Mowry Continues Magical Run at Wrangler NFR

By Ann Bleiker

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – All eyes are on the barrel racing world at the 2024 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo presented by Teton Ridge in Las Vegas, Nevada, and Kassie Mowry and Jarvis are putting on a show for them.

For the fourth night in a row Mowry found her name atop the leaderboard and tonight she turned in the third fastest time ever recorded at the NFR in a time of 13.19 seconds. The record was set in 2017 when Hailey Kinsel and Sister stopped the clock in 13.11 seconds during the third round and also stopped the clock in 13.17 seconds during the 10th round that same year.

Mowry and Force The Goodbye have now recorded a 13.19, 13.25 and 13.30 (from 2023) to now hold three of the five fastest times.

“I don’t even know,” said Mowry when asked how she shaved that much time off in this little pen from last night. “I know he is going to get tighter because they just do. It just happens when you run them this many times in the same arena. I felt like I rode him harder to get to the spots and feel like I am riding a little bit more aggressively than I normally do. Joe B (Beaver) told me to not weaken so I am not going to weaken.”

Besides the lighting fast time turned in the other headline on the night was that Kinsel and Sister incurred a 10-second penalty with two barrels down in the seventh round. That opened the door for Mowry to have a clearer look at the gold buckle that will be presented on Saturday night after the 10th round. If the NFR would have ended tonight the gold would be Mowry’s but the final chapter of 2024 will not be written until the dust has settled on the 10th night of the Wrangler NFR.

“I didn’t come in with any expectations this year on purpose as I didn’t want to overwhelm myself with pressure,” noted Mowry. “With what he did last year it is hard to know how they will handle it the next. I questioned whether I had him ready or not, but this horse has proven that he belongs here. He just really loves this pen. He marches up here from the warm-up arena on a mission. He passes up every horse at a walk. He is so confident, and he wants to do it.”

He is definitely on a mission to make his jockey the best in the world for 2024.

Kinsel dropped to seventh in the average in a time of 104.61 on seven, while Mowry is currently sitting fourth now in a time of 98.73. Andrea Busby now leads the way in the average aboard Jets Top Gun “Benny” with a 95.40. Another first time NFR qualifier, Ashley Castleberry is right behind her in a time of 96.55 seconds.

Mowry is now in the driver’s seat for the Ram Top Gun Award with a total of $197,966. First-time NFR bareback rider Bradlee Miller is second with $178,436. Kinsel remains in third with $163,222.

After a scary run during the sixth round Dona Kay Rule returned on High Valor to place fifth in the round collecting her first check at the 2024 Wrangler NFR.

The seventh round served as Military Night and in addition to bringing the bling the ladies of the WPRA were honoring two Naval Aviators who were killed on Oct. 15, 2024, during a training mission in Washington. Lt. Commander Lyndsay Evans and Lt. Serena Wileman as part of the Honor Tags for Heroes. These two ladies are among the few women who had conducted combat missions over land according to the Navy.

Fans can vote nightly at www.wpra.com for the Jerry Ann Taylor Best Dressed Award presented by the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame. The winner will receive a cash bonus of $5,000 prior to the 10^th round.

            Eighth round action gets underway, Thursday, December 12 at 5:45 p.m. PT LIVE on the Cowboy Channel.

Average results: 1. Andrea Busby, 95.40 on seven; 2. Ashley Castleberry, 96.55; 3. LaTricia Duke, 97.06; 4. Kassie Mowry, 98.73; 5. Carlee Otero, 100.58; 6. Tiany Schuster, 100.88; 7. Hailey Kinsel, 104.61; 8. Emily Beisel, 106.00.

Rd. 7 results: 1. Kassie Mowry, Dublin, TX, 13.19 seconds, $33,687; 2. Carlee Otero, Perrin, TX, 13.47, $26,624; 3. Andrea Busby, Millsap, TX, 13.48, $20,104; 4. Abby Phillips, Marshall, TX, 13.60, $1,127; 5. Dona Kay Rule, Minco, OK, 13.61, $8,693; 6. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, 13.63, $5,433.

Rd 6 results: 1. Kassie Mowry, Dublin, TX, 13.25, $33,687; 2. Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, TX, 13.49, $26,624; 3. Andrea Busby, Millsap, TX, 13.54, $20,104; 4. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, 13.72, $14,127; 5. Carlee Otero, Perrin, TX, 13.73, $8,693; 6. LaTricia Duke, Zephyr, TX, 13.79, $5,433.

Rd 5 results: 1. Kassie Mowry, Dublin, TX, 13.43 seconds, $33,687; 2. Carlee Otero, Perrin, TX, 13.51, $26,624; 3. Emily Beisel, Weatherford, OK, 13.53, $20,104; 4. (tie) Andrea Busby, Millsap, TX, and Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, SD, 13.57, $11,410 each; 6. Hailey Kinsel, 13.59, $5,433.

Rd 4 results: 1. Kassie Mowry, Dublin, TX, 13.43 seconds, $33,687; 2. Carlee Otero, Perrin, TX, 13.59, $26,624; 3. Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, TX, 13.61, $20,104; 4. Tiany Schuster, Krum, TX, 13.68, $14,127; 5. Halyn Lide, China Spring, TX, 13.72, $8,693; 6. (tie) LaTricia Duke, Zephyr, TX and Shelley Morgan, Eustace, TX, 13.75, $2,717 each.

Rd 3 results: 1. Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, TX, 13.48, $33,687; 2. Kassie Mowry, Dublin, TX, 13.58, $26,624; 3. (tie) Tiany Schuster, Krum, TX and Andrea Busby, Millsap, TX, 13.65 $17,115 each; 5. LaTricia Duke, Zephyr, TX, 13.67, $8,693; 6. Leslie Smalygo, Skiatook OK, 13.84, $5,433.

Rd. 2 results: 1. Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, TX, 13.48 seconds, $33,687; 2. Kassie Mowry, Dublin, TX, 13.51, $26,624; 3. Tiany Schuster, Krum, TX, 13.53, $20,104; 4. Ashley Castleberry, Montgomery, TX, 13.62, $14,127; 5. Andrea Busby, Millsap, TX, 13.65, $8,693; 6. Abby Phillips, Marshall, TX, 13.66, $5,433.

Rd 1 results: 1. Hailey Kinsel, Cotulla, TX, 13.38 seconds, $33,687; 2. Carlee Otero, Perrin, TX, 13.55, $26,624; 3. Abby Phillips, Marshall, TX, 13.63, $20, 104; 4. Andrea Busby, Millsap, TX, $14,127; 5. Ashley Castleberry, Montgomery, TX, 13.75 $8,693; 6. (tie) Leslie Smalygo, Skiatook, OK and Shelley Morgan, Eustace, TX, 13.84, $2,7167 each.