Winding Road Puts Barrel Racer on the Verge of First NFR Appearance

The longtime quarter horse breeder has produced world champions and NFR qualifiers, but following two weekend wins she’s now closer to reaching Vegas herself.

After two wins over the weekend, Andrea Busby is inching closer to her own appearance at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. / Fernando Sam-Sin/@fsamsin

Andrea Busby paused and then let out a little laugh. 

The second weekend in August had been a whirlwind experience, with the Millsap, Texas, native winning the barrel racing titles at the Farm-City Pro Rodeo in Hermiston, Ore., then doing the same at the Cache County Fair and Rodeo in Logan, Utah. She captured Herminston in 17.10 seconds, while finishing in 16.86 at Logan. 

Two championships in just a few days is not an easy outcome to produce. So, what went right? It’s a question that made Busby smile. 

“Benny. He’s amazing. He just feels good. I’ve finally kind of figured out how to ride him,” Busby says with that light chuckle when discussing her equine partner. “It took all winter and pretty much the whole spring to get back to where I could run him. So, I feel like I’m just kind of finally on the same page.”

No. 14 Andrea Busby gets a huge win at the Cache County Fair and Rodeo, her third of August so far! pic.twitter.com/d9abfTvpt4

— The Cowboy Channel (@Cowboy_Channel) August 11, 2024

Make no mistake, Busby is no stranger to competing in professional rodeo. She’s taken part in some of the sport’s biggest showcases. But her own personal glory is not what she’s known for in the industry.  

Along with her husband, Jeff, she co-owns Busby Quarter Horses, one of the most highly regarded horse breeding and training outfits in the world. Their program has produced countless horses who have helped professional cowboys and cowgirls reach the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo in timed events.

Benny is among them. Last year, he and Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi teamed up to win the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association World Barrel Racing Championship while resetting the all-time season earnings record with $496,499. 

The past three years, Busby trailered with Pozzi Tonozzi. For the first time in years, conditions allowed her the opportunity to chase her own rodeo dream. She nearly reached the NFR in 2007. Over time, priorities shifted as the breeding program began to soar. In 2017, Jeff was diagnosed with cancer. Thankfully, he has recovered and is back helping traverse the country with Andrea. 

After finishing 31st in the world standings in 2022, Busby had intentions of making a hard push in 2023 to try for an NFR berth. 

Unfortunately, a personal injury in the spring limited her time in the arena. While she managed to crack the top 40 in the WPRA rankings,  Busby had hoped she would be the rider guiding Benny in 2023. Instead, she turned the reins over to Pozzi Tonozzi, resulting in a historic performance. 

Fully recovered and eager to try again, Busby came into 2024 ready for competition. Even that hasn’t always been easy. 

Following all the NFR success, Benny was diagnosed with a keratoma in his foot during the winter. The tumor inside the hoof capsule was surgically removed, but the process of allowing the hoof to regrow and heal takes months. 

Busby was undeterred. While Benny recovered, she relied on some of her other horses to get the job done. They didn’t disappoint. 

Between rides on Derby Day, Pickles and Blazin with My Dude, Busby had plenty of horsepower this season in Benny’s absence. He returned from the injured reserve list in early July and has picked up money at every stop he’s been asked to compete at so far.  

Even in the face of adversity, Busby navigated the schedule with her running partners. And while each of them might favor a different situation or setup, health has been the biggest player in their success. 

“I kind of always joke and say whoever is not limping is who will run,” Busby said with a laugh. “I’m hoping to place them where they’re going to be successful and keep them as fresh as you can.”

The two wins over the weekend were worth a total of $15,495, prize money that will undoubtedly help Busby as she chases her first trip to NFR as a competitor, not a spectator. 

Prior to the weekend, she had amassed a little more than $74,500 in earnings for the season, placing her 14th in the WPRA World Standings. 

It’s a good spot to be in this time of year, but also an uncomfortable one. The top 15 earn a trip to Las Vegas and with about a month and a half of competition still to play out, the race for Thomas and Mack Arena is far from over. 

Busby knows this. There are horses she’ll run against in the next few weeks that she likely helped bring into this world. She knows all the challenges that lie ahead, namely staying healthy and earning enough to remain in the rankings.

But after everything, she’s grateful to be where she is. 

“There’s so many good horses out here now. The caliber for first to 50th is unbelievable. Anybody can win on any given day. Brittany said it and I agree, winning first is an accident,” Busby said. “It certainly helps when you get lucky enough to be Benny’s person. All that said, there’s a lot of time between now and the end of September.”