Kelly Bruner
Kelly Bruner – Millsap, Texas ($90,515)
First-time WNFR qualifier
Veteran barrel racer Kelly Bruner is the only Women’s Profesional Rodeo Association gold card member to qualify for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo this year. Despite her veteran status, Bruner is one of five women who’ll be competing at rodeo’s championships for the first time.
Her trip to Las Vegas was spurred by getting a fast start on the season. During the first two weeks of October 2017 she won nearly $6,500, then boosted her chances at the big winter rodeos by winning the WPRA World Finals in Waco that month. That earned her more than $8,500 and a bye to Rodeo Houston where she won the Wild Card Round and qualified for the Championship Round. A top 10 finish at Houston qualified her to compete at the Calgary Stampede where she set a fast-time record and won $19,000. She also won more than $9,000 at San Antonio.
Last year Kelly’s season earnings ranked her 55th with just over $25,000 in earnings. A veterinarian with her own practice in Millsap, last October Bruner was just excited to have earned the spot at Houston and San Antonio and thought a trip to Las Vegas at the end of 2018 was unlikely.
Thanks to her gelding Suzytresseis that she calls Suzy, the Texas A & M alum was ranked 12th in the world standings at the end of April and she never looked back. Her other horse is Fabulous Zone, known as Pinky.
Even during the final weekend of the season, Dr. Bruner and Suzy held their position by winning Apache, Oklahoma, and finishing second at Kansas City. She goes into her first NFR less than $20 ahead of 12th ranked Tracy Nowlin.
