Sharp Edges the Field to Win Denver

By Jolee Jordan

Denver, Colorado — Since 1931 professional cowboys and cowgirls have been vying for championship titles at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo (NWSS). On Sunday, January 27, 2019, a new round of winners placed their names in the records books inside the historic Denver Coliseum as the NWSS wrapped up its 16 day run.

Before the short go could begin, the final performances determined which contestants would advance. In the WPRA barrel racing, 110 ladies began the competition and each took two turns around the cloverleaf pattern here. By the final Sunday, just the top twelve in the two head average remained in the running for the championship.

Texas cowgirl Jennifer Sharp set the bar early in both the first round and the average, competing in the very first set of barrel racers here in Denver back on Thursday and Friday, January 17-18. Her first round time of 15.26 aboard her mare Smooch hadn’t been touched since opening day.

Then came the last Friday night of the rodeo and a streaking grey horse named Louie. Louie carried his jockey, Taylor Langdon, around the Denver Coliseum in a blistering 15.04—one of the fastest times that has been run here in several years. It carried through the final set on Saturday to win the round and a check worth more than $3,500.

Langdon competed again on Saturday morning, throwing another pretty run of 15.33 seconds out there, placing in the second round and moving to a huge lead in the two runs average. She was more than two and half tenths ahead of Sharp going into the short go round on Sunday afternoon.

Langdon was able to hold her spot despite a stacked field on Saturday as only three-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo cowgirl Amberleigh Moore was able to move out of the final set of barrel racers and into the finals.

As always in a major winter rodeo’s final round, the field was deep in talent and bunched close together in time. Apart from Langdon’s stellar performance with the big lead, only three tenths separated second ranked Sharp from twelfth ranked Brooke Jeter. Only one former Denver champion made the cut, Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, who was also the only WPRA World Champ in the field. Along with Pozzi Tonozzi, four other former Wrangler NFR cowgirls competed: Shali Lord, Lisa Lockhart, Moore and Tiany Schuster.

The positions are drawn in the short go round and Schuster drew top of the ground. Unfortunately, the WPRA’s regular season earnings record holder took a barrel penalty rounding the third can.

It was back-to-back lefties with Moore and Paige running second. The pair was smooth and solid as always, stopping the clock at 15.55 seconds to take the early lead.

Former Ram National Circuit Finals champ Emily Miller took her shot but a tipped first barrel put her out of the money.

Amy Jo Reisdorfer and her gelding Blue Duck had already picked up some cash here in Denver, winning the unsanctioned Colorado vs. the World event before the rodeo began. She added to that with a smooth run in the finals for 15.55 seconds. By just one one-hundredth of a second, she took the lead from Moore.

Brooke Jeter came next, running her good horse Nickdiggity. She stayed solid in the average with a 15.64 second effort.

Then came the WPRA’s multi-million dollar pair, the always amazing Lisa Lockhart and Louie. After finishing inside the top ten here in 2018, Lockhart galloped to the lead with a blistering run of 15.39 seconds.

Lockhart was pushed hard by the reigning Mountain States Circuit champ, Shali Lord. She and the tough stallion known as Can Man were able to post a run of 15.48 seconds, slotting into second in the average.

Pozzi Tonozzi has won here multiple times aboard her big palomino gelding Duke. The comeback team ran in the finals again in 2019, this time putting up a 15.74 second run.

The heart of the championship battle began at draw number nine with Sharp. Already the 11th ranked cowgirl in the WPRA World standings, Sharp and Smooch have been rock solid in their first two trips inside Denver Coliseum, running times of 15.26 and 15.37. On Sunday, they equaled their best time, posting another 15.26 to roll into the average lead.

Three cowgirls remained to challenge the lead, beginning with the 2018 Reserve Rookie of the Year Leia Pluemer. The reigning Ram Turquoise Circuit Finals Rodeo champion handled a stumble around the backside of the third can to run a 15.66.

The only cowgirl to beat Sharp two weeks ago at the Sandhills Stock Show in Odessa was Michelle Alley. Alley and her horse Saucy were second to last to compete on Sunday in Denver but they weren’t quick enough to best Sharp this time. Their 15.89 second run left them ninth in the average.

