Moore Moves to Top Spot in Fort Worth

By Jolee Jordan

Fort Worth, Texas — The Fort Worth Stock Show Rodeo is one hundred years old this year. Though the Stock Show began 22 years earlier, the rodeo was only added when the event moved into the new Northside Coliseum in 1918. The whole event was cancelled in 1943 as the Stockyards transformed into assembly plants to help the war effort in World War II, but resumed the next year, moving to its current home at Will Rogers Memorial Center in 1944 as many of the Stockyards buildings were still not usable.

In 2018 the barrel racers are assembling a fantastic race for the title here on the centennial anniversary.

Cayla Small was the second barrel racer to compete during the opening performance way back on January 19 and she survived the challenge of the first 122 of the 210 barrel racers entered to compete here, staying on top of the leaderboard all the way until the Saturday morning performance on January 27.

But the big weekend of rodeo brought warm weather outside and super hot runs inside Will Rogers Memorial Center.

Of all the big winter stock shows except for San Angelo, Fort Worth has the highest limits, accepting 210 barrel racers. Each competitor gets one run and then the fastest 70 from the opening round come back in the progressive round held during the 23rd through 28th performances on Wednesday through Saturday, Jan 31 to Feb 3. The finals on Saturday night, Feb 3 is comprised of the 12 fastest from the first two rounds.

The final two one performance days were Wednesday and Thursday, January 24-25 but then the rodeo kicks into a sprint to the finish, hosting two performances a day and three on Saturday.

2012 WPRA World Champion Mary Walker topped the Wednesday performance thanks to a ride on the borrowed pony called Boy, owned by Carley Richardson. Walker was able to finish at 17.03, a time likely to make the cut for the next round.

The Stock Show turned purple on Thursday for TCU Day—a nod to Texas Christian University just down the street. It looked more like Canadian night in the rodeo competition with several neighbors from the north turning in great performances including the fastest run in the barrels set by Alberta cowgirl Melissa Thiessen, who rode her horse Fly to a time of 16.82 seconds.

On Friday afternoon, a trio of cowgirls moved into the progressive round with 16.8 second runs. The fastest of the bunch was 2018 leading rookie KL Spratt, who piloted her horse OK to a 16.81, just edging out Loni Lester (16.82) and Cierra Chapman (16.89).

Kassie Mowry was the biggest star on Friday night, just one week removed from a $10,000 win in the unsanctioned Fort Worth Super Shootout. Mowry again topped the night, running a 16.97 aboard a six year old she calls Victor.

Then the track got really fast. There were no sleepy eyes on Saturday morning as Taci Bettis knocked Small from the top spot with her smooth run of 16.58 seconds aboard Smash. The 2017 WPRA Rookie of the Year did not get to celebrate her lead for long as Hailey Kinsel followed up just two runners later with a 16.57. Kinsel was riding her Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) arena record holding mare Sister. Christine Laughlin, fresh off a win in Denver last week, ran last and put up 16.64 seconds to move into the money.

Like Bettis, Kinsel would not stay on top of the leaderboard for long. Just a couple of hours later, Amberleigh Moore and her mare Paige lit up the crowd with a blistering fast 16.35 second run. The run tied the fastest time run here in the last two years. Ivy Conrado ran on Saturday afternoon as well; the former Fort Worth champion rode J-Lo and stopped the clock at 16.74 seconds.

On Saturday night, Jaime Hinton and The Goob were the best of the perf, putting 16.90 on the board, well within the cut-off for the next round.

Riding her 11 year old gelding Hank, Cambra Smith ran a smooth 16.86 as the first cowgirl on the Stock Show’s final Sunday afternoon perf.

Meanwhile, Kylie Weast made a mad dash from San Angelo, where she won third in the long round held in the morning slack, to compete in Fort Worth on Sunday night. The drive clearly did not bother Weast or her mare Reddy as they made a real challenge to Moore’s lead, blistering through the course in 16.39 seconds during a fast group where five cowgirls came in under seventeen seconds.

Along with Weast, Tracy Nowlin (16.60) and Jordan Moore (16.75) both moved into the top ten on Sunday night as well.

The FWSSR continues for another week and the long round of the barrel racing is winding down. The cut-off to come back in the progressive round is now sitting at 17.23 seconds. Just four more performances remain before the first cut to the field is made on Tuesday night and the first checks are written.

Still to compete are WNFR cowgirls Jana Bean, Shelley Morgan, Tammy Fischer, and Kellie Collier, all on Monday afternoon along with past Fort Worth champions Shelly Anzick and Sarah Rose McDonald. On Monday night, watch for Tillar Murray—a Fort Worth native—and WPRA World Champion Kappy Allen.

Rounding it out on Tuesday are Turquoise Circuit Champ Lori Todd, WNFR qualifier Cindy Smith, four-time WPRA World Champ Sherry Cervi, 2017 Canadian Champion Carman Pozzobon, and former Fort Worth champion Nikki Hansen.

For more information on the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo, visit them on-line at www.fwssr.com and stay tuned to www.wpra.com for continuing updates from the event.

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Current Results

1st Go

1. Amberleigh Moore, CP Dark Moon, 16.35

2. Kylie Weast, Hell on the Red, 16.39

3. Hailey Kinsel, DM Sissy Hayday, 16.57

4. Taci Bettis, Bogie is a Smash, 16.58

5. Tracy Nowlin, DJG Madison, 16.60

6. Cayla Small, Shameon U, 16.61

7. Jodi Colton, BB French Effort, 16.62

8. Christine Laughlin, Jess Undeniable, 16.64

9. Ivy Conrado, KN Fabs Gift of Fame, 16.74

10. Jordan Moore, CCR Ring of Fire, 16.75

11. Lisa Lockhart, Rosas Cantina CC, 16.76

12. Kim Schulze, Holy Moly Im Famous, 16.78

12. Jody McKay, RL Rare and Lucky, 16.78

14. Liz Herrin, Bogies Lil Mikey, 16.79

15. KL Spratt, KK Cash Colours, 16.81

Courtesy of WPRA