The 10 rounds of the National Finals Rodeo 2024 barrel racing came and went in Las Vegas at breakneck speed, but if you missed a second, here’s how the finals went for each of the 15 top barrel racers and their horses.
1. Kassie Mowry
Year-end earnings: $457,808.86
NFR earnings: $295,526
Horses: Force The Goodbye (1-10)
Kassie Mowry objectively put on one of the most impressive NFR performances in the sport’s history at the Thomas & Mack in 2024, winning or splitting five go-rounds and placing in eight out of 10—only missing checks in the two rounds she downed barrels. She rode 2024 AQHA/WPRA Horse of the Year, Force The Goodbye, better known as Jarvis throughout the entirety of the competition to earn $295,526 and win her first World Championship in the barrel racing.
- Perfect Plan: Kassie Mowry and Force The Goodbye Win Round 4 NFR Barrel Racing
- From Rock Bottom to Top Gun: Kassie Mowry Wins First World Championship, Top Earner of NFR 2024
- No Words: Force The Goodbye Leaves Kassie Mowry Speechless After Third Consecutive Round Win
2. Hailey Kinsel
Year-end earnings: $430,352
NFR earnings: $226,249
Horses: DM Sissy Hayday (1-9), KN Fabs Gift Of Fame, (10)
Hailey Kinsel was nearly unstoppable as she battled it out with Kassie Mowry in a nail-biting showdown that resulted in $226,249 in earnings for the four-time World Champion. She held onto a solid aggregate check after substituting in KB Fabs Gift Of Fame, the former NFR aggregate champion known as “JLo,” in Round 1. Kinsel won Rounds 1-3, plus Round 9 and broke a few records (some of which were her own) along the way.
- Kinsel Wins Round 9, World Champion Will be Determined in Round 10
- She’s Feelin’ 22: Hailey Kinsel and DM Sissy Hayday Kick off NFR 2024 With Round Win No. 22
- Oops, She Did it Again? Nope, Hailey Kinsel’s Round 2 Strategic Win Was No Accident
- Working For it: Hailey Kinsel and Sister Win Third Straight NFR Round Despite Near Malfunction
3. Andrea Busby
Year-end earnings: $343,705
NFR earnings: $227,879
Horses: Jets Top Gun (1-10)
Andrea Busby defended her position to get into her first NFR with a hot winning streak in September, and she made the most of every run in a dominating showing in Las Vegas. She was the only cowgirl in the group of 15 to keep barrels standing on all 10 nights and earned $86,391 for the victory. But she didn’t coast to that title—she broke the NFR average record in the process with a time of 136.18 on Jets Top Gun and placed in nine of the 10 rounds, banking an impressive $227,879.
4. Ashley Castleberry
Year-end earnings: $287,273
NFR earnings: $117,038
Horses: Skyy Blue (1-10)
Ashley Castleberry lit up her first appearance to the National Finals Rodeo. She pocketed a total of $117,038 on her ultra-consistent gelding Skyy Blue.
En route to placing second in the aggregate and cashing in for $70,091, Castleberry also placed in four go-rounds and only downed one barrel throughout the course of the competition.
5. Emily Beisel
Year-end earnings: $261,806
NFR earnings: $107,801
Horses: Ivory On Fire (1,8-10) , Namgis D 33 (2,3,5-7 Teasin Dat Guy (4)
Beisel’s sixth NFR appearance started out generally slow, but picked up for the multi-time NFR round winning Oklahoma native as the competition rolled on. She shuffled between three horses throughout the competition and picked up a total of $107,801. Her best performance came during Round 10, when she and Ivory On Fire earned the go-round victory in 13.51 seconds, worth $33,687.
6. Carlee Otero
Year-end earnings: $261,806
NFR earnings: $148,552
Horses: Blingolena (1-10)
Carlee Otero’s return to the NFR after a 10-year break was an epic one that resulted in $148,552 earned, where she won or split the No. 2 finish in five of the 10 go-rounds. Otero fractured her pelvis in an accident halfway through NFR 2024, but she didn’t let it slow her down on Blingolena. Read more about Otero’s NFR here.
7. Leslie Smalygo
Year-end earnings: $251,547
NFR earnings: $55,640
Horses: JustAHeartBeatToFame (1-3,6-10), Blazin Boss (4,5)
Smalygo entered her second NFR in the No. 2 position after a stellar season where she won both RodeoHouston and the Calgary Stampede. Her horse, gus was voted 2024 “Horse With the Most Heart,” by fellow NFR qualifiers. Smalygo proved her resiliance as she battled through a rollercoaster finals that began with a solid placing in Round 1. She suffered a no-time after a broken pattern in Round 2, rocking her aggregate position early in the finals. However, “Gus,” helped her pull checks in a total of four rounds and earn $55,640 to finish in the No. 7 position overall in the World Standings.
