Wrangler NFR Barrel Racing Halftime Report

LAS VEGAS—December 6, 2021—Round Five is in the books, which means we’re halfway through the 2021 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge. Barrel Horse News magazine presents a Wrangler NFR barrel racing halftime report with a look at the current Women’s Professional Rodeo Association world standings, the NFR aggregate race as well as the cowgirls who have banked the most bucks at the NFR so far this year.

Hailey Kinsel still leads the WPRA world standings, while Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi took over the lead in the aggregate by a mere two-hundredths of a second from Stevi Hillman, who now sits second in the average after Round Five. The race for the world championship is still fairly wide open, with just about $21,000 separating the No. 1 cowgirl from the No. 3 cowgirl, and several in the top 10 within reach should they maintain clean runs for the average.

The aggregate championship, worth a hefty $69,234.17, will be a major influence in who leaves Las Vegas as the 2021 WPRA World Champion Barrel Racer (see full aggregate payouts and standings below), as will the aggregate money for placing.

With go-round payouts reaching new highs as well (see below), each top 15 barrel racer will be gunning to make it count throughout the next five rounds of the richest-paying NFR yet.

Current WPRA World Standings (through Round Five)

Rank, Name, Hometown, Earnings

1. Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, TX, $165,330.36
2. Dona Kay Rule, Minco, OK, $147,242.16
3. Jordon Briggs, Tolar, TX, $144,404.96
4. Emily Miller-Beisel, Weatherford, OK, $133,112.73
5. Amanda Welsh, Gillette, WY, $132,422.44
6. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Lampasas, TX, $128,200.08
7. Wenda Johnson, Pawhuska, OK, $127,024.15
8. Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, TX, $123,851.12
9. Shelley Morgan, Eustace, TX, $120,340.43
10. Cheyenne Wimberley, Stephenville, TX, $111,298.94
11. Ivy Saebens, Nowata, OK, $96,917.18
12. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, $96,380.03
13. Jessica Routier, Buffalo, SD, $88,847.28
14. Nellie Miller, Cottonwood, CA, $85,519.15
15. Molly Otto, Grand Forks, ND, $74,172.51

Aggregate Standings on Five Runs

Rank, Name, Aggregate Time

1. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 68.82
2. Stevi Hillman, 68.84
3. Jordon Briggs, 68.98
4. Amanda Welsh, 69.04
5. Jessica Routier, 70.05
6. Hailey Kinsel, 73.52
7. Emily Miller-Beisel, 73.71
8. Cheyenne Wimberley, 73.73
9. Shelley Morgan, 74.28
10. Nellie Miller, 74.58
11. Lisa Lockhart, 74.71
12. Molly Otto, 75.61
13. Dona Kay Rule, 78.32
14. Wenda Johnson, 78.55
15. Ivy Saebens, 84.26

2021 NFR Average Payout: $261,261 Total Per Event

1. $69,234.17
2. $56,171.12
3. $44,414.37
4. $32,657.63
5. $23,513.49
6. $16,981.97
7. $11,756.75
8. $6,531.53

2021 NFR Go-Rounds Payout: $87,087 Total Per Event Per Night

1. $26,996.97
2. $21,336.32
3. $16,111.10
4. $11,321.31
5. $6,966.96
6. $4,354.35

Total NFR Earnings (through Round Five)

1. Dona Kay Rule, $62,252.20
2. Emily Miller-Beisel, $59,639.59
3. Wenda Johnson, $59,639.59
4. Amanda Welsh, $55,502.96
5. Brittany Pozzi-Tonozzi, $54,414.38
6. Stevi Hillman, $52,672.63
7. Hailey Kinsel, $51,801.77
8. Jordon Briggs, $41,786.76
9. Cheyenne Wimberley, $34,166.64
10. Lisa Lockhart, $31,336.32
11. Ivy Saebens, $26,111.10
12. Shelley Morgan, $26,111.10
13. Jessica Routier, $10,000 (guaranteed qualifier money)
14. Molly Otto, $10,000 (guaranteed qualifier money)
15. Nellie Miller, $10,000 (guaranteed qualifier money)

2021 WPRA World Standings Prior to NFR

Rank, Name, Hometown, Earnings

1. Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, TX, $113,528.59
2. Jordon Briggs, Tolar, TX, $102,618.20
3. Shelley Morgan, Eustace, TX, $94,229.33
4. Dona Kay Rule, Minco, OK, $84, 989.96
5. Jessica Routier, Buffalo, SD, $78,847.28
6. Cheyenne Wimberley, Stephenville, TX, $77,132.30
7. Amanda Welsh, Gillette, WY, $76,919.48
8. Nellie Miller, Cottonwood, CA, $75,519.15
9. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Lampasas, TX, $73,785.70
10. Emily Miller-Beisel, Weatherford, OK, $73,474.14
11. Stevi Hillman, Weatherford, TX, $71,178.49
12. Ivy Saebens, Nowata, OK, $70,806.08
13. Wenda Johnson, Pawhuska, OK, $67,384.56
14. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, $65,043.71
15. Molly Otto, Grand Forks, ND, $64,172.51

Read More Barrel Racing Coverage from the 2021 Wrangler NFR

—> NFR Round Recaps and Interviews

—> 2021 WPRA Top 15 Stats

—> 2021 NFR Horse Pedigrees

—> Blood, Sweat and Cheers: 2021 NFR Horse Struggle Stories