Tayla Moeykens has been on a steady climb through the barrel racing ranks, from youth rodeos and college championships at Montana State University to now sitting firmly inside the top 15 of the WPRA world standings with just weeks left in the ProRodeo season.
The Montana cowgirl and her talented horses are proving that consistency and confidence can carry a team all the way to Las Vegas.
Moeykens runs primarily on JM PocketsDoubleDash (“Lizard”) and KN Fames Best Yet (“Yeti”), horses that have become fan favorites on The Rundown recaps and now on this full episode of The Money Barrel. Lizard, raised and trained by her family, has been with her since he was six months old, while Yeti joined the trailer two years ago. Together, they’ve helped her push past the “bubble talk” of 2024 into a 2025 campaign that looks every bit like an NFR year.
She credits her mom, Deena, as her trainer and biggest supporter, with her dad rounding out the family team as shoer, hauler, and all-around horseman. That foundation has shaped her outlook on rodeo: take it one run at a time, put the horses first, and climb the ladder without skipping steps.
From the Cinderella story of “Ms. Blue,” the older mare who unexpectedly carried her to a college championship, to navigating the business side of sponsorships and building her own marketing career on the road, Moeykens is as savvy outside the arena as she is inside it.
In this episode, she talks about:
- Handling the nerves of big-time rodeos like Cheyenne and Pendleton.
- The playoff series lessons that shaped her 2025 schedule.
- How her horses’ care routine keeps them consistent through a grueling season.
- The role of family and faith in chasing her first NFR qualification.
“It’s only three barrels. We do this every time, and if it doesn’t go the way we want it to—guess what? There’s always another one.” – Tayla Moeykens
Presented by Martin Saddlery
This episode is brought to you by Martin Saddlery, trusted by professionals across the sport. From saddles to tack, Martin delivers quality you can count on. Learn more at martinsaddlery.com.