The 2025 Columbia River Circuit Finals saw former champions triumph again, with Hailey Garrison capturing the average championship for the second year in a row with a time of 45.47 seconds across three runs, while Megan McLeod-Sprauge rounded out year No. 3 of winning the Circuit Year-End, this time with $34,851.

For each cowgirl, the wins were a boost of momentum to keep going, with Garrison tentatively setting her sights on the 2026 winter building rodeos while McLeod-Sprauge gears up for her first NFR.

Columbia River Average Champion: Hailey Garrison

Lakeview, Oregon’s Garrison wrapped up her second Columbia River title in two years astride 11-year-old gelding “HeBe,” posting times of 15.23, 15.14 and 15.1 seconds for a total of $9,833 earned at the Finals.

“There was no possible way to catch Megan [for the Year-End] she was so far ahead of us,” Garrison explained. “So I just wanted to get the average won again.”

Fortunately for Garrison, HeBe was both familiar with winning in Redmond, Oregon, and well-rested following a short vacation at her parent’s place in Glen, Montana. According to Garrison, when the Smoke Flash Im Gone gelding comes off a break, he gets faster with each run he makes.

“The ground was a little harder [at the Circuit Finals,] and I think that makes it really even for everyone,” Garrison said. “I won the last round, and I was last out.”

HeBe has been with Garrison for the last 6 years, overcoming a difficult diagnosis with EPM during the early days of their partnership before starting their winning ways. Garrison describes him as deceptively large and ratey, making her main focus in Redmond forward momentum.

“He is a really big boy, he’s about 16.1 hands,” Garrison said. “Every single person who watches him run and sees him afterwards is like, ‘I didn’t think he was that big!’ But he runs like a small horse, he gets really low and wraps his barrels. Kind of a stiffer, almost a cutting-horse style in-and-out.”

Between performances, Garrison would trot HeBe in small circles outside the barrels to keep him moving forward, especially on their first barrel, which is the left.

“I try to focus on three things max when I go in, so this weekend it was keeping my left hand down, staying still, and keeping my eyes up,” Garrison said.

As for her 2026 ProRodeo season, Garrison is set up for the winter building rodeos, having finished No. 31 in the World Standings with $56,235 won. But she says, ‘Not so fast.’

“I don’t like to make plans with HeBe, because I’ve learned that sometimes you can get too far ahead of yourself,” Garrison explained. “Health things may happen, personal things may happen, so I try to just go one run at a time, one month at a time, and capitalize on every run. Be in the moment. So for now, we’re planning on going down to the winter rodeos, and we’ll see how things go from there.”

Harrison thanked husband Jack, parents Todd and LaTricia, and Master Saddles, Standlee Forage, Omega Fields Horseshine and Sharps Sports Medicine.

Columbia River Year-End Champion: Megan McLeod-Sprauge

McLeod-Sprauge pulled off an impressive 2025 Columbia River Circuit domination, finishing about $10K higher in year-end earnings than she did in 2024 and securing her first trip to the NFR in the process.

“I’ve never won nearly $35K on the Circuit,” McLeod-Sprauge said. “I had it won going to the Finals, which helped my confidence in taking some younger horses.”

McLeod-Sprauge’s circuit season was supplemented with big paydays at rodeos like the St. Paul Rodeo ($7,904,) Horse Haven Roundup in Kennewick ($7,622) and the Canby Rodeo ($5,706) but noted that overall, she “plucked away” on the Columbia River, racing at 19 ProRodeos (20 if counting the Circuit Finals.)

“I have always enjoyed the Columbia River Circuit because I feel like it’s challenging,” McLeod-Sprauge said. “I came from the Wilderness Circuit and we all know that’s a snake pit, but the Columbia River has everything from the13-second setups like Central Point to Ellensburg and St. Paul.”

According to McLeod-Sprauge, her main mount “Jag” is “made” for the wide-open setups that can be found on the Columbia River Circuit, but will also compete on any setup with three barrels. Horses “Chip” and “Vice” are also a part of her team, but it was 6-year-old mare “Ticket” that stole the spotlight, winning $3,980 at the Basin City Freedom Rodeo in Washington and pulling a $2,458 Round 1 win at the Circuit Finals.

Now, with her clan moved from Idaho to Arizona, McLeod-Sprauge is focused on the Hondo Rodeo and NFR.

“That Hondo Rodeo in Phoenix will be a good preview for the NFR—lots of great ladies there,” McLeod-Sprauge said. “And Ticket’s Circuit Finals performance proved to me that she’s ready to step up and handle [the pressure] of the NFR.”

Right now, Jag and Ticket are getting the call for Las Vegas, with Jodee Miller’s horse Divide The Seis in the mix, too.

“Being in Arizona, we’re only four-and-a-half hours from Vegas,” McLeod-Sprauge said. “So we can swap horses is needed.”

2025 Columbia River Circuit barrel racing standings

from WPRA.com

2025 Columbia River Circuit Finals results

from ProRodeo.com

First round: 1. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 15.07 seconds, $2,458; 2. Hailey Garrison, 15.23, $1,844; 3. Julia Johnson, 15.31, $1,229; 4. Jeannette Etchebarne, 15.39, $615. 

Second round: 1. Julia Johnson, 15.11 seconds, $2,458; 2. Hailey Garrison, 15.14, $1,844; 3. Kacey Gartner, 15.19, $1,229; 4. Jeannette Etchebarne, 15.28, $615. 

Third round: 1. Hailey Garrison, 15.10 seconds, $2,458; 2. Kacey Gartner, 15.20, $1,844; 3. (tie) Jeannette Etchebarne and Shelly Mull, 15.24, $922 each. 

Average: 1. Hailey Garrison, 45.47 seconds on three head, $3,687; 2. Julia Johnson, 45.73, $2,765; 3. Jeannette Etchebarne, 45.91, $1,844; 4. Summer Huston, 46.21, $922.