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Sister Act Takes Center Stage in Round 9

By Amy Wilson

Nellie Miller
Photo by Kenneth Springer

Hailey Kinsel and DM Sissy Hayday “Sister” are back to winning rounds in the barrel racing at the Wrangler NFR. In Round 9, they shut the clock off at 13.43 seconds and seemed to surprise the nearly 17,000 fans in the Thomas and Mack. “Sister’s kind of like that. She doesn’t always make the prettiest run ever, but she always shuts off the clock. I don’t really know how, so it’s really fun when I make a really good run because then I know it’ll be really fast. I wasn’t expecting to be that fast either,” Kinsel said following her third go-round win. “I had some mistakes in there. I mean, I felt like I had to work at that run a little bit, but she definitely clocked. She tries really, really hard the whole run. So, she can be fast.”

Kinsel tipped barrels in Rounds 7 and 8 which changed her game-plan. “I had to start riding better. I definitely just didn’t stand up and ride my last two runs. So, this morning I got back in the arena to get her up in the walls and to feel a little more confident to teach myself to stay in my run for the entire run and not be done after the second barrel. That’s the only thing that changed. Otherwise it is still run by run and there’s another rodeo tomorrow.”

World Champion Tie-Down Roper, Shane Hanchey walked by during Kinsel’s interview and revealed that they have the same farrier. “Bob Hodges shoes for both of us. He’s awesome – very, very smart. He does an impeccable job and pays very close attention. For me, my wheels are everything so I’m very careful about who I have shoe my horses, and he does a wonderful job for both of us,” Kinsel explained.

Tiany Schuster
Photo by Kenneth Springer

Nellie Miller rode the AQHA/WPRA Horse of the Year, Rafter W Minnie Reba “Sister”, to a second place finish in the round with 13.52 seconds which moved her to No. 1 in the average with 123.47 seconds. Kassie Mowry and Junior finished third in the round after stopping the clock at 13.66 seconds. She’s currently eighth in the average. WPRA Rookie of the Year, Taci Bettis and Smash ran a 13.70 to earn fourth in the round. Tillar Murray and Commander were fifth in the round with 13.85 seconds and is holding on to fourth in the average. Ivy Conrado and J Lo stayed clean and placed sixth with 13.87 seconds. She’s now second in the average with 123.80 seconds. Lisa Lockhart also stayed clean and remains third in the average.

Tiany Schuster still holds the top spot in the WPRA World Standings, but she tipped the second barrel leaving it in Round 9. She’s now tenth in the average. Stevi Hillman rode Baby Flash and also tipped a barrel, as did Amberleigh Moore.

It all comes down to Round 10 to determine who will be the 2017 WPRA Barrel Racing World Champion!

Courtesy of WPRA

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