218 of the Best Barrel Racers in the World Battled it Out in Cheyenne First Round

The 'Year of the Cowgirl' is being celebrated in Cheyenne, Wyo. at the 'Daddy of 'Em All.' See who came out on top of the long go of the barrel race where 218 of the best met.

Lisa Lockhart competing at the Cheyenne Frontier Days rodeo. / Isaiah J. Downing-USA TODAY Sports

The long go for the barrel racing at the 128th Cheyenne Frontier Days saw 218 barrel racers in slack on July 17. Seventy-two women advanced to the progressive round (Quarter Finals), where a random draw determined their position for the performances. The New York Stock Exchange fails to hold a candle to barrel racers finding a trade during the thick of the summer run.

After the conclusion of the Quarter Finals, the Semi-Finals will take place on July 26 and 27. Four competitors from each “bracket” of the Quarter Finals will compete in the Semi-Finals. Six out of 12 women advance out of their Semi-Finals to the Finals on Sunday, July 28. 

Leslie Smalygo dominated the qualifying round, where she put nearly two-tenths between her and Michelle Alley. Smalygo crossed the timer line in a smoking 17.09-seconds to be the first round champion. Given that she is just coming off of a $50,000 win at the Calgary Stampede, the $7,785 check will continue to move her ahead of the field of barrel racers working towards winning a World Championship.

Michelle Alley jockeyed her standout futurity horse, Lipstick N Stilettos, to a second place finish—good enough for $6,672.83. Veterans, Kassi Mowry and Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, also rode past years’ futurity horses, Force the Goodbye (2022 futurity horse) and Maybelline (2023 futurity horse), to No. 3 and 4 respectively.

Katelyn Scott and "Twiz" continue to show their ability to compete with the seasoned veterans, placing fifth. This duo just left their first Calgary Stampede as a finalist contender and even racked up a go-round win and winnings of $24,750.

Paige Jones and her talented horse "Bazinga" also left Calgary as finalists and earned $15,750 for their efforts in Pool B and the finals. They continued their winning ways in Cheyenne by placing sixth with a time of 17.41 seconds.

Jane Fambro finished just behind Jones with a 17.42. Tarryn Lee and Emily Beisel tied for eighth/ninth. Cassidy Dean and Kaycee Killingsworth tied for the last paying holes in tenth/eleventh.

The first performance of the Quarter Finals just wrapped up this afternoon (Saturday, July 20). The second and third fastest times of the entire rodeo were ran.

LaTricia Duke and DM High Roller ran a 17.16. LaTricia's run pleasantly surprised her as it did not feel noticeably fast. Duke and "Vanilla Wafer" finally conquered "the Daddy." LaTricia said their track record at Cheyenne has been rough. They turned on the wrong side of second barrel their first year and ran a 18.1 last year.

Duke says, "[She is] just along for the ride."

Sage Kohr placed second with an impressive 17.18-second run. Lindsay Sears and Kassie Mowry tied with 17.31 seconds as the last two advancing to the Semi Finals.

Cheyenne Frontier Days Long Go Results:

Barrel Racing:
1. Leslie Smalygo, 17.09 seconds, $7,784.96;
2. Michelle Alley, 17.28, $6,672.83;
3. Kassie Mowry, 17.32, $5,560.69;
4. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, 17.33, $4,819.26;
5. Katelyn Scott, 17.36, $3,707.13;
6. Paige Jones, 17.41, $2,965.70;
7. Jame Fambro, 17.42, $2,224.28;
8. (tie) Tarryn Lee and Emily Beisel, 17.44, $1,297.49;
10. (tie) Cassidy Deen and Kaycee Killingsworth, 17.46, $370.72.