Taylor led the top 15 in the world standings coming into tonight’s round, but by a razor-thin margin over Lisa Lockhart, who had taken back the average race in the eighth round. To retain their No. 1 spot in the world, Taylor and her racy sorrel mare, Flos Heiress, had to ourtrun Lockhart and An Oakie With Cash in tonight’s performance and distance the two with day money. Fallon-Taylor--2

In a true nail biter of a round, Carlee Pierce set the pace at the top of the ground with a rapid 13.97, which would ultimately place third and bring Pierce’s NFR earnings to an impressive $63,749.99. It wasn’t long before Mary Walker and Perculatin moved Pierce to second with a 13.90 for the 2012 WPRA World Champion’s second go-round win in three nights.

Deeper in the draw was Lockhart, running 10th on “Louie.” The 14.02 they left on the board put the pressure on Taylor, the next cowgirl in line. Waiting in the alley, Taylor’s strategy was to deliver more of the same she had all week, knowing that she’d run a 14.02 or better on four occasions, including the eighth round when Babyflo got hung up in the ground behind the third barrel.

“The horses are tired, we’re tired, but I just gave it everything I had,” Taylor said.

The 13.96 she delivered was good for second place in the round. Michele McLeod’s 13.99 and Christy Loflin’s 14.00 further distanced Taylor from Lockhart, who earned a sixth-place check for her efforts.

In a matter of hours, the Whitesboro, Texas cowgirl will walk across the stage at the South Point Casino to be crowned the 2014 WPRA World Champion Barrel Racer and some kind of “good.”

“Last night, on Facebook, you said you would be crowned pretty good, really good, or damn good…” I reminded her.

“I’m damn good! I got the buckle – damn good, right across there!” she exclaimed, laughing and holding up her gold buckle. “To be pinned against Lisa Lockhart, who is the queen of consistency, and Louie, who is so amazing, and to have a mare that had probably one of the worst finals in history for a barrel racer last year… to come back and win a world title against Lisa Lockhart when I had to beat her at her own game…Lisa’s just amazing and this is just such an honor to even be in the hunt with her, much less to be crowned the world champion.”

Taylor also earned the Jerry Ann Taylor Best Dressed Award for her wardrobe in the arena, which is a culmination of efforts of designers nationwide.

“We have a contest on Facebook and I let all these designers around the country just have at it,” she said of how she compiles her attire. “Somehow, it all comes together the day before we leave for the finals. A lot of stuff was FedExed to my hotel room while I was here, and it would be in the hotel lobby and I’d throw it on and be like, ‘OK, that’s cool, let’s go!’ I just want to give publicity to a lot of those women who are bringing glitz and glam back to rodeo.”

Michele McLeod was awarded the Cicle Y fast time saddle for the 13.66 she posted in the fifth round, and Lockhart maintained her average lead to claim the $48,732 check for an aggregate of 144.93 on 10 runs.

“We did not think we would have Louie here, so to come here and have the 10 days we had was absolutely surreal,” said Lockhart, whose buckskin gelding was sidelined in March with a stifle injury. “It was fun to be in a horse race. I never expected to ever be there. The only thing is I feel I didn’t ride my horse to the best of my ability on the last day, so there’s disappointment there, but it’s been an amazing endeavor, getting to ride him here. I never thought in a million years I’d win an average at the NFR. It’s awesome to have accomplished that, because it’s not something I thought was possible.”

Don’t miss the February issue of Barrel Horse News to read in-depth coverage of all the great stories from the 2014 Wrangler NFR.

Barrel Racing Results – Tenth go-round:
1. Mary Walker Ennis, Texas 13.90 $19,002.40
2. Fallon Taylor Whitesboro, Texas 13.96 $15,018.03
3. Carlee Pierce Stephenville, Texas 13.97 $11,340.14
4. Michele McLeod Whitesboro, Texas 13.99 $7,968.75
5. Christy Loflin Franktown, Colo. 14.00 $4,903.85
6. Lisa Lockhart Oelrichs, S.D. 14.02 $3,064.90
7/8. Trula Churchill Valentine, Neb. 14.05
7/8. Nancy Hunter Neola, Utah 14.05
9. Jana Bean Ft. Hancock, Texas 14.08
10. Kaley Bass Kissimmee, Fla. 14.15
11. Christine Laughlin Pueblo, Colo. 14.17
12. Britany Diaz Solen, N.D. 14.28
13. Samantha Lyne Cotulla, Texas 14.58
14. Kassidy Dennison Tohatchi, N.M. 18.79
15. Sherry Cervi Marana, Ariz. 24.11

Aggregate Standings – Tenth go-round:
(Rank/Name/Aggregate/Aggregate Prize/Total NFR Earnings
1. Lisa Lockhart 144.93/10 $48,731.97 $143,897.22
2. Fallon Taylor 145.10/10 $39,537.26 $144,969.94
3. Kaley Bass 147.15/10 $31,262.02 $59,152.65
4. Britany Diaz 147.37/10 $22,986.78 $51,643.62
5. Michele McLeod 151.06/10 $16,550.48 $62,830.52
6. Carlee Pierce 151.61/10 $11,953.13 $63,749.99
7. Jana Bean 151.97/10 $8,275.24 $30,342.54
8. Trula Churchill 154.84/10 $4,597.36 $66,201.92
9. Nancy Hunter 160.37/10 $0.00 $32,487.98
10. Sherry Cervi 161.80/10 $0.00 $29,116.59
11. Kassidy Dennison 165.97/10 $0.00 $34,020.43
12. Mary Walker 175.14/10 $0.00 $45,973.55
13. Christine Laughlin 176.87/10 $0.00 $0.00
14. Samantha Lyne 139.11/9 $0.00 $11,340.14
15. Christy Loflin 158.21/9 $0.00 $21,147.84

 

Windham Weaponry World Rankings – Tenth go-round:
(Rank/Season earnings/NFR earnings/Total world earnings)
1. Fallon Taylor $131,471.13 $144,969.94 $276,441.07
2. Lisa Lockhart $121,617.00 $143,897.22 $265,514.22
3. Kaley Bass $155,279.55 $59,152.65 $214,432.20
4. Michele McLeod $100,645.02 $62,830.52 $163,475.54
5. Britany Diaz $102,946.71 $51,643.62 $154,590.33
6. Carlee Pierce $90,430.58 $63,749.99 $154,180.57
7. Mary Walker $99,712.14 $45,973.55 $145,685.69
8. Trula Churchill $75,874.35 $66,201.92 $142,076.27
9. Nancy Hunter $104,289.49 $32,487.98 $136,777.47
10. Kassidy Dennison $92,051.12 $34,020.43 $126,071.55
11. Sherry Cervi $93,048.33 $29,116.59 $122,164.92
12. Christy Loflin $91,736.41 $21,147.84 $112,884.25
13. Jana Bean $70,415.60 $30,342.54 $100,758.14
14. Christine Laughlin $93,134.61 $0.00 $93,134.61
15. Samantha Lyne $70,577.07 $11,340.14 $81,917.21

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