Photos by Kenneth Springer
December 14, 2019 — Las Vegas — Hailey Kinsel Lockwood won her second consecutive Women’s Professional Rodeo Association barrel racing world championship aboard DM Sissy Hayday with a total of $290,020.49 in season earnings. Lockwood came into the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo sitting in the No. 2 position and slowly built steam throughout the 10-run aggregate to ultimately claim the title. Lockwood became the first WPRA barrel racer to win back-to-back titles since Kelli Kaminski in 2004 and 2005.
“My horse is so awesome. She tries so hard,” Lockwood said. “We got a little out of position tonight [and hit the second barrel], but she tries to make things work so hard and she’s done that all year long at every rodeo—including here, every round—and I’m so proud of her; I couldn’t be more proud of her.”
This year’s championship differed for Lockwood compared to her 2018 championship when she had the world title sealed by Round Nine. This year, it was mathematically possible for several others to win the world title if everything fell their way.
“It was a dog fight the whole Finals. We knew it was going to be going in—didn’t even know who the players would be—but you just know that there’s enough money here and it’s tight enough that it would be tough,” Lockwood said. “We’ve been working the last couple months to have [Sister] ready to do well here so that we could capitalize on our ten days.”
Experience also played a part in 2019 for the Cotulla, Texas, native.
“Last year it was a lot of baby excitement,” Lockwood said. “I thought it was going to be cool [to win the world], but you don’t know how it’s going to feel until you get there. This year I knew how great it was so I just wanted it really bad, because you sure don’t want to be second after you’ve done it once. I guess that’s where most of the emotion is coming from. We pulled off the thing we wanted, real, real this year.”
WORLD STANDINGS
- Hailey Kinsel Lockwood, $290,020.49, Total NFR Earnings: $141,153.85
- Ivy Conrado Saebens, $264,673.09, Total NFR Earnings: $171,403.85
- Emily Miller, $255,798.58, Total NFR Earnings: $157,653.85
- Lisa Lockhart, $250,697.81, Total NFR Earnings: $104,346.16
- Nellie Miller, $235,898.96, Total NFR Earnings: $81,288.46
- Amberleigh Moore, $207,982.30, Total NFR Earnings: $114,923.08
- Dona Kay Rule, $192,392.11, Total NFR Earnings: $95,884.62
- Jessica Routier, $191,197.29, Total NFR Earnings: $94,615.39
- Shali Lord, $173,390.97, Total NFR Earnings: $61,615.38
- Stevi Hillman, $157,219.44, Total NFR Earnings: $51,884.62
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, $152,099.55, Total NFR Earnings: $16,500
- Lacinda Rose, $138,916.62, Total NFR Earnings: $49,980.77
- Cheyenne Wimberley, $127,860.85, Total NFR Earnings: $37,500
- Jennifer Sharp, $114,023.68, Total NFR Earnings: $22,269.23
- Ericka Nelson, $112,317.85, Total NFR Earnings: $18,884.61
Lockhart Wins Round Ten
Lisa Lockhart picked up her first round-win in the final go-round of this year’s Wrangle NFR aboard Prime Diamond with a 13.71.
“I’m absolutely elated,” Lockhart said. “It was an absolute game changer, not only to win the round, but to have a fast enough time to move me up in the average as well. Tonight was an absolute game changer.”
“Cutter” is Lockhart’s 2019 RAM National Circuit Finals Champion, and although he’s helped her along the journey to the NFR, Lockhart says the 8-year-old gelding hasn’t seen the type of stage as the Thomas and Mack Center, which made for a bit of uncertainty in her expectations.
“He’s a little behind the 8-ball. I’ve not competed on him a lot—he’s always been with me in the trailer—but he’s not really seen the limelight and the runs. To come back and redeem himself feels good,” Lockhart said. “I thought he felt pretty focused [tonight]. He got pretty nervous in the alleyway, so just not knowing him well enough or being on these stages it’s hard to know what to expect. I was just hoping and praying that we would lock on and do his job, and he did.”
ROUND TEN RESULTS
- Lisa Lockhart, Prime Diamond, 13.71, $26,230.77
- Cheyenne Wimberley, KN Fabs Mist Of Fame, 13.79, $20,730.77
- Ivy Conrado Saebens, KN Fabs Gift Of Fame, 13.86, $15,653.85
- Jessica Routier, Fiery Miss West, 13.87, $11,000
- Shali Lord, Freckles Ta Fame, 13.88, $6,769.23
- tie 6-Dona Kay Rule, High Valor, 13.89, $2,115.38
- tie 6-Ericka Nelson, Goodfrenchmanfriday, 13.89, $2,115.38
- Lacinda Rose, RR Meradas Real Deal, 13.92
- Nellie Miller, Rafter W Minnie Reba, 14.06
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Babe On The Chase *, 14.10
- Emily Miller, Namgis D 33, 18.65*
- 12/13. Amberleigh Moore, Blue Duck Down*, 18.85*
- 12/13. Hailey Kinsel, DM Sissy Hayday, 18.85*
- Jennifer Sharp, KR Famous Tequilla, 19.11*
- Stevi Hillman, MCM Imasharpguy, 23.71**
*Denotes penalty
Ivy Conrado-Saebens Wins NFR Average
Ivy Conrado Saebens claimed a rewarding Wrangler NFR aggregate championship aboard KN Fabs Gift Of Fame—a title for which she says she’s waited a long time.
“2016 was a heartbreaker, 2017 was more like redemption and 2018 was a learning curve, because we came in with a big plan and I learned that every night is a new rodeo and nothing is guaranteed here no matter how good your horse is, so you have to treat it that way every single night,” Saebens said.
Saebens made her fourth consecutive trip to the Wrangler NFR this year and was able to focus on the mental fortitude it takes to conquer the Thomas and Mack Center arena for 10 rounds. Doing so this year aboard only one mount, “J-Lo,” and being the only competitor to keep all three barrels up in all 10 rounds was an achievement Saebens says was all because of her great horse.
“We were .02 in 2017 from winning the average behind Nellie (Miller), and I’m just really excited that J-Lo gets to put this on her career,” Saebens said. “She deserves all the recognition in the world… and of course I need to thank her owners for letting me even throw a leg over her, Kenny Nichols and Dale Barron. None of this would even be possible without them.”
AGGREGATE STANDINGS ON TEN RUNS
- Ivy Conrado Saebens, 138.44, $67,269.23
- Emily Miller, 143.25, $54,576.92
- Lisa Lockhart, 144.47, $43,153.85
- Nellie Miller, 144.63, $31,730.77
- Shali Lord, 144.47, $22,846.15
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 144.77, $16,500
- Lacinda Rose, 145.17, $11,423.08
- Hailey Kinsel Lockwood, 147.42, $6,346.15
- Jessica Routier, 148.45
- Dona Kay Rule, 148.84
- Jennifer Sharp, 165.38
- Amberleigh Moore, 167.51
- Cheyenne Wimberley, 175.22
- Ericka Nelson, 175.45
- Stevi Hillman, 154.30 on nine runs*
