Barrel racing is a famous rodeo sport in which a horse and rider navigate a cloverleaf pattern around three barrels in the shortest amount of time allowed.
In the professional ranks, it is largely a female event, but both genders can compete at the amateur and youth levels.
The athletes who compete in barrel racing, both horse and rider, are the participants. To attain the best times, they need skill, athleticism, and excellent teamwork.
Currently leading the 2023 PRCA Barrel Racing table with $270,563.42 in earnings is Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi. While Jordon Briggs holds the second spot with $160,824.20.
The income of barrel racers differs largely depending on factors like skill level, experience, sponsorships, and geographic location.
Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi
Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi is a two-time Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Champion barrel racer. She has also qualified for the National Finals Rodeo (NFR), the world's most prestigious rodeo event, 17 times.
She is one of the NFR barrel racers who earned her maiden global title in 2007, becoming the WPRA's youngest world champion.
In 2009, she won her second global championship. She also earned the WPRA Most Outstanding Rookie title in 2003 and the WPRA Barrel Racing Champion of Champions award in 2007, 2009, and 2010.
Some of Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi's most remarkable achievements are:
- Two-time World Champion Barrel Racer (2007, 2009)
- 17-time NFR qualifier
- WPRA Most Outstanding Rookie (2003)
- WPRA Barrel Racing Champion of Champions (2007, 2009, 2010)
Regular Season Earnings: $270,563.42 (leads the NFR Barrel Racing Standings)
Jordon Briggs
One of the best Barrel Racers Jordan Briggs bagged her first WPRA World Barrel Racing championship in 2021, joining her mother Kristie Peterson in the record books as the first mother-daughter duo to win the title of WPRA World.
In 2023, she won the following:
- Victorious at RodeoHouston for the second year consecutively
- Victorious at Greeley (CO) Independence Day Stampede
- Victorious at Horse Heaven Round-up (Kennewick, WA)
- Victorious at the Wild Bill Hickok Rodeo (Abilene, KS)
- Victorious at the silver medal at Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo (Salt Lake City)
Regular Season Earnings: $160,824.20
Emily Beisel
Emily Beisel entered the Wrangler NFR rated 10th and ended third after winning $129,091 at the NFR, tying for fourth in the average in a time of 146.83 seconds, and placing seven out of ten rounds - winning the fifth round in a timing of 13.43 seconds.
In 2023, she achieved the following:
- Victorious at the Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls
- Victorious at the Ponoka (Alberta) Stampede
- Victorious at Tri-State Rodeo (Amarillo, TX)
- Victorious at Duncan (OK) Pro Rodeo
Regular Season Earnings: $158,752
Taycie Matthews
Taycie Matthews is a 1-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo Qualifier, who started 2023 NFR in 4th place. She Joined WPRA in 2021.
One of the Rodeo barrel racers Matthews' 2023 Major regular season wins:
- Victorious at California Rodeo Salinas
- Victorious at Central Ark PRCA Rodeo (El Paso)
- Victorious at the Fort Herriman (UT) PRCA Rodeo
- Victorious at the Killdeer (ND) Mountain Roundup PRCA Rodeo
- Victorious at Bowden (Alberta) Daze
- Victorious at the White County Fair and Rodeo (Searcy, AR)
- Victorious at the Big Fork (MT) Summer ProRodeo
Regular Season Earnings: $144.161
Lisa Lockhart
Lisa Lockhart is a seasoned professional barrel racer with an amazing career in the rodeo world.
In 2023, she achieved the following:
- Badlands Circuit Finals (Mandan, North Dakota), $8,048
- National Western Stock Show Rodeo (Denver, Colorado), $7,015
- San Antonio Rodeo, $7,750
- Calgary (Alberta, Canda) Stampede, $32,950
- NFR Open at the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo (Colorado Springs), $5,666
- Sheridan WYO Rodeo, $8,447
- Snake River Stampede (Nampa, Idaho), $8,427
- Pendleton (Oregon) Round-Up, $11,331
Regular Season Earnings: $134,592
Kassie Mowry
After winning $57,568 in the NFR, Kassie Mowry concluded the year ranked 12th with $150,121 and placed in three of ten rounds. She only went to 26 rodeos on the way to the NFR and finished 10th.
In 2023, she achieved the following:
- Only went to 28 rodeos en route to her fourth NFR
- Victorious at San Antonio (TX) Stock Show and Rodeo
- Victorious at San Angelo (TX) Stock Show and Rodeo
- Victorious at Fiesta Days Rodeo (Spanish Fork, UT)
- Victorious at the West Texas Fair & Rodeo (Abilene, TX)
Regular Season Earnings: $133,802
Wenda Johnson
Wenda Johnson entered the NFR rated third in 2022 and finished fifth with $231,860. She won $110,265 after finishing third in three of ten rounds, winning Rds. 1 and 7.
In 2023, she achieved the following:
- Victorious at the Clark County Fair and Rodeo (Logandale, NV)
- Victorious at Clovis (CA) Rodeo
- Victorious at the Strawberry Days Rodeo (Pleasant Grove, UT)
- Victorious at the Hugo (OK) Pro Rodeo
- Victorious at the Lawton (OK) Rangers Rodeo
- Victorious at the Lea County PRCA Rodeo (Lovington, NM)
- Victorious at the Omaha (NE) River City Rodeo
Regular Season Earnings: $120,506
Jessica Routier
Jessica Routier is an American professional and one of the famous barrel racers, who started riding horses at the young age of five and began competing in barrel racing at 14.
