Article courtesy WRWC with modification from Barrel Horse News
MAY 18, 2022 — FORT WORTH, TEXAS — Following this week’s electric Women’s Rodeo World Championship event inside the historic Cowtown Coliseum in Fort Worth, Texas, not only are there new event champions crowned, but the event reached a new level of dominant competition.
Hailey Kinsel (Cotulla, Texas) has another palomino bombshell on the trailer, and DH Jess Stellar (Mighty Jess x PC Frosted Stellar x Sun Frost) is proving she’s more than a backup to DM Sissy Hayday. “Jules,” owned by Hodges Farms and trained by Janna Beam-Brown, held the arena record at Cowtown with a 13.387, set with Brown on board at The American Semifinals in 2021. Kinsel and Jules broke that record with a 13.384 to win the 2022 Women’s Rodeo World Championship barrel racing for $60,000.
After making her WRWC debut as the No. 11-ranked barrel racer on the pro leaderboard, Kinsel’s jaw-dropping 13.384 push through the Cowtown Coliseum course propelled her to the top of tonight’s battle, beating Laura Mote (Llano, Texas) and Reb Hot Redbull’s 13.564-second effort and 2022 WRWC Champion Rainey Skelton’s (Llano, Texas) 18.908 run on Fame And Jewels.
—> Read more: DH Jess Stellar’s background and former arena record
The ferociously contested breakaway roping race capped off a slug-fest between Martha Angelone (Stephenville, Texas), and barrel racer/breakaway roper Britta Strain (Bryan, Texas).
Backed by a strong showing, including tying for the fastest time of the week, Angelone surged to the top of the breakaway roping leaderboard after a 2.05-second time to win the showdown round, besting Strain’s 2.29-second run. The three-time WRWC qualifier entered the Triple Crown of Rodeo Round alongside Strain and Jenna Dallyn (Nanton, Alberta, Canada).
Strain delivered a groundbreaking performance at the event, as the string broke away from her saddle horn at an impressive 2.04-second time, good for the fastest time of the week. Angelone backed into the box and stopped the clock at the same time as Strain, tying for the event title. Angelone’s Showdown Round time was the tie-breaker decision. As Angelone had a faster time than Strain in the Showdown Round, Angelone was named event winner.
As the WRWC continued on Wednesday evening, a hotly contested battle in the team roping began to unfurl. Roping duo Kylie Mclean (San Tan Valley, Arizona) and Megan Gunter (Mccammon, Idaho) had fans inside the historic arena on the edges of their seats as they were last to run, earning a remarkable 6.65-second time. Tracey Nelson (Mcdavid, Florida) and Kaylee Billingsley (Phoenix, Arizona) notched a valiant 7.96-second run to take the No. 2 spot. Mclean and Gunter took home $60,000 individually, a Jesse Jaymes Silversmith’s buckle and the WRWC team roping title.
For a complete list of advancement, results and all-around points, please click here.
WRWC is the largest annual purse for a women’s rodeo event. With the conclusion of the 2022 Women’s Rodeo World Championship, the event has paid out $2,250,000 to women rodeo athletes since 2020.
About Women’s Rodeo World Championship
The WRWC is the largest annual purse for a women’s rodeo event and will pay out more than $750,000 in 2021 while crowning world champions in the women’s rodeo disciplines—team roping, breakaway roping and barrel racing. An all-around champion will also be crowned. WRWC is a culmination of a year-long race of women’s rodeo events worldwide. Athletes qualify for the WRWC by earning points and leaderboard positions using the Virtual Rodeo Qualifier. The championship event took place at the historic Cowtown Coliseum from May 16-18, 2022.
