If the name Anita Ellis wasn’t familiar as of June 2025, the barrel racing community knows it now. Ellis has had an unforgettable month, punctuated by a dominating performance at her very first Calgary Stampede appearance.
Ellis secured her qualification for Calgary through the WPRA qualifier offered to cardholders. She nearly missed her chance to enter but decided to seize the opportunity after discussing it with her husband.
A good decision.
“I honestly almost didn’t enter the qualifier,” Ellis admitted. “It wasn’t really on my radar until my husband encouraged me to do it. He told me, ‘You have nothing to lose—why not just go and see what happens?’ It turned out to be one of the best decisions we’ve ever made.”
Fast forward to July, and Ellis found herself gearing up for competition in Calgary’s Pool A with RV Two Dash Ta Vegas, known affectionately as “Axl.” The talented gelding, who boasts significant recorded QData earnings, isn’t just another talented athlete—he holds special significance to Ellis’ family.
“Ax is extra special because my husband started him as a colt. He’s a son of Blazin Jetolena, and his mom is by Dash Ta Fame. I trained him myself,” Ellis explained. “We started seasoning him at smaller rodeos, and he was never super confident indoors. But outdoors, he’s just a different horse. He always steps up and shines. He’s become such a cornerstone of our program, and we couldn’t be prouder of him.”
Choosing Ax was strategic, and it paid off immediately. Ellis claimed the first round victory with a swift 16.88 seconds, then repeated that success with another win in Round 2, clocking in at 16.96 seconds.
“I was really confident. Ax was feeling great,” Ellis said. “He had some soreness issues a few weeks back, but we got that all figured out, and he was feeling really soft. If he leaves barrels up, he’ll be in the top three every time. He’s just so fast.”
Despite Ax’s standout performances, Ellis made a surprising decision to switch mounts for the third round, bringing in her younger horse, SGL Rico, or “Rico,” a five-year-old she’d also trained herself. Rico had earned his spot in Calgary by placing second in the indoor WPRA qualifier arena, showcasing his promise in high-pressure scenarios.
“I made the decision to run Rico because I knew he could handle the pressure, and honestly, he deserved his moment to prove himself,” Ellis said. “I remember telling myself, ‘He can do this. He’s ready.’ And when we turned that first barrel, I just knew—it was going to be special. Even with a small mistake on the third barrel, he was still incredibly fast. He’s young, but he’s amazing.”
Rico clocked an impressive 16.79-second run in the third round, further solidifying Ellis’ momentum.
Ellis progressed through the semifinals and into the high-stakes three-man final round. The tension was intense behind the scenes, with the pressure mounting as cameras followed Ellis’ every move.
“It was such a whirlwind. The cameras, the people, everything—it was just surreal,” Ellis described. “But I remember standing there, looking out at the empty arena, thinking about how far we’d come and how grateful I was to even be there. I just kept telling myself, ‘We’ve already won by making it this far. Now, let’s just go show them what we can do.’”
When the dust settled, Ellis and Rico stood victorious, capturing the Calgary Stampede Finals title and the accompanying $50,000 payout. Combined with her earlier round winnings, Ellis walked away from Calgary with a remarkable $71,000.
Ellis returned home to Blackfoot, Idaho, riding high on her breakthrough month, which included multiple rodeo victories and totaled approximately $87,000 in earnings.
“We’re going for it,” Ellis said confidently. “This year has been about pushing hard and proving we belong. I’m so grateful for Calgary, the committees, and everyone who supported us. It’s all still surreal, but we’re not slowing down now. We’re ready for whatever comes next.”
With her name now firmly established among the ProRodeo elite, Anita Ellis sets her sights confidently on the upcoming challenges, including a potential first NFR qualification.
“This is just the beginning for us,” Ellis added. “I know there’s still a long way to go, but we’ve worked so hard. This month has shown me—and hopefully others—that we’re exactly where we’re meant to be.”
Ellis continued on with her winning ways post Calgary, She placed deep at rodeos like Sheridan, and cashed in during Utah’s Pioneer Week. She’s seated No. 5 in the WPRA World Standings as of July 24 with $112,385.66 on just 24 rodeos on the season.
Stay tuned for ProRodeo updates all season long at BarrelRacing.com, presented by Equinety.