Halyn Lide’s journey to get to the National Finals Rodeo started in 2017 when the Texas cowgirl bought her permit. She filled that permit at the WPRA World Finals on a home-grown horse she calls Keeper. Her husband Aaron broke Keeper as a 2-year-old and a decade later, Lide is Las Vegas bound on the same horse that filled her permit.
While the season started with Heaven as Lide’s main mount, shortly after the New Year was rang in, Keeper got the call. Success came all season long for Lide and with $121,966 in regular season earnings, she will enter her first ever NFR as the No. 9 ranked cowgirl in the World.
National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, $7,198
Keeper’s second rodeo of the season was in Denver. He started off strong getting Lide the Round 1 win in their bracket before placing third in Round 2 to advance them to the Semifinals. Her time of 14.84 seconds was enough to get them to the Finals where they clocked their fastest time of the rodeo at 14.73 seconds. The duo split the National Western Title with four-time World Champion Hailey Kinsel.
Home of the Navajo PRCA Rodeo, $3,631
In the spring, Lide and Keeper took off to Arizona where another win came their way this one by two tenths of a second. With a time of 15.68 seconds, Lide flew to the pay window in Window Rock.
Greeley Stampede, $9,710
Lide’s Summer Run got started the best way it could. She and Keeper got faster with ever run they made in Colorado. Starting with a 17.52 to finish barely in the Round 1 money and finishing with a blazing 17.05 to win in the Finals. She barely beat out Lisa Lockhart for first in the Average.
Oakley City Independence Day Rodeo, $7,708
It was a tight race in Utah when Lide squeezed out another win over the Fourth of July Run. By just two hundredths of a second, Lide wound up on top of the leaderboard with her 17.27-second run to beat fellow first time NFR qualifier Ashley Castleberry.
In the end, Lide was the highest earning barrel racer over Cowboy Christmas with $32,550.
California Rodeo Salinas, $9,599
A trip to California would end with a second place pay day for Lide at the historic rodeo in Salinas. A 16.17 put her second in Round 1 and then a 16.03 would be fourth in Round 3. By one second, Lide finished second in the Average to add another hefty payday.
Cinch Playoffs Puyallup, $9,750
Just further north in Washington, Lide and Keeper found a second place finish come their way again. Consistency was key in making it back to the Semifinals where Lide clocked her personal best of the rodeo with a 14.47 to be third. In the Final Round, things flipped and it was Lide who trailed Castleberry.
Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup, $9,111
A strong finish to the season and the rodeo that sealed the NFR deal for Lide was in Sioux Falls. After a third place finish in Round 1 and seventh in the Semifinals, Lide cashed in enough to make her NFR dream a reality.
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