RODEO NEWS

Champions Crowned at the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup Presented by Texas Precious Metals in Sioux Falls

By Ann Bleiker

SIOUX FALLS, SD (Sept. 27, 2026) – The final day of the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup presented by Texas Precious Metals was electric from start to finish with all contestants.

Josie Conner took home the breakaway roping title in Sioux Falls stopping the clock in 1.9 seconds. She had to back in the box shortly after watching her fiancé Riley Webb end with a no time in the tie-down roping and left the arena with his shoulder popped out but she kept her mental focus and took care of business.

“The breakaway roping has been such great roping all weekend long,” stated Conner. “It has been fast and electric, My fiancé got hurt right before the breakaway roping so it got a little stressful before the breakaway. God had it all planned out and everything is going to be ok.”

She added $34,000 for the title after squeaking into the semifinals based on a tiebreaker. She is now eyeing a gold buckle of her own as she heads to her fifth National Breakaway Finals.

“The whole summer after Cheyanne (McCartney) and Hali (Williams) have had a dominate year I thought the gold buckle was out of reach but I have put myself in a position with a chance and we are just going to take it one calf at a time,” Conner said.

This year’s WPRA National Breakaway Finals will be held in Fort Worth, Texas, at the Will Rogers Memorial Center December 18 and 19. All eyes will be on the final breakaway standings come Monday as Bradi Good and Martha Angelone tied for second with 2.4-second runs. Both were on the bubble entering the final day in Sioux Falls.

Another bubble cowgirl was barrel racer Andrea Busby and after winning the Governor’s Cup and adding $34,000 she will now start making plans to be back in Las Vegas for her third NFR.

“Nobody is more surprised than me that this happened,” stated an emotional Busby in the winner’s circle. “That horse is not one in a million he is one of one of one. I told Benny that if he wanted to go back to Vegas this was it and I guess he wants to go back to Vegas.

Busby and her great horse Benny had a downed barrel in the first round but neither gave up on each other and they squeaked into the semifinals for Sunday. Once in Busby and Benny laid it all on the line stopping the clock in the final round in a time of 14.02 seconds. They also won the semifinal round in a time of 13.96 seconds to advance to the Final Four. Emily Beisel and Chewy finished second in a time of 14.04 seconds.

The WPRA 2026 regular season will officially come to a close on September 30.

Breakaway roping: Finals: 1. Josie Conner, 1.9 seconds, $34,000; 2. (tie) Martha Angelone and Bradi Good, 2.4, $21,500 each; 4. Jackie Crawford, no time, $9,000.

Semifinals: 1. Martha Angelone, Abilene, TX, 2.0 seconds; 2. Jackie Crawford, Stephenville, TX, 2.2; 3. Josie Conner, Iowa, LA, 2.3; 4. Bradi Good, Abilene, KS; 12.3, $4,500; 5. (tie) Hali Williams, Comanche, TX, Jill Tanner, Stephenville, TX, Danielle Lowman, Gilbert, AZ, and Jordi Edens-Mitchell, Gatesville, TX, NT, $4,500 each

First round: 1. (tie) Jordi Eden-Mitchell, Stephenville, TX and Josie Conner, Iowa, La, 1.7 seconds, $10,966 each; 3. Hali Williams, Comanche, TX, 1.9, $6,266; 4. Jill Tanner, Stephenville, TX, 2.1, $3,133. Second round: 1. Rylee George, Oakdale, CA, 1.7 seconds, $12,533; 2. Haiden Thompson, Yoder, WY, 1.8, $9,400; 3. Hali Williams, Comanche, TX, 1.9, $6,266; 3. Jordi Edens-Mitchell, Stephenville, TX, 2.0, $3,133. Average: 1. Jordi Edens-Mitchell, 3.7 seconds on two head; 2. Hali Williams, 3.8; 3. Danielle Lowman, 4.4; 4. Bradi Good, 4.6; 5. Martha Angelone, 4.9; 6. Jackie Crawford, 6.2; 7. Jill Tanner, 14.2; 8. (tie) Josie Conner and Rylee George, 1.7. – Josie will advance due the tiebreaker going back to world standings.

