On April 28-29, Kalli McCall made a statement aboard Dr Nicks Cash at the 2023 Resistol Rookie Roundup, earning a total of $3,656 and lengethening her lead on the Resistol Rookie standings on the year.

In the first round of the Resistol Rookie Roundup inside Fort Worth’s Cowtown Coliseum, 15 barrel racers pulled from the WPRA Rookie Standings went head-to-head on Friday, April 28. McCall completed the course in 13.31 seconds to earn $1,156, finish second to Thrall, Texas, cowgirl Kaycee Killingsworth and punch her ticket to Saturday’s eight-man round.

When Saturday rolled around, McCall went 13.47 to earn her place to the final four shootout round alongside Killingsworth, Victoria Procter and Acey Pinkston. Then, the ladies had about an hour to regroup and set to run again for the title.

“I got off (Mohawk), gave him some water and then just let him rest and chill out,” McCall (19) said. “When he was calm, I got on him before the barrels, trotted a few circles and it was time to go.”

McCall and Mohawk kept it smooth and turned in a 13.50-second run, which earned them the win in the four-man round, and $2,500.

“It’s so exciting,” McCall said of the win. “It’s a dream come true. I’ve worked so hard for these moments every single day and I’m just so thankful.”

The Lufkin, Texas, native wasn’t born into a rodeo family, but followed in her brother, Kason’s footsteps when he took up rodeo at a young age. When she decided to venture into professional rodeo, her path to WPRA cardholder status didn’t start with barrel racing.

“I entered my first ProRodeo in the breakaway,” McCall said. “I won it and filled my permit.”

After purchasing her card, it was full steam ahead for McCall with her horse, “Mohawk,” who broke out in the team roping before finding his calling as a barrel horse.

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“I trotted him on the pattern for three years because I was so scared to go fast,” McCall said. “Then he started ducking the barrels and my brother took him and headed on him for about five years. Then the horse I was running at the time got hurt and I decided to pull Mohawk out—I ran him at a high school rodeo, he won it and from then on out, he’s been my number one.

The now 16-year-old gelding is nearly the same in age as his 19-year-old rider, and McCall knows the aged gelding nearly as well as herself.

“We’ve abolutely gone through all stages of life together,” McCall said. “It’s crazy. I love it.”

Cowtown Coliseum was the perfect setup for Mohawk, but McCall is still searching for the perfect horse to fill in the gaps in larger, outdoor arenas. Either way, she’s full steam ahead on the rodeo trail.

“I’m just trying to stay focused and keep pushing, because I know that God’s going to send me the right (horse) when I need it in the right timing,” McCall said. “I’m just going to be patient.”

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Resistol Rookie Roundup Results

Fort Worth, Texas, April 28-29

First round: 1. Kaycee Killingsworth, 13.29 seconds, $1,329; 2. Kalli McCall, 13.31, $1,156; 3. Acey Pinkston, 13.45, $982; 4. Victoria Procter, 13.48, $809; 5. Madison McFall, 13.81, $636; 6. Grace Gardiner, 13.86, $462; 7. Rebecca St. Martin, 13.90, $289; 8. Alex Odle, 14.04, $116

Semifinals: 1. Acey Pinkston, 13.35; 2. Kaycee Killingsworth, 13.44; 3. Kalli McCall, 13.47; 4. Victoria Proctor, 13.52; 5. Alex Odle, 13.54; 6. Rebecca St. Martin, 13.57; 7. Madison McFall, 13.66; 8. Grace Gardiner, 18.63

Finals: 1. Kalli McCall, 13.50 seconds, $2,500; 2. Victoria Procter, 13.73, $1,500; 3. Kaycee Killingsworth, 18.38, $1,000; 4. Acey Pinkston, 18.39, $500

WPRA Resistol Rookie Standings

As of May 1, 2023. Courtesy WPRA.com