“Hammer was really calm in the alley,” Bean said, “but when we took off, he really flew to the first and we got by it a little. But, the second was good and we got by the third by a hair. He really ran very hard home.” 
Jana Bean and Hammer
Of how her second trip to the NFR is treating her, Bean added, “I sure started slow, but somehow seem to be ending up real good. I am so excited and happy right now.”
Bean, who has also placed fourth in rounds 6 and 7 and sixth in round 8, described her go round win as a dream come true.
“Oh my God, it is just surreal. I have wanted this since I was a very little girl. I’m just truly blessed that it has finally come true,” she said.
With 41,462 in NFR earnings, Bean is ranked 11th in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Standings with $111,624 on the season.
Hammer, an 8-year-old gelding sired by Royal Streakin out of Designer Splash, by Splash Bac, is one of five horses Bean brought with her to the NFR. She credits Hammer as her main money winner since May.
Sarah Rose McDonald, Brunswick, Ga., and the phenomenal Fame Fling N Bling encountered their first plus-five penalty of the NFR, which moved them down to seventh in the aggregate. McDonald is still ranked second in the WPRA World Standings, with Lisa Lockhart and “Louie” (An Oakie With Cash) holding down the No. 1 spot in the world. The duo from Oelrichs, South Dakota, won third in the ninth round for $15,654 and rank sixth in the all-important aggregate. With rock-solid consistency, Callie DuPerier, Boerne, Texas, currently has a lock on the aggregate with 126.29 cumulative seconds on nine runs and sits third in the world, roughly $26,000 behind Lockhart. With the average paying out more than ever–$67,269 to win it, how the times stack up in the final round will be the all-important factor deciding which lady will leave Vegas with a gold buckle and world title.
Michele McLeod and Slick By Design continue their NFR earnings assault, finishing second in the round No. 9 with a time of 13.85. The team has amassed $106,615 in NFR earnings, the most of any other barrel racer thus far. McLeod has risen to fourth in the world standings and sit fourth in the average.
Don’t miss the February issue of Barrel Horse News to read in-depth coverage of all the great stories from the 2015 Wrangler NFR.
Barrel Racing Results – Ninth Go Round:
1. Jana Bean, 13.71, $26,230.77
2. Michele McLeod, 13.85, $23,481
3. Lisa Lockhart, 13.86, $15,653.85
4. Vickie Carter, 13.88, $11,000
5. Cassidy Kruse, 13.91, $6,769.23
6. Fallon Taylor, 13.96, $4,230.77
7. Jackie Ganter, 13.97
8. Sherry Cervi, 14.00
9. Carley Richardson, 14.21
10. Callie DuPerier, 14.32
11. Deb Guelly, 14.36
12. Sarah Rose McDonald, 18.81
13. Mary Walker, 19.13
14. Nancy Hunter, 19.45
13. Taylor Jacob, 25.45
Aggregate:
1. Callie DuPerier, 126.29 seconds on 9
2. Jackie Ganter, 127.22
3. Cassidy Kruse, 130.76
4. Michele McLeod, 131.12
5. Sherry Cervi, 132.49
6. Lisa Lockhart, 134.66
7. Sarah Rose McDonald, 134.73
8. Carley Richardson, 138.34
9. Vickie Carter, 134.46
10. Fallon Taylor, 140.70
11. Deb Guelly, 143.78
12. Mary Walker, 146.15
13. Jana Bean, 147.23
14. Taylor Jacob, 151.71
15. Nancy Hunter, 152.27
World Standings:
1. Lisa Lockhart, $262,636;
2. Sarah Rose McDonald, $247,196;
3. Callie duPerier, $236,577;
4. Michele McLeod, $187,013;
5. Fallon Taylor, $180,809;
6. Taylor Jacob, $177,874;
7. Cassidy Kruse, $170,038;
8. Nancy Hunter, $147,301;
9. Mary Walker, $135,759;
10. Sherry Cervi, $114,744;
11. Jana Bean, $111,624;
12. Carley Richardson, $101,147;
13. Jackie Ganter, $94,550;
14. Vickie Carter, $83,768;
15. Deb Guelly, $74,000.
