Gintner Sweeps Super Series I at RodeoHouston
Houston, Texas – Kricket Gintner might not be a household name yet in the barrel racing world but if she continues to turn in performances like she did during the first three runs in Super Series I at RodeoHouston, she will have everyone from coast to coast talking.
Gintner of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, was atop the leaderboard for three consecutive nights to easily advance to the semifinal round. She won the first round in a time of 14.65 seconds, with Teri Bangart second in a time of 14.90 seconds. In the second round Gintner and Bangart would turn in identical times of 14.82 seconds to outdistance Wrangler NFR qualifier Cheyenne Wimberly in a time of 14.89 seconds. Gintner didn’t let off the gas pedal in the third and final round of Super Series I stopping the clock in 14.66 seconds, with Bangart again second in 14.85 and two Wrangler NFR qualifiers rounding out the top four – Emily Miller, 14.93 and Wimberly 14.94.
Gintner collected $8,500 aboard her equine partner who is a product of the family rodeo machine. Dial A Little Fame, aka Jax, came to the family from Tom and Kate Gunderson; who was looking to sell the gelding that did not have rodeo experience.
“I wasn’t rodeoing then,” Gintner explains when Jax came to their place. She has two children, son Braham and daughter Morley, and works as an x-ray technician as well, though as she puts it “very part time.” “So Mom and my sister did most of the rodeo seasoning. He is actually Mom’s horse but I have done the majority of the running on him in the last four years.”
Gintner’s mother is Tammy White, a champion in her own right winning five Great Lakes Circuit Titles from 2006 to 2011. Gintner is now taking the family to new heights and would love nothing more than to take home the RodeoHouston title. She is definitely off to a great start.
“Where to begin,” wrote Whyte on her Facebook page. “Houston Rodeo has been great to us so far. Jax and Kricket Gintner are so enjoying this pen. Most people and horses hate this pen but Jax says ‘yah no one within 150 feet from me on the barrels.’”
Gintner and Bangart ran away with the cash in the first Super Series with $8,500 and $6,500, respectively. The other two ladies advancing to the semifinals are Wimberly with $1,750 and Shelley Morgan with $1,625.
Super Series II kicks-off Friday night, March 6 in Houston. Stay tuned to www.wpra.com for RodeoHouston updates. More information can also be found at www.rodeohouston.com.
RodeoHouston Results
Super Series I: First round: 1. Kricket Gintner, Eau Claire, Wis., 14.65 seconds, $3,000; 2. Teri Bangart, Olympia, Wash., 14.90, $2,000; 3. (tie) Ericka Nelson, Century, Fla., and Shelley Morgan, Eustace, Texas, 14.96, $875 each. Second round: 1. (tie) Kricket Gintner and Teri Bangart, 14.82 seconds, $2,500 each; 3. Cheyenne Wimberly, Stephenville, Texas, 14.89, $1,000; 4. Shelley Morgan, 14.94, $750. Third round: 1. Kricket Gintner, 14.66 seconds, $3,000; 2. Teri Bangart, 14.85, $2,000; 3. Emily Miller, Weatherford, Okla., 14.93, $1,000; 4. Cheyenne Wimberly, 14.94, $750. Advancing to semifinals: 1. Kricket Gintner, $8,500; 2. Teri Bangart, $6,500; 3. Cheyenne Wimberly, $1,750; 4. Shelley Morgan, $1,625.
Courtesy of WPRA