8. Latricia Duke
Year-end earnings: $211,394
NFR earnings: $82,264
Horses: DM High Roller (1-10)
Duke’s trained a handful of horses that have been to the Thomas & Mack, but the stallion DM High Roller is the first Duke’s jockeyed at the NFR. The stallion known as “Vanilla Wafer,” won the WPRA’s “Rising Star Award,” as voted on by the other top 15 barrel racers, plus was a finalist for 2024 AQHA/WPRA Horse of the Year after the regular season. He picked up $82,264 at his first NFR appearance, placing in just two rounds, but staying consistent all week long for a $55,420 third-place aggregate check.
9. Tiany Schuster
Year-end earnings: $208,511
NFR earnings: $76,016
Horses: Famous Mic Guy Ver (1-6), Show Mance (7-10)
Schuster didn’t just win the Jerry Ann Taylor Best Dressed Award at NFR 2024, she banked a solid $76,016 across 10 nights. Famous Mic Guy Ver placed in three of the first four nights with Schuster, then Show Mance placed in Round 7 and helped Schuster stay in the hunt for an aggregate check.
10. Lisa Lockhart
Year-end earnings: $187,291
NFR earnings: $46,403
Horses: Promise Me Fame Guys (1,2,5-10), Blazin Ta Betty (3,4)
Lisa Lockhart started her NFR outside of the pay window, a place fans are unfamiliar seeing the 18-time NFR qualifier. She finally found her way to her first check in Round 5 on “Levee,” then picked up placings in Rounds 6 and 8 to a total earnings of $46,403 on her relatively quiet NFR.
11. Shelley Morgan
Year-end earnings: $176,610
NFR earnings: $65,420
Horses: HR FamesKissAndTell (1-4, 7-9), Bucky Wonder Horse (5,6,10)
Former NFR aggregate champion Shelley Morgan clinched her 2024 NFR qualification in the No. 15 position thanks to a clutch end-of-season effort at Sioux Falls, and she capitalized on the appearance once in Las Vegas. Morgan only posted $5,432 over the first seven rounds. Then, she broke up Kassie Mowry’s perfect win streak when she split the Round 8 victory with Mowry and Jarvis. Mowry went on to place in Rounds 9 and 10, bringing her total earnings up to over $65,000 at NFR 2024.
12. Abby Phillips
Year-end earnings: $165,163
NFR earnings: $49,663
Horses: VF Expensive Taste (1-3, 5-10), Epic Guy (4)
Abby Phillips had a successful first NFR appearance, placing in three rounds on VF Expensive Taste, “Andi Andersen.” She began the competition strong, earning third in the first round. Some downed barrels kept her out of aggregate conversation near the end of NFR 2024. Overall, Phillips placed in three rounds of competition for a total earnings of $49,663 aboard VF Expensive Taste.
13. Halyn Lide
Year-end earnings: $157,502
NFR earnings: $35,537
Horses: Jettin Ta Heaven (1-5, 8-10) SR Easin Ta Heaven (6,7)
Lide struggled to find her footing across the first few rounds at her first NFR in 2024 with slips and knocked barrels, but rallied to place in three go-rounds on Jettin Ta Heaven, “Keeper,” plus debuted SR Easin Ta Heaven.
14. Dona Kay Rule
Year-end earnings: $140,174
NFR earnings: $18,693
Horses: High Valor (Round 1-3, 5, 7, 8) NB Ladybird (Round 4,6)
A fan-favorite athlete, Dona Kay Rule had a rollercoaster eight rounds of NFR competition in 2024. She swapped between High Valor, her former WPRA/AQHA Horse of the Year and new addition NB Ladybird, a former futurity standout she added to the NFR team in 2024.
Rule suffered a stumble on NB Ladybird in Round 6 that caused her reins to flip over the mare’s head, resulting in a no time. She recovered in Round 7 on Valor and earned an $8,693.47 check for fifth in the round, seemingly settling back into her groove inside the Thomas & Mack. However, Round 8 brought disaster for the multi-time NFR hand.
Valor broke away from Rule’s control as he entered the arena for Round 8, unseating Rule’s balance. He crashed into the chutes on the side of the alleyway, hanging Rule and dragging her alongside him before she broke free from the stirrups in the dirt, while Valor ran into the arena riderless. Rule doctor released out of the remaining two rounds of the NFR.
15. Wenda Johnson
Year-end earnings:
NFR earnings: $10,000
Horses: Steal Money, Hesa Mr Moonflash
Wenda Johnson struggled immensely at her fifth NFR appearance, choosing to jockey the geldings Steal Money and Hesa Mr Moonflash. She received $10,000 as the guaranteed NFR bonus and unfortunately, did not place in any of the 10 go-rounds.
