Fetch Happened: Carlee Otero Scores Her Third Win of the Week on AM Regina George
Carlee Otero and AM Regina George delivered one of the fastest runs ever clocked inside the Thomas & Mack Center on Friday night, posting a 13.20 to win Round 9 and set a new go-round record. The victory marked Otero’s third round win of the 2025 NFR, solidifying the 7-year-old mare’s status as one of the brightest young stars in the sport. Team Equinety […]
Undeniable: Adios Pantalones and Tricia Aldridge Earn NFR Round Win No. 2
Tricia Aldridge and Adios Pantalones delivered another defining performance at the 2025 NFR, stopping the clock in 13.64 to win Round 8 and add a second round victory to their remarkable debut campaign inside the Thomas & Mack. From the back of the infamous tunnel Aldridge could watch most of the performance unfold. She could see horses ahead of her struggling with […]
What’s the Deal? The Real Dirt on the NFR Footing
After six nights of consistent footing inside the Thomas & Mack Center, the ground took a visible turn in Rounds 7 and 8, raising concerns among contestants and drawing attention to the most high-stakes playing surface in rodeo. Several horses slipped or lost traction on Wednesday and Thursday, prompting immediate response from the WPRA and the […]
Secret Recipe: The ‘Cornbread’ Story
When reigning World Champion Kassie Mowry reached out just over a week before the NFR and asked if she could bring Heavens Got Credit, Mindy Holloway didn’t hesitate. She said yes, packed her bags, and committed herself to making sure the 11-year-old gelding — “Cornbread” — had every chance to succeed on the biggest stage of […]
Dreams Do Come True: Hayle Gibson-Stillwell and Homegrown Buncha Dinero Win NFR Round 7
Hayle Gibson-Stillwell earned her first NFR win in Round 7 of her rookie showing inside the Thomas & Mack aboard Buncha Dinero, knocking a lifetime goal off her bucket list. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell put together her best run of the NFR so far, stopping the clock in 13.45 aboard Buncha Dinero (“Piper”) to win Round 7 and earn $36,667.95. The victory also marked a […]
Cornbread’s In Da House: Mowry Notches Second Round Win on Second Horse of the NFR
Kassie Mowry and Heavens Got Credit, “Cornbread,” ran together Wednesday night inside the Thomas & Mack, stopping the clock in 13.42 to win Round 6 of the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. The victory added $36,667.95 to Mowry’s season earnings and tightened the world standings race as the NFR enters its final stretch. Cornbread, owned by Mindy Holloway and only recently added to […]
PROFile: The Hailey Kinsel Story
A four-time WPRA World Champion with over $2,622,303 and climbing in WPRA earnings at just 31 years old, Hailey Kinsel’s career has been defined by precision, discipline and the once-in-a-generation partnership she built with DM Sissy Hayday (“Sister”), the winningest barrel horse of all time. Raised on her family’s cattle ranch in Cotulla, Texas, Kinsel grew […]
Carlee Otero, AM Regina George Claim Second Round Win of NFR 2025
Carlee Otero and AM Regina George kept their momentum alive inside the Thomas & Mack Center on Tuesday night, clocking a blistering 13.43 to win Round 5 of the 2025 National Finals Rodeo. The victory marks Otero’s second round win of the week and pushes her season earnings to $251,829, holding her solidly in the No. 4 position, and now within roughly $40,000 of […]
Tricia Aldridge and Adios Pantalones Break NFR Stallion, Round 4 Records
First-time NFR qualifier Tricia Aldridge and 5-year-old Adios Pantalones unofficially broke the go-round record ran by a stallion inside the Thomas & Mack with a 13.42-second run in Round 4. Aldridge was quick to give credit to those who came before her in the yellow arena including Highpoint Barrel Horses’ late Slick By Design, who […]
Carlee Otero Takes Two Hit Barrels to Heart, Battles Back to Round 3 NFR Victory
Carlee Otero and AM Regina George—the 2025 WPRA Rising Star Award recipient— delivered a powerful rebound on Sunday night at the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, stopping the clock in 13.54 seconds to win Round 3 and bank $36,667.95. After hitting barrels in both of the first two rounds, Otero walked into the Thomas & Mack took full accountability for […]
Hailey Kinsel and DM Sissy Hayday Break NFR Barrel Racing Record With Go-Round Win No. 26
Hailey Kinsel and DM Sissy Hayday returned to familiar territory on Friday night in Las Vegas, clocking a 13.53 to win Round 2 of the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. The win marks the team’s NFR go-round win No. 26, inching the four-time World Champion even closer to the possibility of a fifth by the end of […]
Plot Twists: NFR Barrel Racing Practice Notes
The first NFR barrel racing practice is in the books, and all 15 barrel racers have had the opportunity to check out the infamous Thomas & Mack pattern setup. Meet the field here. Kassie Mowry Starting things off on CP He Will Be Epic, Mowry worked a drill we’ve seen both her and Danyelle Campbell […]
PROFile: The Lisa Lockhart Story
For nearly two decades, Lisa Lockhart has set the gold standard for professionalism, horsemanship, and consistency in ProRodeo—plus she’s the winningest of all time at $3.4 million earned in the WPRA and climbing. With trip No. 19 to the National Finals Rodeo in 2025, the South Dakota cowgirl stands among the most accomplished athletes the […]
NFR Barrel Racing Payout is Richer Than Ever in 2025
The 2025 National Finals Rodeo is set to payout an increased prize in 2025, and the top 15 barrel racers in the world will run at $1.2 million in barrel racing dollars December 4-14. Total NFR payout: Event payout: $13.5 million Guaranteed prize money per event: $1.2 million 2025 NFR barrel racing go-round payout Each […]
PROFile: The Halyn Lide Story
Halyn Lide will enter the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo ranked No. 9 in the WPRA World Standings with $144,614.31 earned across 74 rodeos. The China Spring, Texas cowgirl secured her second consecutive NFR berth behind one of the strongest late-season pushes in the field, and she did it on the home-raised gelding who has […]