As the Texas Swing gains momentum, the leading cowgirls in the barrel racing continue to shake things up in the World Standings. With handful of new names added to the day sheets, this season will be one to watch.
1. Hailey Kinsel, $27,998
World Champion Hailey Kinsel got a kick start to her season at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo as she clinched the title, splitting the No. 1 spot with Halyn Lide. Kinsel picked up a check for $11,086 in Denver just before heading back to her home state of Texas where she qualified for the Finals at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, accumulating $14,000 in earnings.
2. Sara Winkelman, $27,000
Sara Winkelman and her equine partner Rory made waves at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo as they advanced out of Bracket 2 into Semifinals A where the team locked in a 16.26-second run to cinch the top spot. Once in the Final Round, Winkelman was all gas and no brakes as she locked in a winning time of 16.40 seconds inside Dickies Arena. Winkelman is sitting No. 2 in the WPRA World Standings having earned $27,000 exclusively from Fort Worth. Winkelman was just outside the Top 15 in 2023 and is gunning for her first National Finals Rodeo qualification.
3. Ashley Castleberry, $21,585
Sitting at No . 3 in the World Standings, Ashley Castleberry took advantage of the money up for grabs early in the 2024 season including an Average win at the Texas Circuit Finals in Waco. Castleberry took home over $10,000 to kick off 2024 and kept the momentum going in the Lone Star State as she qualified for the Semifinals in Fort Worth and walked away with $4,000 added to her earnings.
4. Abby Phillips, $20,843
Just as the 2023 season concluded, Abby Phillips was back on the rodeo road as she collected $4,659 in the month of October and kept her momentum going as she cinched the No. 1 spot at the Wilderness Circuit Finals Rodeo. Phillips pulled a check for just over $4,700 as she now sits fourth in the WPRA World Standings with $20,843 in earnings.
5. Sissy Winn, $19,931
Two-time NFR qualifier Sissy Winn collected the majority of her earnings at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, pulling a check for $18,000 after securing the No. 2 spot in the Short-Go. Winn currently sits No. 5 in the WPRA Standings and is looking to keep her position in the Top 15 for 2024.
6. Katie Jo Halbert, $18,381
A 14.14-second run at the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo secured Katie Jo Halbert the No. 1 spot on the leaderboard along with a check for $5,956. Halbert also locked in the Average win at the San Antonio Rodeo Qualifier as she stayed consistent claiming the No. 1 spot in Round 1 and following up with second place in Round 2, bringing her aggregate time to 30.32 seconds to pull a check for $11,168.
7. Taylor Carver, $18,198
Taylor Carver remained steady in her performance at the Southeastern Circuit Finals as she cinched the No. 2 position in all three rounds as well as the Average, locking in an aggregate time of 44.07 seconds to collect $9,413 in earnings. An additional $4,819 was earned by Carver at the San Antonio Rodeo Qualifier in Uvalde, bringing her total winnings to $18,198.
8. Rainey Skelton, $16,813
Sitting No. 8 in the WPRA World Standings Rainey Skelton claims a position in the Top 10 after cinching checks in Lubbock, Texas City, Odessa and Denver. Skelton most recently picked up a check at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, advancing through to the Short-Go where she placed fifth. A total of $6,000 was earned by the Texas cowgirl.
9. Tayla Moeykens, $16,740
A big win at Rodeo Rapid City secured Tayla Moeykens a check for just under $5,000. Moeykens has picked up multiple checks in 2024 including the Montana Pro Rodeo Circuit Finals where she secured first place in all three rounds and cinched the top spot in the Average along with a check for $11,826.
10. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, $16,203
Reigning World Champion Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi had a season like no other in 2023 and is keeping the momentum going as she sits No. 10 in the World Standings with over $16,000 in earnings. Tonozzi picked up a check for $7,495 in Loveland at the Mountain States Circuit Finals where she claimed the No. 2 spot in the Average. While the 17-time NFR qualifier didn’t progress from her bracket in Fort Worth, she’s determined to maximize her opportunities in the remaining Texas Swing rodeos.
11. Chloe Gray, $14,442
Chloe Gray earned the majority of her earnings at the Southeastern Circuit Finals in November as she locked in the No. 1 spot in the Average with a time of 43.59 second on three head. Gray walked away with $12,550 in winnings from Davis, FL.
12. Sadie Wolaver-Troyer, $13,752
The National Western Stock Show and Rodeo was a success for No. 12 cowgirl Sadie Wolaver-Troyer as she picked up a check for just over $5,000. Troyer claimed a piece of the purse at the Ram Prairie Circuit Finals in November as she finished third in the Average, taking home $4,298 in earnings.
13. Lisa Lockhart, $13,087
Lisa Lockhart has finished inside the Top 15 every season since 2007 and is keeping the momentum going into 2024 as she sits No. 13 in the standings. Lockhart earned just over $7,500 early in October at the Badlands Circuit Finals. As she advanced into the Finals at the Fort Worth Stock Show and rodeo, Lockhart picked up a check for $3,600.
14. Preslie Reid, $12,971
Preslie Reid picked up a check at the Fort Bend County Fair and Rodeo to kick off her 2024 season just before securing the No. 1 spot at the Woodlawn Pro Rodeo with a run of 13.95 seconds. Reid headed to Denver where she pulled a check for $2,232 in Round 2. With just under $13,000 in earnings, Reid sits No. 13 in the WPRA World Standings.
15. Maggie Poloncic, $12,629
Maggie Poloncic qualified for the Semifinals in Denver at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo with 29.59 seconds on two head. Polonic ultimately finished at No. 3 in the in the Final Round, accumulating $9,388. A fourth place check in Rapid City earned Polonic just under $2,000, bringing her total winnings to $12,629.
16. Jymmy Kay Cox, $12,625
The San Antonio Qualifier was good to Jymmy Kay Cox as she accumulated over half of her total earnings there in Uvalde after securing second place in the Average, following the No. 6 cowgirl in the standings, Katie Jo Halbert. Cox added just over $10,300 to her standings in mid-January, bringing her overall winnings to $12,625.
17. Skyla Peters, $12,417
Kansas cowgirls Skyla Peters is a rising star in the sport of rodeo as she sits inside with top 20 with $12,417 in total earnings.
18. Shelley Morgan, $12,154
Shelley Morgan locked in a 14.33-second run at the Sandhills Stock Show and rodeo to claim second place in Round 1 along with a check for $4,765. Morgan advanced into the Semifinals at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, collecting $2,710. With $12,154 in earnings, the four-time NFR qualifier sits at No. 18 in the World Standings.
19. Halyn Lide, $11,328
Halyn Lide split the win at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo with World Champion Hailey Kinsel to cash in with $7,198 in earnings. Lide also picked up checks in Odessa and Rosenberg, bringing her total winnings to $11,328.
20. Andrea Busby, $10,770
Andrea Busby advanced out of Bracket 4 at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo with $2,750 in earnings, securing her spot in Semifinals A where she accumulated an additional $2,000. Busby won $4,360 in Uvalde at the San Antonio Qualifier and now claims the No. 20 position with $10,770 in earnings.
Standings current as of Feb. 7, courtesy of WPRA
