While she was inside the top 25 in the WPRA World Standings through most of the season, Sissy Winn made one of the toughest decisions for full-time ProRodeo athletes to follow through with—she doctor released out of the majority of the September rodeos she entered a few weeks before the seaosn’s end, including the Cinch Playoffs event in Puyallup and let the world know she wouldn’t continue the fight for her third NFR qualification in 2024.

Here’s why she did it, and how she made the decision.

Sissy Winn– As little girls growing up in the world of barrel racing, we all want the same thing. To hear our name called at the Thomas & Mack arena during one of ten packed-out rounds as one of the 15 top barrel racers in the world.

And as a little girl who spent her entire life dreaming those dreams, I can vouch. It’s all it’s cracked up to be. Every feeling is what the legends say it is. But once you get a taste of it, you crave it even more. You convince yourself that if you spend every waking moment working to get back there, you can stay on top of the world.

Every early morning, late night, mile traveled and hour in the saddle and hours we log with our horses starts to become about reaching the goal, instead of having fun along the way. And I know that sounds silly, because barrel racing is my job and I’m supposed to take it seriously. But there’s a line, because at the end of the day, we’re just kids who love horses trying to go fast, and it’s a really tough sport to make your living in.

But sometimes, you just need a break. Things weren’t working out for my ProRodeo goals in 2024; that’s no secret. When Scoop went out for the summer, I thought it was just meant to be Patrick’s turn to shine, but when he got hurt, it just got to be too much pressure to put on Ted.

Rodeo isn’t just what I do; it’s who I am. I thought if I gave everything to this life, then everything would fall into place. But lately, I’ve realized that rodeo isn’t the only thing that matters. My grandma, who passed away last summer used to remind me that in the grand scheme of life and what God has planned for us, rodeo really is so small.

Even if you’re somebody like me and this is your career, you can only allow yourself to get so swept up in the goal that you’re chasing. And knowing when to set that goal down can be one of the hardest parts of making a living at rodeo. It’s a sport that relies on one or multiple four-legged animals making good decisions, staying healthy and being wicked fast all year long. But if you want to succeed on any particular rodeo season, you’ll need more than horsepower that stays healthy. You need to enter, draw up and make trades in just the right order for luck to be on your side. You’ll need to win at the correct rodeos in anticipation of how the season’s rules could shift at any point. And you’ll need a rock solid mental game and resilience to get through the year.

Don’t get me wrong—ProRodeo has taught me so much. It’s shaped me into the competitor I am today, but sometimes getting too pulled into that bubble can make you lose sight of the bigger things in your life, as can any career.

For the first time, I’m realizing it’s okay to take a breath, to slow down, and to just be. It’s okay to step away from the pressures of winning and focus on living. I’ve been so hyperfocused on this one path that I forgot there’s a whole world outside the arena waiting for me.

So I’ve been living my life since I came back from the road, and I’m not mad about it. Luckily, I have great sponsors, friends, family and supporters who get that I need to take a step back from time to time for the good of my horses and myself.

But here’s to 2024 for being a learning and growth season, and looking to 2025 for the next chapter and what’s in store.