Katie Chism leads the WPRA Great Lakes Circuit standings as of June 02 with $6,083 won across six rodeos on her homegrown palomino stallion MF Aces Famous Fling (Ace), less than a year after a fractured coffin bone knocked the pair out of a top‑15 spot in the 2025 World Standings.

Chism, of Tiskilwa, Illinois, won St. Paul and Kansas City on the comeback run, the Kansas City win qualifying her for Cheyenne Frontier Days. She’s been hard to beat since 2022 around the Great Lakes standings as a 2022 Resistol Rookie contender on the same stallion.

The injury came in 2025 when Ace hit an exposed ground bar heading into the arena.

“It sounded like somebody took a metal baseball bat to a panel,” Chism said.

She finished her run and didn’t notice anything wrong until her husband Kasey told her two days later that Ace was lame. An MRI confirmed a fracture at the wingtip of the coffin bone—a “lucky” positioning.

Treatment was a shoeing change, OptiWize and stall rest, with monthly rechecks over the next two and a half to three months. That caused them to miss out on the Great Lakes Circuit Finals in the fall and out of their World Standings position, setting back their opportunities for winter rodeos in 2026.

Chism has since become outspoken about ground bar coverage, while maintaining respect for the contractors and committees.

“You would be baffled at the amount of rodeos I’ve been to since then that I’ve seen (an uncovered bar),” she said. “I’m constantly like, hey, we need to fix that. I just share my story. ‘Hey, this took me out last year.’ It’s advocating for mine and my horses’ safety. Usually it isn’t intentional if they do it— there’s a lot of moving parts at rodeos and sometimes things can get missed or forgotten.”

The Horse

MF Aces Famous Fling is by A Streak of Fame, full brother to Sarah Rose Waguespack’s Bling, out of a mare Chism bought sight unseen off a Facebook ad.

He’s turned into the picture of consistency. Through 99 PRCA rodeos, Katie’s husband, Kasey’s ledger has him at 60 checks and 20 wins.

“He’s feeling so strong,” Chism said of the stallion since his return. “Being able to go and knowing that he’s enjoying his job and he feels good is probably one of my favorite things. There’s nothing like sending him down the alleyway.”

Running him, she said, is like being strapped to a Lamborghini. “He makes it easy in the sense that he loves his job,” Chism said. “As long as I’m doing my job, he’s doing his job. I don’t have to overdo anything.” His mind has been the same since he was a colt.

“He was always very kind and easy to get along with, but had a big motor,” Chism said. “Ace has always been so responsive and wants to please. He isn’t a horse that you have to pull on, and if you do get in a bind and need to help him, he’s soft and quick to come back to you.”

Chism said Ace also seems to enjoy the road. “He enjoys his job so much,” she said. “He enjoys going and doing. I think he enjoys the travel too. He enjoys seeing new places.”

The Comeback Approach

Chism said her mindset has changed since the injury. “I’ve taken this perspective of, for lack of better words, just let Jesus take the wheel and enjoy every run that I get on him,” she said. “At some point those runs are going to run out. You’re never promised the next run.” If another NFR run develops, she said, they will pursue it. If not, she will stay focused on the opportunities that come up.

The Breeding Program

Chism hand-breeds all of her own mares, so she’s invested in the process truly from day one. With Ace’s oldest foal crop turning three this year, Chism’s eager to continue working with his progeny.

She trotted an Ace filly by her former breakaway mount, MF Docs Daisy “Daisy,” through her first barrel pattern this week.

“She got to the backside and just ate every barrel,” Chism said. The filly is registered MF Whoopsa Daisy. Meanwhile, Kasey’s riding others as roping prospects.

Chism’s found extensive success across the country, but she’s partial to her home circuit.

“We’re really lucky in the Great Lakes,” Chism said. “Melora Potter does an incredible job as circuit director. She goes above and beyond. The contractors really care about us, the committees love their contestants, and it’s a lot of families that have each other’s backs. That environment matters. It’s really just a great circuit to rodeo in.