Ilyssa Riley is one of three barrel racing first-timers at the NFR this year. She enters No. 11 in the WPRA World Standings with $111,473 in earnings for the regular season.
Before this year, Riley had less than $100,000 in career earnings and had never finished better than No. 30 in the WPRA World Standings.
BIGGEST PAYDAYS
NFR Open (Colorado), $14,080
Riley finished inside the Top 5 in Round 1 and 2 as well as the Average in the two-head Long Round. Riley then claimed the No. 4 spot in the Semifinals as well as the Short Go. She won $10,646 combined from Rounds 1, 2 and the Average and another $3,434 from the Semifinals and Finals.
Texas Circuit Finals, $11,467
Riley secured her most notable win of the season in her home state at the Texas Circuit Finals where she cinched the Go-Round win in Rounds 2, 3 and 4 to finish No. 1 in the Average. Her aggregate time was 62.85 seconds on four head.
Reno Rodeo, $9,360
Riley kicked off the Summer Run at the Reno Rodeo where she claimed a check in both Rounds 1 and 2 to claim the No. 4 spot in the Average with 51.66 seconds on three head.
FASTEST RUNS
National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, 14.88 Seconds
Riley took first in Bracket 7, Round 1 to advance and her First Round time was the second-fastest among all cowgirls, behind Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi’s 14.84. The run earned Riley $2,949.
Fallon County Fair and Rodeo (Montana), 16.15 Seconds
Riley split second behind fellow NFR qualifier Jessica Routier, who was 16.08 seconds. Riley’s run was one of three that were faster than 16.20 seconds for the entire rodeo.
NOTABLE WINS
Waller County Fair and Rodeo (Texas)
During her first run of the 2023 regular season back on Oct. 1, 2022, Riley stopped the clock at 15.51 seconds to win more than $3,000. She ended up placing on her first six runs of the 2023 regular season
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