Stephanie Fryar Positioned To Be First Woman To Win WCRA Triple Crown $1M Bonus

Stephanie Fryar and her super horse, Some Streakin French, aka "Fast Frank," have moved into position to have the opportunity to be the first woman to win the WCRA Triple Crown million-dollar bonus.

WCRA

One step closer or one step away, no matter how you describe it, professional barrel racer Stephanie Fryar is within reaching distance of claiming the one million dollar bonus offered by the World Champions Rodeo Alliance (WCRA) for the Triple Crown of Rodeo. Together with her equine partner, a 2015 gelding named Some Streakin French, Fryar has claimed two of the three necessary championships to become the first woman to win the million.

Fryar has been running barrels in the WCRA since 2020 and has been close to a championship many times, but she is on the verge of writing history. In October 2023, Fryar and her horse, whom she lovingly refers to as "Fast Frank," began their journey to the million. Traveling to Mill Spring, N.C., the 2023 Rodeo Corpus Christi Reserve champion started the competition strong by winning the qualifying round. Advancing to the finals via being seeded coming in, Fryar stayed the course, winning the progressive round and then again besting the competition in the finals to collect her first of the necessary three wins. For her efforts at Rodeo North Carolina, Fryar deposited a cool $20,950.

The next stop on the tour was the Stampede at the E, held in Guthrie, Okla., at the famed Lazy E Ranch. In the final round, the competition was literally split by hairs between the top five finishers. Fryar and Fast Frank topped the leaderboard with a blazing 15.323 to earn the championship and collect the second of three necessary wins. Kindyl Scruggs was hot on Fryar's heels with her 15.334. The fifth place position clocked a 15.529, a mere two-tenths behind the champion. 

Fryar added $20,000 to her WCRA earnings, which now total nearly $100,000 in her career, by winning the average of the progressive rounds and then winning the final round at the Lazy E.

WCRA Stampede at the E Barrel Racing Champion, Stephanie Fryar, aboard Some Streakin French, aka "Fast Frank." / WCRA

In an interview with Kendra Santos after the win, Fryar said she won't lose any sleep over this opportunity because it is "all in God's hands. This is God's will and I'm going to accept it."

Fryar qualified for the 2008 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo and ended the year 13th in the world standings. The Waco, Texas cowgirl came close to a second qualification in 2021 when she finished 16th. As a futurity trainer, Fryar has run for a prize of $100,000 multiple times and credits that for preparing her for this opportunity.

In the same interview with Santos, Fryar said, "I'm thankful for that now because I gained the knowledge that you always stick to your game plan, stay solid, and what is meant to be will happen."

There is still a mountain to be climbed by Fryar and her mount, and the bonus won't come easy. Between now and Rodeo Corpus Cristi, the duo will be on the road with stops in Odessa, Fort Worth, Houston, and other major events. In May 2024, all eyes will be on Fryar in Texas. This will be the last opportunity for someone to claim the unprecedented $1 million. Fryar will need to be the best of the best in the barrel racing competition and claim the title to earn the $15,000 payout for Corpus Cristi and the coveted Triple Crown of Rodeo bonus.

When asked about Frank, Fryar said, "He loves his job, and I love him."