Hallie Hanssen jockeyed The Kandyman Kid to an impressive week of futurity barrel racing at the 2025 Kinder Cup Barrel Racing Championships in Tunica, Mississippi, finishing no less than reserve on any entry and earning the Futurity championship.
In the slot race, The Kandyman Kid clocked a 14.773 to earn the reserve $15,000 finish behind Ashley Schafer and HP Hotrod. With the slot timed rolling over to the 5 and under futurity Round 1, Hanssen found herself earning an additional $4,527 for the effort.
In Round 2, Hanssen came back dialed in on a smooth, sharp run on the 2021 stallion by The Kandyman, out of ShezaStreakNSunFrost by A Streak Of Fling.
“He came back (in Round 2) and was a little bit sharper,” Hanssen said. “I had a better takeoff to the first, it felt great. I was set up better going across to the second, that helped us smooth things out where he had struggled with the ground just a step in Round 1. I was really happy with the outcome.”
The resulting 14.768 earned No. 2 in the round behind Maddy Lee and SR Sixums Epic Luck, earning another $4,527 for Hanssen. Her 29.541 on two runs in Tunica earned The Kandyman Kid the Kinder Cup Futurity title and $10,192. Their total earnings came to $34,246 before any open earnings, sidepots or incentives.
For the million-dollar jockey and esteemed trainer, the Kinder Cup title in 2025 provided some redemption after an “almost,” win when the event was based in Kinder, Louisiana.
“When I ran Tres Movidas (at the Kinder Cup futurity), I was winning for most of the class,” Hanssen said. “The announcer goes ‘Hallie, there’s just one more to go. They’d have to run the fastest time of the weekend to catch you, so get up here with your horse.’ Well, they ran it, and I ended up reserve. Lee looked at me when i ran and said ‘You’re winning it!’ and I said ‘Nope, there’s three drags left. Not yet.”
Although Hanssen just stepped aboard The Kandyman Kid a month prior to kinder, he’s been in the winner’s circle all year long. Trained by Shawn Varpness, the stallion has already earned $54,399 in recorded QData earnings, some from Varpness, plus multiple placings in Hamilton, Texas, at the Texas Best futurity with Hanssen.
See The Kandyman Kid’s QData report here.
Due to his full-time job commitment outside of the industry, Varpness called Hanssen and asked if she’d be game to take the reins on the stallion temporarily. She was already a fan of the horse, and Hanssen, who owned the late The Kandyman with husband, Lee, knows better than anybody how to win aboard his progeny.
“Anytime I can get on a The Kandyman I’m game for it,” Hanssen said. “I ran him when he was a futurity horse, and he actually loved The Kinder Cup (in Louisiana). They’re really aggressive horses, they want to turn and do their job. They give you everything that they have. I was grateful to have him in the barn this week, he fits me and he really wants to do his job. It’s awesome to get on a horse like that underneath you, he really wants to run.”
Lee and Hallie rolled in with six horses on the trailer and noted that The Kinder Cup is a must-hit on their calendar.
“We’ve been coming to this event for quite some time,” Hanssen said. “It’s always a great paying event. I hit a barrel here to win about $40,000, so I decided I was coming back and keeping them standing.”