In 2023, she achieved the following:
- Victorious at the NFR Open (Colorado Springs, CO)
- Victorious at the year-end title in the Badlands Circuit
- Victorious at the Buffalo Stampede (Kadoka, SD)
- Victorious at the Fallon County Fair & Rodeo (Baker, MT)
- Victorious at the Yellowstone River Round-Up (Billings, MT)
- Victorious at the Iowa’s Championship Rodeo (Sidney, IA)
Regular Season Earnings: $118,974
Summer Kosel
Summer Kosel of Glenham, South Dakota, is a professional barrel racer. She qualified for the 2023 National Finals Rodeo (NFR) and finished the regular season ninth in the Women's Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) world standings.
Kosel had a great performance in the 2023 NFR, coming second in the Average. She also took first place in Round 5 with a timing of 13.42 seconds.
In 2023, she achieved the following:
- Victorious at Guymon (OK) Pioneer Days Rodeo
- Victorious at the Buffalo Bill Rodeo (North Platte, NE)
- Victorious at Sikeston (MO) Bootheel Jaycee Rodeo
- Victorious at Othello (WA) PRCA Rodeo
Regular Season Earnings: $115,682
Ilyssa Riley
Ilyssa Riley won the Texas Circuit Finals average championship to qualify for her first NFR Open in 2022.
In 2023, she achieved the following:
- Victorious at Los Fresnos (TX) PRCA Rodeo
- Victorious at Toppenish (WA) Rodeo
- Victorious at Westcliffe (CO) Stampede Rodeo
- Victorious at the Sanders County Fair & PRCA Rodeo (Plains, MT)
- Victorious at the Northwest Montana Fair and Rodeo (Kalispell, MT)
Regular Season Earnings: $111,473
Sissy Winn
Sissy Winn entered the first NFR in 2022 ranked 7th in the world and ended 13th with $149,156 after winning $47,308 and in 2021 she completed 20th with $48,647.
In 2023, she achieved the following:
- Victorious at the Walker County Fair & Rodeo (Huntsville, TX)
- Victorious at Langley, BC Rodeo
- Co-champion at the Armstrong, BC Rodeo
- Finished second at That Famous Preston (ID) Night Rodeo
- Finished second at the Last Chance Stampede (Helena, MT)
Regular Season Earnings: $109,022
Stevi Hillman
Stevi Hillman started the NFR rated fourth in 2022 and finished 14th overall with $138,064 after winning $17,462 at the NFR.
Stevi Hillman's 2023 highlights:
- Victorious at Pendleton (OR) Round-up for the second time in her career
- Victorious at Livingston (MT) Round-up
- Victorious at Raymond (AB) Stampede
- Victorious at Durant (OK) Pro Rodeo
- Victorious at the Owyhee County Rodeo (Homedale, ID)
- Victorious at Strathmore (AB) Stampede
Regular Season Earnings: $109,015
Hailey Kinsel
One of the Texas barrel racers, Hailey Kinsel, is a four-time World Barrel Racing Champion. She has accomplished amazing things in her rodeo career, earning her spot as one of the most successful barrel racers in recent history.
Hailey Kinsel's 2023 Highlights:
- Victorious at Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo (Phillipsburg, KS)
- Completed second at the Fort Worth (TX) Stock Show and Rodeo
- Completed second at Reno (NV) Rodeo
- Completed second at Cody (WY) Stampede
- Completed second Woodard (OK) Elks Rodeo
- Completed tied for second at San Angelo (TX) Rodeo
Regular Season Earnings: $105,776
Sue Smith
Sue Smith, from Blackfoot, Idaho, is a seasoned and recognized barrel racer with a two-decade career. Her story is one of persistence, talent, and a stunning return.
Smith's 2023 Highlights:
- Victorious at Cheyenne Frontier Days Rodeo
- Victorious at Cave Creek (AZ) Fiesta Days Rodeo
- Victorious at Lakeside (CA) Rodeo
- Victorious at Ogden (UT) Pioneer Days Rodeo
- Victorious at Snake River Stampede (Nampa, ID)
- Victorious at Poway (CA) Rodeo
- Completed second at Clark County Fair and Rodeo (Logandale, NV)
- Completed second at Redding (CA) Rodeo
Regular Season Earnings: $105,644
Paige Jones
One of the professional barrel racers, Paige Jones finished the year 2022 ranked 17th and won the Tri-State Rodeo (Amarillo, TX), Coeur d’Alene, ID, Farm City Pro Rodeo (Hermiston, OR), the Northeast Montana Fair & Rodeo (Glasgow), Mandan (ND) Rodeo Days, and Durant (OK) Pro Rodeo.
Paige Jones achieved the following in 2023:
- Victorious at Cody (WY) Stampede
- Victorious at Wyoming State Fair & Rodeo (Casper)
- Victorious at the Wainwright (AB) Stampede
- Victorious at the Lewiston (ID) Roundup
Regular Season Earnings: $102,969
