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When the Cowboy Chanel aired the live announcement of the NFR Playoff Series Governor’s Cup in late 2022 about the event set to pay $1 million across eight events in 2023, barrel racers had questions—we have answers.
What is the NFR Playoff Series?
For a full rundown of the NFR Playoff Series, click here.
First thing’s first. The NFR Playoff Series is the most recent incarnation of what has been known by various names in recent years, but was called the ProRodeo Tour in 2021. Standings are kept throughout the season and there is a championship event at the end of the year.
According to the WPRA, these are the remaining rodeos in the 2023 Playoff tour.
Hermiston, OR
Sikeston, MO
Logan, UT
Caldwell, ID
Canby, OR
Gooding, ID
Kennewick, WA
Tremonton, UT
Bremerton, WA
Filer, ID
Ellensburg, WA
Walla Walla, WA
Abilene, TX
Pendleton, OR
How do athletes accumulate points?
NFR Playoff Series standings are points based. There are three levels of points based upon the total purse money of a given rodeo.
- Top Tier —more than $650,000 total purse
- Middle Tier — between $649,999 and $325,000
- Bottom Tier — less than $324,999
Points are distributed to each rodeo down to 40th place based on the fastest time or highest score. For rodeos with multiple rounds, the points are calculated based on the average. Tournament rodeos are more complicated, but points are assigned based on how far each competitor advanced through the tournament.
Get all the scoop on points here.
What is different in 2023 with the Playoff Series?
The 2022 NFR Playoff Finale took place in Puyallup, Washington. You can read about the event format and Margo Crowther’s 2022 domination here. In 2023, the PRCA announced that the top 24 athletes from the 2023 NFR Playoff Series will compete in Puyallup at the Washington State Fair on the weekend of September 7-10. But that isn’t the close of the Playoff Series, like it was in 2022.
Enter…..Sioux Falls Governor’s Cup
After Puyallup, the barrel racers who finish in the top four in Puyallup will meet up with the top eight in the 2023 WPRA Playoff Series standings (on the year) and head to Sioux Falls, South Dakota, for the 2023 Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup.
What is the Governor’s Cup, and why does it matter?
The Governor’s Cup takes place September 28-30, 2023 and offers a payout across eight events of $1 million.
The close of the PRCA and WPRA regular seasons is September 30. That means that the following massive payouts will hit during the final days of the season and it will have an impact on who makes the National Finals Rodeo in December as the buzzer sounds.
Governor’s Cup Format
The Governor’s Cup will allow the 12 qualifying contestants to compete in rounds one and two of competition.
Those rounds will have the following current and unofficial projected payout from the PRCA.:
- $12,099
- $9,166
- $6,599
- $4,399
- $2,566
- $1,833
After the first two full rounds, the top eight barrel racers on two runs will advance to Saturday’s round. In Saturday’s clean-slate round, the top four fastest times will advance to a four-man short round. The four-man shootout round wil pay the following amounts as the current and unofficial projected payout from the PRCA.
- $16,355
- $12,266
- $8,177
- $4,008
Here’s the NFR Playoff Series standings as of August 3, 2023 by points and number of rodeos attended (source: WPRA.com).
| 1 | Hailey Kinsel | 717.25 | 16 |
| 2 | Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi | 705.64 | 24 |
| 3 | Lisa Lockhart | 604.88 | 18 |
| 4 | Kassie Mowry | 548.5 | 12 |
| 5 | Shelley Morgan | 546 | 18 |
| 6 | Jordon Briggs | 498.5 | 12 |
| 7 | Summer Kosel | 458.5 | 17 |
| 8 | Wenda Johnson | 447.63 | 19 |
| 9 | Ilyssa Riley | 351.88 | 16 |
| 10 | Paige Jones | 351.25 | 13 |
| 11 | Sissy Winn | 332.5 | 16 |
| 12 | Ashley Castleberry | 331.01 | 16 |
| 13 | Jimmie Smith | 331 | 18 |
| 14 | Emily Beisel | 326.63 | 20 |
| 15 | Sue Smith | 324.75 | 12 |
| 16 | Kelly Allen | 319 | 19 |
| 17 | Tracy Nowlin | 295.75 | 8 |
| 18 | Stevi Hillman | 286.88 | 19 |
| 19 | Loni Kay Yates | 276.25 | 11 |
| 20 | Jackie Ganter | 269.75 | 14 |
| 21 | Rachelle Riggers | 268.01 | 12 |
| 22 | Carlee Otero | 263.75 | 17 |
| 23 | Sara Winkelman | 263.5 | 24 |
| 24 | Jennifer Kalafatic | 260.25 | 19 |
| 25 | Ivy Hurst | 259.51 | 18 |
Comparatively, here’s how the WPRA world standings are shaping up as of August 08, 2023.
| 1 | Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi | Lampasas, TX | $188,895.47 | 54 |
| 2 | Jordon Briggs | Tolar, TX | $141,353.67 | 22 |
| 3 | Kassie Mowry | Dublin, TX | $130,029.01 | 25 |
| 4 | Lisa Lockhart (G) | Oelrichs, SD | $115,146.68 | 38 |
| 5 | Hailey Kinsel | Cotulla, TX | $98,239.59 | 39 |
| 6 | Taycie Matthews | Wynne, AR | $95,022.82 | 53 |
| 7 | Emily Beisel | Weatherford, OK | $92,464.06 | 60 |
| 8 | Jessica Routier | Buffalo, SD | $91,178.90 | 34 |
| 9 | Sue Smith (G) | Blackfoot, ID | $89,617.17 | 39 |
| 10 | Ilyssa Riley | Hico, TX | $89,488.82 | 51 |
| 11 | Paige Jones | Wayne, OK | $81,771.61 | 32 |
| 12 | Summer Kosel | Glenham, SD | $77,406.69 | 37 |
| 13 | Wenda Johnson | Pawhuska, OK | $76,761.24 | 33 |
| 14 | Sara Winkelman | Big Lake, MN | $75,409.52 | 72 |
| 15 | Sissy Winn | Chapman, TX | $75,158.86 | 44 |
| 16 | Kelly Allen | Stephenville, TX | $73,970.77 | 73 |
| 17 | Stevi Hillman | Granbury, TX | $69,058.06 | 51 |
| 18 | Dona Kay Rule | Minco, OK | $65,806.64 | 38 |
| 19 | Jackie Ganter | Abilene, TX | $63,567.96 | 56 |
| 20 | Shelley Morgan | Eustace, TX | $58,201.38 | 32 |
| 21 | Leslie Smalygo | Skiatook, OK | $54,654.16 | 44 |
| 22 | Molly Otto | Grand Forks, ND | $54,529.56 | 32 |
| 23 | Carlee Otero | Laundesboro, AL | $52,826.53 | 62 |
| 24 | Ashley Castleberry | Montgomery, TX | $47,951.33 | 61 |
| 25 | Margo Crowther | North Fort Myers, FL | $46,757.05 | 36 |
| 26 | Jimmie Smith | McDade, TX | $45,396.97 | 50 |
| 27 | Stephanie Fryar | Waco, TX | $43,641.18 | 62 |
| 28 | Rachelle Riggers | Lewiston, ID | $42,139.10 | 35 |
| 29 | LaTricia Duke | Three Rivers, TX | $41,465.00 | 58 |
| 30 | Abigail Knight | Charlo, MT | $37,226.17 | 20 |
BarrelRacing.com will continue covering the NFR Playoff Series standings and will provide more information on Puyallup and Sioux Falls as concrete information becomes available from the PRCA and WPRA.
