In 2010, while Sherry Cervi was chasing Lindsay Sears' 2008 regular-season earnings record of $184,756, what she didn't realize was how close she was to 11-time world champion Charmayne James' career earnings record.

While Cervi fell short of Sears' record, finishing the year with $179,852, she did surpass James all-time money record and now holds the record with $1,964,821 in career earnings to date. James finished her career with $1,886,568. And if that wasn't enough, Cervi needs to win just $35,179 at the 2010 Wrangler NFR to become the first $2 million barrel racer.

"I hadn't realized I was that close, so that is pretty cool," Cervi said. "I've had a great career, but without the great horses, none of this would have been possible. I feel very blessed."

"Records are made to be broken, and my hope is that the sport and money continue to get better and that it takes less time for the next person to break my record."

The ever-gracious James echoed the same sentiments about her record being broken.

"Records are made to be broken and it is good for the sport as it means the money is getting better," said James, who since retiring from the sport in 2003, spends time with her family (her kids, Tyler and Austin; her husband Tony; and her parents, Charlie and Gloria), putting on barrel racing clinics and building her breeding and training program. "Sherry has worked hard and is very deserving of this accomplishment."

"I was glad I did what I did while I was competing. I will always be able to cherish those accomplishments, like 10 titles on Scamper, but now I love putting on clinics and being able to help others with their horses by applying some of the techniques I learned during my career. Life is good."

Chasing a third world title
In 2009, two-time WPRA World Champion Sherry Cervi entered the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, seventh in the world with $73,529 in earnings.

After a record performance - the $146,100 she won was the most of any NFR contestant - she finished the year with a second average title with a 10 run total of 139.01 seconds and moved to third in the WPRA NFR standings with $219,629, behind World Champion Brittany Pozzi's $279,435 and 2008 World Champion Lindsay Sears with $272,344. It marked the first time in WPRA history that three barrel racers surpassed the $200,000 mark in single-season earnings.

While those three names are once again on top of the WPRA barrel racing field for the 2010 edition, Cervi leads the way with $179,852, followed by Sears' $133,952 and Pozzi's $114,452.

After a year Cervi describes as "really good and fun," she enters her 13th appearance at the Wrangler NFR, moving into a tie with Kay Blandford on total qualifications; they trail only James, who qualified 19 times.