Rodeo Daily

It All Comes Down to Tonight: One Run Will Determine Barrel Racing World Champion

What a week it has been to watch the best barrel racers in the world and it all comes down to the tenth and final round

Teal Stoll

Kassie Mowry
Kassie Mowry / Hillary Maybery for Rodeo On SI

Wow. That is all I have to say after watching the past nine rounds of the National Finals Rodeo barrel racing.

A 13.84 is the slowest time to get a check so far. Yes, you read that right. To place, not win a round. In Round 1 and Round 3, a 13.84 earned the sixth place check. A 13.7 got last hole checks in two rounds (Round 4 and Round 6). In five rounds, barrel racers needed to be a 13.6 to even get a check. In Round 5, a 13.59 was the last hole paid.

A 13.48 is the slowest time to win a round all week and has been a popular time (Hailey Kinsel ran this exact time in Rounds 2, 3, and 9). Kassie Mowry's 13.19 is Round 8 is the fastest winning time of the week and the third fastest time ever ran in the Thomas and Mack.

All this to say, it has been incredibly, incredibly fast. And still - we have seen a duel for the World Championship. None of these cowgirls have backed off the gas, so the fact that only three different cowgirls have made a trip to the winner's circle in nine rounds feels unprecedented (at least to my recent memory).

The Short Version

Tonight's World Champion will be determined by who has the fastest (clean) run between Hailey Kinsel and Kassie Mowry.

Round money will decide who takes home this gold buckle and with Kinsel winning four rounds this week and Mowry winning five... well, let's just say, odds are high one of those two will take a round win, again.

How Much Money is Still on the Table?

There is still a ton of money to be won in the tenth round and the Average.

Round 10 Payout:

  1. $33,687.18
  2. $26,623.74
  3. $20,103.64
  4. $14,126.88
  5. $8,693.47
  6. $5,433.42

Average Payout:

  1. $86,391.31
  2. $70,091.06
  3. $55,420.84
  4. $40,750.62
  5. $29,340.45
  6. $21,190.32
  7. $14,670.22
  8. $8,150.12

World Standings After Round 9 (UNOFFICIAL)

Right now, Kinsel has $10,578.10 over Mowry in the World Standings. Mowry stands to earn $8,150.13 MORE than Kinsel in the Average, at this time. That would leave Kinsel $2,427.97 ahead of Mowry, going into Round 9, if we factor in the Average.

1. Hailey Kinsel / $401,012.06
2. Kassie Mowry / $390,434.50
3. Carlee Otero / $261,441.26
4. Leslie Smalygo / $251,547.68
5. Andrea Busby / $240,199.19
6. Ashley Castleberry / $211,748.72
7. Emily Beisel / $206,928.95
8. Tiany Schuster / $193,840.94
9. Lisa Lockhart / $187,291.54
10. Abby Phillips / $165,163.82
11. Shelley Morgan / $159,494.88
12. Latricia Duke / $155,974.04
13. Halyn Lide / $140,659.17
14. Dona Kay Rule / $140,174.45
15. Wenda Johnson / $127,969.63

Average Leaders After Round 9

Andrea Busby and 2023 World Champion, Jets Top Gun, "Benny," have a 5.7 second lead in the Average going into Round 10. They are the only duo who have stayed clean all week. They have also pulled a check in eight of nine rounds. If she runs faster than a 14.26 tonight, she will break the NFR Average Record.

The current record is 136.83, by Jordon Briggs and Famous Lil Jet in 2020. "Rollo" is a product of the Busby Quarter Horses breeding program, just like Benny. Busby has earned $124,373.42 at the NFR so far and the Average pays $86,391.31.

1. Andrea Busby /Jets Top Gun/ 122.57 (CLEAN)
2. Tiany Schuster /MicGuyVer and Showmance / 128.27 (one tipped barrel)
3. Ashley Castleberry / Skyy Blue / 128.95 (one tipped barrel)
4. Latricia Duke / DM High Roller / 129.78 (one tipped barrel)
5. Kassie Mowry / Force The Goodbye / 130.53 (two tipped barrels)
6. Hailey Kinsel / DM Sissy Hayday / 131.73 (two tipped barrels)
7. Emily Beisel / Ivory On Fire, Namgis D 33, Teasin Dat Guy / 133.14 (two tipped barrels)
8. Carlee Otero / Blingolena / 133.23 (two tipped barrels)
Halyn Lide / Jettin Ta Heaven and SR Easin Ta Heaven / 134.51
Lisa Lockhart / Promise Me Fame Guys and Blazin Ta Betty / 138.55
Abby Phillips / VF Expensive Taste and Epic Guy / 144.17
Wenda Johnson / Steal Money and Hesa Mr Moonflash / 144.19
Shelley Morgan / HR FamesKissAndTell and Bucky Wonder Horse) 148.62
Leslie Smalygo / JustAHeartBeatToFame and Blazin Boss 125.31 (on 8 runs)
Dona Kay Rule / High Valor and NB Ladybird / 88.26 (on 6 runs)

WNFR Earnings After Round 9

Although this is not relevant to the race tonight, I found it interesting which cowgirls have had such an exceptional NFR.

1. Kassie Mowry / $228,151.66
2. Hailey Kinsel / $196,909.52
3. Carlee Otero / $148,552.12
4. Andrea Busby / $124,373.42
5. Tiany Schuster / $61,345.78
6. Leslie Smalygo / $55,640.69
7. Emily Beisel / $52,923.99
8. Abby Phillips / $49,663.94
9. Shelley Morgan / $48,305.58
10. Lisa Lockhart / $46,403.90
11. Ashley Castleberry / $41,513.82
12. Latricia Duke / $26,843.60
13. Dona Kay Rule / $18,693.47
14. Halyn Lide / $18,693.47
15. Wenda Johnson / $10,000.00

Published
Teal Stoll
TEAL STOLL

Teal Stoll is a lifelong Wyomingite from a working ranch family of several generations. Both sides of her family have deep roots in rodeo, as contestants and stock contractors. Teal grew up horseback and actively competes in rodeos and barrel races. She has degrees in both business and accounting, which she uses operating her own bookkeeping service. Teal enjoys spending time with her horses, training colts, and maintaining her string of athletes. When she isn’t at the barn, she can be found reading, doing yoga, or on her paddle board at the lake. Teal lives with her fiancee and a plethora of animals, because she can’t say no to a displaced critter with a sad story. When she isn’t on the road running barrels, she spends her time helping with day to day operations on the family ranch.

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