Barrel racing: Finals: 1. Andrea Busby, 14.02 seconds, $34,000; 2. Emily Beisel, 14.04, $26,000; 3. Makenzie Mayes, 14.18, $17,000; 4. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 14.30, $9,000

Semifinals: 1. Andrea Busby, Brock, TX, 13.96 seconds; 2. (tie) Makenzie Mayes, Scroggins, TX, and Megan McLeod-Sprague, Marsing, ID, 13.98; 4. (tie) Katelyn Scott, Odessa, TX, and Emily Beisel, Weatherford, OK, 14.09 – Beisel moves on due to higher average finish; Scott picks up $4,500; 6. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, 18.81, $4,500; 7. Tayla Moeykens, Three Forks, MT, 19.17, $4,500; 8. Hayle Gibson Stillwell, Redcrest, CA, 19.29, $4,500

First round: 1. Megan McLeod-Sprague, Marsing, Idaho, 14.10, $12,533; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, Redcrest, CA, 14.17, $9,400, 3. Katelyn Scott, Odessa, TX, 14.37, $6,266; 4. Emily Beisel, Weatherford, OK, 14.45, $3,133. Second round: 1. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, 13.73 seconds, $12,533; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, Redcrest, CA, 13.94, $9,400; 3. Megan McLeod-Sprague, Marsing, ID, 13.95, $6,266; 4. Tricia Aldridge, Sanger, TX, 13.99, $3,133. Average: 1. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 28.05 seconds on two runs; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, 28.11; 3. Emily Beisel, 28.61; 4. Tayla Moeykens, 28.75; 5. Katelyn Scott, 28.80; 6. Makenzie Mayes, 29.53; 7. Andrea Busby, 33.12; 8. Lisa Lockhart, 33.26.

RODEO NEWS

The Semifinals Field is now set at Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup Presented by Texas Precious Metals in Sioux Falls

By Ann Bleiker

SIOUX FALLS, SD (Sept 26, 2026) – Storylines abound at the 2026 Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, S.D., whether you are talking the bubble race or the positioning at the top of standings.

One would be hard pressed to find a more likeable rodeo athlete than barrel racer Lisa Lockhart whether you are talking just statewide in South Dakota or worldwide. She brought the crowd to their feet on Saturday night stopping the clock aboard a borrowed horse in a time of 13.73 seconds.

“I knew I had to lay it all on the line, so I had zero reservations tonight,” stated Lockhart of the electrifying run. “It is a great horse that a good friend of mine, Lana Tibbetts, owns and his registered name is When Stars Align and there is a full moon out there tonight. He is so talented.”

Lockhart of Oelrichs, S.D., will make history this December when she competes at her 20th consecutive Wrangler NFR. Not only has there never been a barrel racer to qualify that many times but to do it in consecutive years takes it to another level all together.

Hayle Gibson Stillwell, who took back the No. 1 spot after night No. 1 in Sioux Falls finished second in the second round with a time of 13.94 seconds. First round winner Megan McLeod-Sprague was third in 13.95 seconds but won the average in a time of 28.05 seconds. It should be an electrifying finish in the barrel racing to this year’s Governor’s Cup.

After a no-time in the first round 2025 National Breakaway Finals Average Champion Rylee George came back with a vengeance setting the bar high with a 1.7 seconds as the first gunner out. 2025 Rookie of the Year Haiden Thompson would take second with a 1.8 second run as she is headed to her first breakaway finals. Jordi Edens-Mitchell was the average winner with a time of 3.7 seconds on two head. There are four ladies looking for a big payday tomorrow to secure their spot in the top 15 – Bradi Good, Jill Tanner, Martha Angelone and Jackie Crawford. The tension will be high on Sunday as they back in the box looking to cash in big in Sioux Falls.

All action from the richest South Dakota rodeo is being televised on The Cowboy Channel.

