisdorfer, San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo, 15.455, $650. 4, Teneille Angland, Rodeo Austin (Texas), 15.551, $550. Pendleton Whisky’s Team Colorado Performance: 1, Shali Lord, Rooftop Rodeo (Estes Park), 15.083 seconds, $1,050. 2, Alex Odle, Elizabeth Stampede, 15.234, $750. 3, Kim Schulze, Greeley Stampede, 15.333, $650. 4, Sara Winkelman, Larimer County Fair Rodeo (Loveland), $15.367. Showdown – Colorado Vs. The World: (Semifinals) Katelyn Scott, World, 14.894 seconds, $1,200. Alex Odle, Colorado, 15.142, $1,200. (Final) Scott, 15.119, $8,000.