ProRodeo contestants in the California Circuit kicked off 2023 at the California Circuit Finals in Red Bluff, California, and Nellie Miller and Kathy Petska proved that star horsepower separated them from the herd to earn their respective circuit titles.
Sister’s Back
Nellie Miller had a relatively quiet ProRodeo seaon after Rafter W Minnie Reba, “Sister,” whom Miller won the WPRA World Championship on in 2017 sustained an injury, but she got the roan mare back just in time for Red Bluff.
In signature Sister fashion, the mare that Miller raised and trained was rock solid all three rounds. She won third in the first go-round with a 13.75-second run, tied the third-place spot in the second round with a 13.76 and finished second in the final round with a 13.66-second trip, earning a total of $3,239 in the rounds. She topped the aggregate with a time of 41.17 seconds on three head—an impressive lead over No. 2 in the aggregate, Payton Schooeppach with 41.82 seconds on three— to add $2,990 to her winnings and punch her ticket to the NFR Open.
“This was her first run back since July,” Miller said. “She felt fresh, good and happy to do her job this weekend. It was a big relief to be on her.”
Miller frequents Red Bluff for jackpots and enjoys its proximity to her home in Cottonwood, California. She had hometown supporters, friends and family in attendance. Miller is a fan of CCF and the standout rodeo committee behind the event.
“They go out of their way to make circuit finals nice for us,” Miller said. “It’s always nice to know a committee cares as much as they do at Red Bluff.”
Miller traditionally avoids the lure of the winter building rodeos and will follow that plan in 2023. Fans can look to see her and Sister back on the road once the dust settles in the indoors.
“We’re going to stick close to home and wait until spring rolls around,” Miller said. “We take it year-by-year.”
Champion’s Roller-coaster Road to 2021 California Circuit Titles
Petska’s Dream Team
Kathy Petska earned the majority of the $17,500 amassed during her regular season aboard Dinero Made Me Famous, “Jeffrey,” a 14-year-old gelding with an unusual story for a “free,” foal.
In the early 2000’s, a deal was struck betwixt friends that resulted in Mel and Wendy Potter giving three breedings to their standout stallion PC Frenchmans Hayday in order to produce three foals out of a mare that needed to step away from the barrel pen, but had massive athletic potential. Sherry Cervi, the Busby’s and Petska’s each planned to take one of the foals. The Petskas jokingly named the weanling they picked “Jeffrey,” after Jeff Busby, and the horse grew into one of their top earners, consistently taking Petska to the pay window year after year. Jeffrey was the horse Petska planned to run at the CCF, but an injury meant that Petska had to change her plans at the end of the season.
Bet On This Lion, “Bugsy,” was the 13-year-old mare that got the call. Petska purchased the now 13-year-old daughter of Lions Share of Fame daughter from Bryel Mulligan as a foal. Like Jeffrey, Petska trained Bugsy, but she nearly gave up on Bugsy as a barrel horse and wanted to sell her early on in her career. Luckily, Petska’s husband, Monty Joe, saw the mare’s potential and spent time heading off of her before convinving his wife to give it another go.
“He’d actually take her around the barrels when he’d go rope at his friend’s houses,” Petska said. “He finally came to me one day and told me that the mare was tired of me training on her and I needed to just go make runs. She won the next jackpot I took her to when I just sat in the middle and left her alone. You just point the reins and go on her now.”
Bugsy earned $747 in the second round at Red Bluff for a third-place tie with Miller and hung onto the year-end win with a totaled $18,247.77.
Note: Megan Champion won $18,959.19 in the California Circuit in 2022 and held the No. 1 position in the regular season year-end standings, but did not attend the CCF. Petska is the official champion of the circuit and earned the NFR Open qualification attached to the year-end win because of the following WPRA rule.
WPRA Rule 8.10.1 All circuit year end awards or titles, or advancement to the National Circuit Finals Rodeo will be forfeited by a CFR contestant who fails to enter and compete in all go rounds at the Circuit Finals Rodeo unless such CFR contestant has entered and follows release procedures as outlined in the Official Circuit Finals Rules. Championship title, recognition and awards will go to the next highest ranked CFR contestant who competed in all go-rounds at the Circuit Finals Rodeo. Additionally, only qualifiers, as described in Section 8.8. will be eligible for circuit year end awards or titles.
California Circuit Finals Results
Red Bluff, California, Dec 29-31, 2022
First round
1. (tie) Tonia Forsberg and Meghann McNulty, 13.67 seconds, $1,744 each; 3. Nellie Miller, 13.75, $997; 4. Kristi Youngblood, 13.90, $498
Second round: 1. Madison Camozzi, 13.56 seconds, $1,993; 2. Katie Pascoe, 13.72, $1,495; 3. (tie) Nellie Miller and Kathy Petska, 13.76, $747 each
Third round: 1. Meghann McNulty, 13.47 seconds, $1,993; 2. Nellie Miller, 13.66, $1,495; 3. Kristi Youngblood, 13.70, $997; 4. Payton Schoeppach, 13.71, $498
Average: 1. Nellie Miller, 41.17 seconds on three head, $2,990; 2. Payton Schoeppach, 41.82, $2,242; 3. Meghann McNulty, 45.57, $1,495; 4. Madison Camozzi, 45.92, $747
Note: Megan Champion won $18,959.19 in the California Circuit in 2022 and topped the regular season year-end standings, but did not attend the CCF. Petska is the official champion of the circuit and earned the NFR Open qualification attached to the year-end win because of the following WPRA rule.
WPRA Rule 8.10.1 All circuit year end awards or titles, or advancement to the National Circuit Finals Rodeo will be forfeited by a CFR contestant who fails to enter and compete in all go rounds at the Circuit Finals Rodeo unless such CFR contestant has entered and follows release procedures as outlined in the Official Circuit Finals Rules. Championship title, recognition and awards will go to the next highest ranked CFR contestant who competed in all go-rounds at the Circuit Finals Rodeo. Additionally, only qualifiers, as described in Section 8.8. will be eligible for circuit year end awards or titles.
