With just over three months remaining in the International Professional Rodeo Association’s regular season, find out what barrel racers are having a strong showing in the first three quarters of the IPRA year.
The IPRA qualifying season ends on November 30, 2023, and at that time, the top 15 cowgirls in the world standings by money won. will earn a position to International Finals Rodeo 54 at the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Oklahoma, January 11-14, 2023.
Currently in the driver’s seat is French-Canadian lady, Julie Plourde. Plourde earned accolades at WCRA events this year in the winter and spring that helped her out in the world standings race, then returned to the Canadian and Northeastern runs to clean up around her home state of Quebec, and even cross over to the states to win rodeos like Attica, New York.
No. 2 lady is reigning IPRA champion, Julie Thomas. The assistant principal from Ranger, Georgia, mainly sticks to the Southeastern rodeos around her home turf throughout the year, picking and choosing only a select amount to travel to each season. Thomas trails Plourde by around $13,000, but has a history of showing out inside the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, meaning that she’ll be looking to capitalize on the increased payout in 2024.
IPRA World Standings as of August 23, 2023
| 1 | Julie Plourde | Chicoutimi | Quebec | 40,924.08 |
| 2 | Julie Thomas | Ranger | Georgia | 23,774.24 |
| 3 | Julie Goodrich | Humboldt | Tennessee | 22,905.60 |
| 4 | Kindyl Scruggs | Southaven | Mississippi | 21,530.97 |
| 5 | Josie Thompson | Decatur | Tennessee | 19,965.28 |
| 6 | Stephanie Joyner | Henryetta | Oklahoma | 19,019.01 |
| 7 (R) | Emily Stiles | Plymouth | Indiana | 19,015.28 |
| 8 | Wendy Chesnut | Poultney | Vermont | 17,494.66 |
| 9 (R) | Madilyn Kidd | Morristown | Tennessee | 15,042.80 |
| 10 | Savannah Moran | Ripley | Ohio | 14,430.31 |
| 11 | Nicole Helm | La Vergne | Indiana | 13,323.40 |
| 12 | Ashley Ketron | Columbus | Indiana | 11,663.01 |
| 13 | Janet Kerr | Rogers | Ohio | 11,326.04 |
| 14 | Susie Parisee | Ste-Sophie | Quebec | 10,375.92 |
| 15 | Mary Brooks | Proctor | Arkansas | 10,371.22 |
| 16 | Ayla Manley | Mount Vernon | Indiana | 9,872.65 |
| 17 | Marie-Andree Fortier | Thetford Mines | Quebec | 9,220.68 |
| 18 | Katie Allred | Millington | Tennessee | 8,734.08 |
| 19 (R) | Emily Williams | Boyd | Texas | 8,503.21 |
| 20 | Yolanda Caldwell | Wetumka | Oklahoma | 8,375.28 |
| 21 | Karlee Benincasa | Gansevoort | New York | 8,076.18 |
| 22 (R) | Brooke Clayton | Buchanan | Tennessee | 7,079.58 |
| 24 | Mesa Leavitt | Vinita | Oklahoma | 6,813.52 |
| 24 (R) | Breanna Linders | Cannington | Ontario | 6,807.24 |
| 25 | Heidi Small | Louisville | Ohio | 6,689.07 |