Results:

Breakaway roping: First round: 1. (tie) Jordi Eden-Mitchell, Stephenville, TX and Josie Conner, Iowa, La, 1.7 seconds, $10,966 each; 3. Hali Williams, Comanche, TX, 1.9, $6,266; 4. Jill Tanner, Stephenville, TX, 2.1, $3,133. Second round: 1. Rylee George, Oakdale, CA, 1.7 seconds, $12,533; 2. Haiden Thompson, Yoder, WY, 1.8, $9,400; 3. Hali Williams, Comanche, TX, 1.9, $6,266; 3. Jordi Edens-Mitchell, Stephenville, TX, 2.0, $3,133. Average: 1. Jordi Edens-Mitchell, 3.7 seconds on two head; 2. Hali Williams, 3.8; 3. Danielle Lowman, 4.4; 4. Bradi Good, 4.6; 5. Martha Angelone, 4.9; 6. Jackie Crawford, 6.2; 7. Jill Tanner, 14.2; 8. (tie) Josie Conner and Rylee George, 1.7. – Josie will advance due the tiebreaker going back to world standings.

Barrel racing: First round: 1. Megan McLeod-Sprague, Marsing, Idaho, 14.10, $12,533; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, Redcrest, CA, 14.17, $9,400, 3. Katelyn Scott, Odessa, TX, 14.37, $6,266; 4. Emily Beisel, Weatherford, OK, 14.45, $3,133. Second round: 1. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, 13.73 seconds, $12,533; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, Redcrest, CA, 13.94, $9,400; 3. Megan McLeod-Sprague, Marsing, ID, 13.95, $6,266; 4. Tricia Aldridge, Sanger, TX, 13.99, $3,133. Average: 1. Megan McLeod-Sprague, 28.05 seconds on two runs; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, 28.11; 3. Emily Beisel, 28.61; 4. Tayla Moeykens, 28.75; 5. Katelyn Scott, 28.80; 6. Makenzie Mayes, 29.53; 7. Andrea Busby, 33.12; 8. Lisa Lockhart, 33.26.

RODEO NEWS

Game Changing action on display at the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup Presented by Texas Precious Metals in Sioux Falls

By Ann Bleiker

SIOUX FALLS, SD (Sept 25, 2026) – All eyes in the rodeo industry are on the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, S.D., with $1.5 million on the line as the WPRA regular season comes to a close. Some athletes are fighting to get in the top 15 while others are looking to extend the lead on a shot at a gold buckle in Las Vegas (barrel racing) and Fort Worth (breakaway roping) in December.

Megan McLeod-Sprague landed atop a very competitive barrel race stopping the clock in 14.10 seconds aboard her horse Swoon that she has ridden since Red Bluff, California back in April. Last year was McLeod-Sprague’s first trip to the NFR and she is eyeing a return trip having entered this weekend ranked 11th. She added $12,533 to her earnings moving her up in the world standings.

“The ground was a little loose tonight, so I think some horses were struggling to keep their feet,” stated McLeod-Sprague in the winner’s circle tonight. “I chose that horse (Swoon) not knowing that because he handles these situations like a champ.

Hayle Gibson-Stillwell and Piper were second with a time of 14.17 seconds. Gibson Stillwell and Carlee Otero have been battling for the top spot over the last month and after the first round in Sioux Falls, Gibson-Stillwell now has the edge adding $9,400, while Otero had some rough luck with a downed first barrel finishing with a 19.34.

It was a tie atop the leaderboard in the women’s breakaway roping having two times just one-tenth off the arena record. Josie Conner and Jordi Edens-Mitchell each stopped the clock in 1.7 seconds to get the win on opening night. Both ladies were already in the top 15 prior to this weekend but they are looking to close the gap on standing leader Cheyanne McCartney, who finished the night with a no time. Hali Williams was third with a 1.9 and bubble cowgirl Jill Tanner took fourth in a time of 2.1 seconds. With a fourth place finish Tanner added $3,133 moving her at least for now inside the top 15. If Tanner is able to stay within the top 15 it would be her first trip to the WPRA National Breakaway Finals.

Results:

Breakaway roping: 1. (tie) Jordi Eden-Mitchell, Stephenville, TX and Josie Conner, Iowa, La, 1.7 seconds, $10,966 each; 3. Hali Williams, Comanche, TX, 1.9, $6,266; 4. Jill Tanner, Stephenville, TX, 2.1, $3,133.

Barrel racing: 1. Megan McLeod-Sprague, Marsing, Idaho, 14.10, $12,533; 2. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, Redcrest, CA, 14.17, $9,400, 3. Katelyn Scott, Odessa, TX, 14.37, $6,266; 4. Emily Beisel, Weatherford, OK, 14.45, $3,133.

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