Running last, Langdon and her Louie needed to be 15.51 to move ahead of Sharp for the win. Though the run was smooth and pretty, it was just a tick too long at 15.57 seconds.

Sharp held on to the win with 45.89 seconds on three runs, just five one-hundredths over Langdon. The two Texas cowgirls distanced the rest of the field by a couple of tenths. Lockhart was third and Lord fourth.

“Six French Smooches wins Denver!” Sharp posted to social media following the big win worth nearly $12,000. “Thank you everyone for the calls and messages! Thank you Terri Lamp for everything! Smooch is champion!”

Lamp owns Smooch, who has now helped Sharp to more than $21,000 in earnings on the season. When new standings are posted on Monday, Sharp will likely be the new number one.

Langdon picked up more than $10,000 while in the Mile High City while Lockhart earned $6,300 and Lord more than $5,800.

For more information on the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo, visit them on-line at www.nationalwestern.com.

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Final Results (Unofficial)

1st Go

1. Taylor Langdon, Dashin Louie, 15.04, $3,541
2. Jennifer Sharp, Six French Smooches, 15.26, $3,035
3. Hailey Kinsel, DM Sissy Hayday, 15.30, $2,361
4. Shelly Morgan, HR Fameskissandtell, 15.30, $2,361
5. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, Yeah Hes Firen, 15.36, $1,686
6. Tiany Schuster, Show Mance, 15.39, $1,180
7. Amy Jo Reisdorfer, Streakin Jet Remedy, 15.39, $1,180
8. Shali Lord, Freckles ta Fame, 15.40, $675
9. Sadye Simpson, 15.41, $506
10. Kelley Carrington, Slice of PeachFame, 15.43, $337

2nd Go

1. Emily Miller, Namgis D 33, 15.23, $3,541
2. Michelle Alley, Seis Caress, 15.29, $3,035
3. Leia Pluemmer, Famous French Bug, 15.32, $2,529
4. Langdon, 15.33, $2,192
5. Amberleigh Moore, CP Dark Moon, 15.34, $1,686
6. Chris Gibson, Jess Dashin Together, 15.35, $1,349
7. Sharp, 15.37, $1,012
8. Lisa Lockhart, An Okie with Cash, 15.38, $590
9. Lord, 15.38, $590
10. Brooke Jeter, Nickdiggity, 15.39, $337

Average (On Two)

1. Langdon, 30.37
2. Sharp, 30.63
3. Miller, 30.76
4. Alley, 30.77
5. Lord, 30.78
6. Reisdorfer, 30.81
7. Lockhart, 30.82
8. Pluemmer, 30.82
9. Moore, 30.82
10. Schuster, 30.92
11. Pozzi Tonozzi, 30.92
12. Kathy Grimes, KG Justiceweexpected, 30.99*
13. Jeter, 30.99*
14. Jeter advances to short round on tie breaker.

Short Go

1. Sharp, 15.26, $2,623
2. Lockhart, 15.39, $1,967
3. Lord, 15.48, $1,312
4. Reisdorfer & Moore, 15.55, $328 each

Average (On Three)

1. Sharp, 45.89, $5,312
2. Langdon, 45.94, $4,553
3. Lockhart, 46.21, $3,794
4. Lord, 46.26, $3,288
5. Reisdorfer, 46.36, $2,529
6. Moore, 46.37, $2,024
7. Pluemmer, 46.48, $1,518
8. Jeter, 46.63, $1,012
9. Pozzi Tonozzi, 46.66, $632
10. Alley, 46.66, $632

Total Money Won

Jennifer Sharp, $11,982

Taylor Langdon, $10,286

Lisa Lockhart, $6,351

Shali Lord, $5,865

Leia Pluemmer, $4,047

Amberleigh Moore, $4,038

Amy Jo Reisdorfer, $4,037

Michelle Alley, $3,667

Emily Miller, $3,541

Hailey Kinsel, $2,361

Shelly Morgan, $2,361

Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, $2,318

Brooke Jeter, $1,349

Chris Gibson, $1,349

Tiany Schuster, $1,180

Sadye Simpson, $506

Kelley Carrington, $337

Courtesy of WPRA