Just over one week from the close of the 2025 ProRodeo regular season, one of the richest one-header rodeos of the year took place in Mandan, North Dakota: the Rough Rider Cup.
For many barrel racers chasing the NFR bubble, the Playoff Series stop was a make-or-break moment. But when flash storms drenched the city-owned arena days before the event, contestants arrived to find a swamp.
The WPRA had already engaged ground expert Jake Van to consult before the rodeo. President Heidi Uecker-Schmidt toured the arena with him a week in advance. “It was bone dry, but it was not sealed,” she said.
By Saturday, Sunday, and Monday, flash flooding hit while the arena was exposed to the elements. When Van arrived closer to the first performance, pooled water filled hoofprints across the surface. “They were trying to pump water out by that point,” Schmidt said.
Efforts to salvage the footing ran into limits. Production was overseen by Chad Berger Bucking Bulls, and both Van and WPRA officials pushed for solutions. But the city of Mandan prohibited both the removal of dirt and the use of helicopters that had been offered by a donor. “They stated too many liability concerns,” Schmidt explained. “Whether we agreed with it or not, it’s a city-owned facility in Mandan, so those options were out.”
Listen to the full interview with Schmidt on The Money Barrel Podcast.
Unsafe or unfair?
Under WPRA Rule 12.9.1, a PRCA judge can stop barrel racing if ground is unsafe. But to cancel or postpone the entire rodeo, judges, the stock contractor, and committee must agree. That threshold was never met.
“It wasn’t good,” Schmidt said. “But it wasn’t deemed unsafe.”
Minnesota cowgirl Austyn Tobey, who had the first draw Friday night, admitted she felt the weight of the decision.
“A lot of people came up to me and asked, ‘Are you really going to run?’ I said, yes. I had no doubt in my mind it was Bam Bam’s kind of ground. I wasn’t second-guessing myself. I trusted her and I knew what kind of footing she liked.”
She also knew what was at stake.
“What I was told was, if I went out there and slipped or had trouble, they were going to call it unsafe and stop barrel racing. That was in the back of my mind walking down there. But once I felt Bam Bam under me and how she was handling it, I knew we were okay.”
Tobey’s decision paid off. Running TRLyingBadger “Bam Bam,” she clocked an 18.06 to win the rodeo and take home more than $12,000, one of the biggest checks of her career.
NFR-qualifier Carlee Otero, first out Saturday, said she approached the run with realistic expectations.
“Mandan was less than what anyone would hope for with the rain that hit at the worst time for contestants. When I pulled up, I knew there weren’t going to be any arena records broken, so I just had to choose the best horse for the situation.”
Saturday delay
By Saturday, the clay hadn’t dried. The crew attempted to turn the ground with the equipment they had, but Schmidt said it “wasn’t doing much.” Instead of improving footing, the work created holes and ruts. Judges stopped the action, concerned it wasn’t safe even for bucking horses.
“At that point, the ground crew, production team, and Jake agreed the only option was to back-drag the ruts with a skid steer,” Schmidt said. “No ground was ever removed from the arena.”
The performance was delayed about an hour.
To run, or not to run?
On Friday and Saturday, many barrel racers opted to lope or trot through the pattern, some even borrowing rope horses or colts. By Sunday, others put their top mounts in the arena. Halyn Lide ran her gelding Keeper, Michelle Alley put her 5-year-old mare Stiletto through the pattern, and Lisa Lockhart tied for second overall on Rosas Cantina CC, one of the most decorated mares in rodeo.
Bubble rider Katelyn Scott had already taken the gamble Friday on her good horse Peanut Seed, a decision that paid off. Her $10,000 check vaulted her from No. 16 to No. 13 in the WPRA World Standings, positioning her for a solid chance at her first NFR appearance.
The results show that while the ground was muddy and difficult, it remained consistent across all three days. Tobey won Friday, the tie for second was split between Friday and Sunday, and other checks came out of Saturday’s performance. The footing may not have been ideal, but it was comparable in clocking ability.
Reruns and day money
Some barrel racers wondered if reruns should have been granted after the first night. Schmidt was clear that wasn’t an option.
“Reruns aren’t given on an individual basis because of ground,” she said. “The only time reruns happen is if the judges stop the barrel race for unsafe conditions. Then everybody in that section has the option to rerun when the ground is corrected. That never happened in Mandan because the judges didn’t call it unsafe.”
Day Money was another hot topic. Rule 10.9.1 allows day money only when a course is altered or an event cancelled after runs have begun. Weather alone is not covered.
“Day Money does not apply to weather,” Schmidt said. “Day Money only comes into play if the course is changed or altered, or if the event is stopped after some have already run and it’s cancelled because of unsafe conditions. That wasn’t the case in Mandan. The judges never called it unsafe, so the Day Money rule didn’t apply.”
Social Media Chaos
Images and videos of muddy horses swept social media over the weekend, with rumors claiming ground was removed, replaced, or ignored. Schmidt pushed back against the perception.
“What is most upsetting to the association is that people don’t think we care,” she said. “That is just not true. I could have taken my daughter to a birthday party instead of sitting out in 55-degree weather watching one of the muddiest rodeos I’ve ever seen. There’s a lot of care in this association.”
The bigger picture
For three days, contestants battled sticky North Dakota gumbo. Some horses powered through, others didn’t. At season’s end, when every dollar counts, the scrutiny only grew louder.
Otero said that’s rodeo.
“As a proud member of (WPRA), I will always do my best to compete in all situations while keeping my horse safe. Some horses handled (Mandan) better than others, but at the end of the day this is what makes rodeo different. This kind of stuff keeps everyone on the edge of their seats, and I wouldn’t change the excitement or the history of being a cowgirl.”
Tobey, who earned the biggest check of her year and should move within the top 35 in the WPRA World Standings from the win, echoed gratitude.
“I just want to thank the committee for putting it on and working so hard to make it happen. They really did the best they could with what they had.”
From the production crew to the associations, there seems to be consensus that mistakes were made at a high-stakes rodeo. But Mandan also underscored an opportunity to learn. For the WPRA, that means continuing to grow its network of ground experts and pushing committees toward the tools and manpower needed to deliver consistent footing. It’s part of the ongoing effort to advocate for barrel racers and their horses, with progress being made year after year.
“There’s a lot of care in this association,” Schmidt said. “It wasn’t the weekend anyone wanted, but it wasn’t ignored.”