The 2026 American Rodeo Eastern Regional barrel racing is down to its final round.
After two rounds of competition and a redemption round, the top 13 cowgirls have advanced to the Eastern Regional Finals, set to begin tonight at 8 p.m. ET in Lexington, Kentucky. These athletes will run for a shot at advancing in the tournament—and a place on one of rodeo’s biggest stages.
Leading the field heading into the finals is Anita Ellis, who sits atop the leaderboard on two head. Ellis has been consistent through the opening rounds, putting herself in position as the cowgirls reset for a clean slate in tonight’s final round.
The Eastern Regional format brings back the Top 10 from the aggregate, along with three additional qualifiers from the redemption round, rounding out the 13-horse field set to compete tonight.
As the first of three regional semifinals on the road to The American Rodeo, the Lexington stop set the tone for the 2026 Contender field.
Athletes advanced to the Eastern Semifinals through The American Rodeo’s open qualifier system, which runs nationwide and allows competitors of all levels to earn their way in. The field also includes athletes ranked No. 6–20 in the prior year’s PRCA/WPRA world standings, creating a mix of rising contenders and proven pros.
Eastern Semifinals Results
Round 1
| Place | Contestant | Horse | Time | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Randee Prindle | Red Man Jones | 15.348 | $2,016.00 |
| 2 | Kelly Bowser | Quarento Tres | 15.439 | $1,368.00 |
| 3 | Tabitha Dyal | Slym Shady | 15.455 | $1,080.00 |
| 4 | Alexis Skailes | About French N Time | 15.461 | $792.00 |
| 5 | Anita Ellis | SGL Rico | 15.495 | $648.00 |
| 6 | Crystal Mason | Cha Ching Fling 37 | 15.533 | $576.00 |
| 7 | Missy Jean Etheridge | Seis Martinis | 15.595 | $432.00 |
| 8 | Tyler Maintz | Strippers First Moon | 15.623 | $288.00 |
Round 2
| Place | Contestant | Horse | Time | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Kappie Bryant | Smooth As Rico Suave | 15.484 | $2,016.00 |
| 2 | Anita Ellis | SGL Rico | 15.513 | $1,368.00 |
| 3 | Rhaylen Maloy | Madam Made Me Epic | 15.530 | $936.00 |
| 3 | Emily Wilkins | Stickin Ta Fame | 15.530 | $936.00 |
| 5 | Cheyenne Viva | Flomoney | 15.555 | $648.00 |
| 6 | Crystal Mason | Cha Ching Fling 37 | 15.562 | $576.00 |
| 7 | Braia Vogel | Chicks Brave Warrior | 15.574 | $432.00 |
| 8 | Rylee Jo Maryman | One Cupa Tees Sis | 15.582 | $288.00 |
Average on two
| Place | Contestant | Horse | 1st Go | 2nd Go | Aggregate | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Anita Ellis | SGL Rico | 15.495 | 15.513 | 31.008 | $4,032.00 |
| 2 | Crystal Mason | Cha Ching Fling 37 | 15.533 | 15.562 | 31.095 | $2,736.00 |
| 3 | Randee Prindle | Red Man Jones | 15.348 | 15.756 | 31.104 | $2,160.00 |
| 4 | Kappie Bryant | Smooth As Rico Suave | 15.654 | 15.484 | 31.138 | $1,584.00 |
| 5 | Tabitha Dyal | Slym Shady | 15.455 | 15.707 | 31.162 | $1,296.00 |
| 6 | Missy Jean Etheridge | Seis Martinis | 15.595 | 15.585 | 31.180 | $1,152.00 |
| 7 | Bayleigh Choate | TJR Stinson Blue | 15.671 | 15.624 | 31.295 | $864.00 |
| 8 | Braia Vogel | Chicks Brave Warrior | 15.736 | 15.574 | 31.310 | $576.00 |
Redemption Round
| Place | Contestant | Horse | Time | Payout |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rhaylen Maloy | Madam Made Me Epic | 15.186 | $2,700.00 |
| 2 | Kelly Bowser | Quarento Tres | 15.411 | $1,620.00 |
| 3 | Dusky Lynn Hall | Chasin A Win | 15.443 | $1,080. |