Caitlyn White and Mr Soul won the NFR Open at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo in Colorado Springs, Colorado, Tricia Aldridge took the California Rodeo Salinas average aboard Adios Pantalones, and the 5 States Breeders Futurity paid more than $225,000 across a loaded week in South Dakota, all recapped on this week’s episode of The Rundown on The Money Barrel.
From Caitlyn White’s national all-circuit title in Colorado Springs to Jordynn Knight resetting the arena record at the Xtreme in Nampa, Idaho, and Raegan Chance and Gracie Snyder taking home IFYR gold, this week’s episode of The Rundown, presented by Chewy, breaks down the biggest results and what they mean moving forward. Listen to the full episode below.
The Rundown is presented by Chewy.
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NFR Open (Colorado Springs, Colorado)
The national all-circuit finals, the NFR Open, ran at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo with a 27-woman field, two from each of the 13 circuits plus the WPRA Mexico champion, split into three brackets that sent nine barrel racers to Saturday’s final on a two-run average.
Champion ($13,000 finals, $16,750 for the week): Caitlyn White and Mr Soul, who saved their best run of the week for the final.
Second ($10,000 finals, $14,500 for the week): Katelyn Scott and Peanut Seed, sitting right around the WPRA bubble and in position to defend and climb.
Third ($7,000): Megan McLeod-Sprague and Jag.
Fourth ($3,500): Lisa Lockhart, who won a first round on the great Rosa, then swapped to her younger horse, Copper, to advance.
Remaining finalists ($1,500 each): the balance of the final nine.
Bracket wins set the field: Emily Beisel swept both rounds of the first bracket on Chewy, Alyssa Urbanek Wade and Feelinwilliewicked won a round, and Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi advanced on her 5-year-old stallion Blazzin The Way. A nice note from the short round, nine different circuits were represented in the barrel racing, with no repeats.
California Rodeo Salinas (Salinas, California)
Salinas keeps its old-school average format: three rounds with separate payouts, a finals, and a champion decided on four runs. Each round paid $3,214 to win, and Michelle Alley took Round 1 on Stiletto before giving the mare a break to prep for the one-headers back north.
Champion ($14,420): Tricia Aldridge and Adios Pantalones, a 64.40 average on four head and a 15.98 finals win aboard the winningest barrel racing stallion of all time.
Reserve ($9,208): Sherry Cervi and MP Meter My Fame, second in the average at 64.98 with placings in multiple rounds.
$8,112: Abby Phillips, cashing the first two rounds and the average.
$7,805: Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, back and forth between Salinas and Colorado Springs, with two round wins on Piper despite a downed barrel in the short round.
$6,971: Kellie Jorgensen, third overall.
$6,597: Kathy Petska and Jeffrey, fourth overall.
The Xtreme (Nampa, Idaho)
The Xtreme Mini Million paid $351,754 across the weekend, with 177 barrel racers taking home a check on ground that had everyone raving.
$33,830: Jordynn Knight, who broke the arena record with a 16.554 on Runnin Ron on a standard pattern, backed it with Dashing French Belle (17.0, 16.8, 16.557) and two 16.7s on Heza Swift Spyder, and went 1-2-3 on Sunday and 1-2-5-7-10 overall in the Mini Million 1D.
$28,604: Lily Wright, three 16.7s on Fabulous Golden Honey for 3-4-6 overall.
$9,655: Emilee Vanderpoel, who won the 4D.
$8,831: Dominique Hart, the 2D winner.
$6,982: Kellsey Ells, the 3D winner.
$5,249: Callie Nielsen, the 5D winner.
5 States Breeders Futurity (South Dakota)
In its 29th year, the 5 States paid more than $225,000 with over $75,000 in awards, one of the deepest awards programs in the futurity world, and it runs pole bending and breakaway alongside the barrels.
Futurity Champion ($2,053 per go-round check, more than $8,000 for the week): Rusty Rae Quam and CCJessStreakinKnud, who led Round 1, won the second go in 17.158 and the short go in 17.269. The 5-year-old is by French Streakin Jess out of Gramma Ella, by Knud With Wings.
Futurity Reserve: Amelia McCumber and RNC AintSeenMyJeans, another promising one out of her program.
Maturity 1D Champion ($2,894): Heidi Gunderson and Wonder If Im Lucky, rounds of 16.720 and 16.914 for a 33.634 average, a year after the pair won the 5 States Futurity. The 2021 bay gelding is by Lucky Wonder Horse out of TS Sunnys Superstar, by PC Mr Sun Peppy, owned by Shannon Kulseth.
Maturity 1D Reserve ($2,410): Jessica Leach and Aint An Angel, a 34.109 average, by Aint Seen Nothin Yet out of Rich Money, by Buck That Money. Leach also cashed on her 2023 5 States futurity champion, VC Roc The Clock.
Maturity 2D Champion ($1,115): Calley Geigle and I Assure U Guys, a 35.140 average, by Frenchmans Guy out of Hanks Pleasure Gal, by Assured Pleasure.
Sun Frost ran deep through the Maturity pedigrees: the 1D champion carries him on the bottom through PC Mr Sun Peppy, the reserve is by a Frenchmans Guy son, and the 2D champion is by Frenchmans Guy directly.
Pole Bending Futurity Champion ($416): Becca Fulton and MM Assured Ta Fly, a 21.445.
Pole Bending Maturity Champion ($54): Kinsey Walz and Ima Slip A Hope, a 19.802. The mare is by Ima Firefighter, and Walz has been rolling, running a 19.76 at the Little Britches Finals this month for a world title in poles.
South Dakota’s futurity run continues with Dash N Dance, then the Royal Crown in Rapid City, a new event where all ages can enroll for $500 from July 27 to August 2. Watch the sidepots: Mama’s Money, Gold Rush, Future Fortunes and Tomorrow’s Legends.
IFYR
At the International Finals Youth Rodeo, two champions saved their best for the Championship Round.
Barrel Racing Champion: Raegan Chance, the Mississippi cowgirl who stopped the clock in 16.506 in the final for a three-run aggregate of 49.854.
Pole Bending Champion: Gracie Snyder, a 20.618 in the final for a three-run total of 61.808.