A decade after winning Cheyenne Frontier Days aboard her legendary horse An Oakie With Cash, “Louie,” Lisa Lockhart added a second CFD buckle to her trophy case—this time with a mare who’s proving to be just as timeless.

Rosas Cantina CC, the 15-year-old daughter of Corona Cartel and out of Dash Ta Vanilla x Dash Ta Fame, owned by Alan Woodbury, carried Lockhart through four clean, powerful runs in Cheyenne’s demanding setup, sealing the deal in back-to-back performances across the semi-final and short round. She clocked a 17.03 in the short round to win $10,818 and the 2025 ‘Daddy of ‘Em All,’ barrel racing championship. On the week, Lockhart cashed in to the total of $22,010—with all four runs being made on the mare that has $636,468 in recorded QData earnings. See full QData Report here. Not only is the mare a standout competitor, she’s a top producer with 25 AQHA registered foals on the ground and $518,906 in recorded progeny earnings.

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The iconic mare was an easy choice for Lockhart in the CFD setup.

“I mean, I know (Rosa) loves that pen,” Lockhart said. “So it’s always exciting to know when your horse likes a situation or can be adaptable to the situation—whether the ground is deep or not deep or whatever. So I commend her for that. Obviously the name of the game for us is always keeping them standing, which is sometimes not the easiest to do, but if I do my job remotely well, that sure allows her to do her job.”

The victory was more than a win—it was a turning point. Going into the week, Lockhart was seated No. 14 in the WPRA World Standings with $66,476.81 earned on the year.

“This week was a game changer,” Lockhart said. “It’s always been one of those moments in my season that kind of tells me: are we going to keep going? What lies ahead? This week changed everything. We’re going to keep going. It’s not just about the money—it’s timing, it’s personal, and it couldn’t have come at a better moment.”

In classic Lisa fashion, her week was packed with miles and strategy. After qualifying at Cheyenne, she bounced between Spanish Fork, Ogden, Salt Lake, and smaller circuit rodeos, riding both Rosa and Blazin Ta Betty, “Sasha.” Her efforts should help her move away from the No. 15 cut line, and take pressure off as Lockhart seeks to lock in NFR appearance No. 19 and tie the all-time qualification record, currently held by Charmayne James and Sherry Cervi.

“Those mares have just been troopers,” she said. “Working their little tails off in a very busy, hot time of year. I’ve got to hand it to those two girls.”

Staying power.

Despite Rosa’s age, Lockhart says the mare is only getting stronger.

“She’s just a little Energizer bunny and she’s going to keep on going,” Lockhart said. “Sometimes, just when you think maybe they’re losing a step, you realize—maybe not. She just gets stronger, and she’s never let me down.”

That longevity isn’t by accident. Lockhart carefully manages her horses’ workloads—balancing their travel, fitness, nutrition and mental wellness with the same discipline she brings to the pattern.

“I came home from Salt Lake Thursday morning—bypassed Cheyenne just to go another four hours so she could rest at home,” she said. “It’s refreshing and rejuvenating for all of us. She doesn’t lay down on the road like some horses. You’ve got to go the extra mile for some of them.”

The team effort goes beyond the arena, too. Lockhart’s husband Grady made the trip with her—and so did Prime Diamond, known as “Cutter,” a longtime champion in his own right who also loves supporting Rosa in high-pressure situations.

“Cutter and Rosa have been stablemates forever, so they enjoy it,” Lockhart laughed. “Grady got on him early and said, ‘Okay Cutter, we’re not going to run barrels!’ He was really nervous—even chomping the bit and spinning in the alley. But he kept Rosa happy, and I’m glad I brought him.”

There’s nothing like ‘The Daddy.’

Cheyenne holds a special place in Lockhart’s heart. She first competed there around 1994—and over the years, she’s run many of her greats down its long scoreline, including Chisholm, Louie, Levy and Rosa.

“It’s kind of like a hometown rodeo to me—we’re only four hours away,” she said. “It’s such an authentic cowboy town and rodeo. I just love it.”

As the crowd roared and she loped through her victory lap, the moment hit hard.

“It was pretty surreal,” she said. “Getting to do it again, for a second time, on a different horse—it’s just monumental. The crowd was crazy. When we came in and they started cheering, Rosa felt it. I told her, ‘Okay honey, stay with me.’ They sense it just as much as we do.”

Lockhart’s connection to Cheyenne stretches back more than three decades. She first competed there in 1994, the same era the iconic rodeo began including barrel racing in its lineup. Since then, she’s made that long scoreline home for a string of standout horses: her standout gelding Fast An Gold, “Chisum,” the great Louie, Rosa, Promise Me Fame Guys, “Levee,” and more.

“Chisum loved Cheyenne. He was amazing there,” she said. “And he ran until he was 19. Louis had longevity, he ran until he was 18 and Rosa—she’s gotten to go multiple times too. But ver that many years, you better have more than one good one. I’ve been lucky.”

A feel-good win.

As always, Lisa took a moment to credit the sport that’s been her life—and the people behind it.

“We love what we do. We love the big family of rodeo,” she said. “It’s been an awesome journey.”

That family includes the folks behind the scenes, too—especially those working tirelessly to improve conditions for horses and riders.

“In some of the interviews today, I said the times speak volumes,” she explained. “There were fast runs from top to bottom of the ground, and that just doesn’t happen unless the footing is consistent. From the beginning of Slack to the end, it stayed fair. That speaks volumes for what they’ve done.”

She also gave a nod to Randy Spraggins, who has helped guide footing improvements at both Cheyenne and Salt Lake.

“The committee reached out a couple of years ago for help. Randy’s had such an integral role. He’s been busy bouncing between rodeos, but the results speak for themselves,” Lockhart said. “We can’t do it if the ground doesn’t allow our horses to capitalize on fast runs.”