Pozzi Tonozzi Wins Third World Title, Lockhart Wins Third Average Title

By Ann Bleiker

LAS VEGAS, NEVADA – No one in the 75-year history of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association has had a more profitable year than Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi in 2023.

She kicked off her 2023 campaign winning the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo in Odessa, Texas, winning that rodeo for the first time in her 20-year career and ended it in Las Vegas winning her third gold buckle.

“I never thought a third was going to be in the cards for me,” said Pozzi Tonozzi, who previously won world titles in 2007 and 2009. “Tonight, with a downed barrel it didn’t end quite like I had hoped but what a year. I don’t know how I will ever top it, but it has just been really incredible.”

She set a new season earnings record after amassing $496,499 in earnings for the season. A downed barrel in the tenth round cost her reaching a half a million for the season. The previous season earnings record was held by Hailey Kinsel with $350,700 set in 2018 by Hailey Kinsel.

Despite the downed barrel in the final round, Pozzi Tonozzi still finished second in the average after Kassie Mowry and Jordon Briggs had costly barrel penalties on the final night as well. She finished with 141.18 on 10 runs.

“This year has been really neat to have won eight out of 10 rounds here this week,” stated Pozzi Tonozzi. “I have never had a Finals like this. Me and this arena have had a love hate relationship for a long time but not that way this year. I finally conquered the Thomas and Mack.”

During the 2023 season Pozzi Tonozzi has had three main mounts that carried her to rare air in the WPRA. She started her year on Babe On The Chase “Birdie,” then added Jets Top Gun “Benny” owned by Busby Quarter Horses to her arsenal and finally jockeyed SR Industry Titan “Titan” owned by WJR Trucking Inc. During the 10 rounds of the Wrangler NFR she brought Benny down the Thomas and Mack alleyway for every round except the sixth round on Wednesday morning, when she switched to Birdie. Pozzi Tonozzi and Benny, trained by Janna Beam Brown, would pick-up a check in eight of the rounds they competed in. Pozzi Tonozzi missed the pay window in the sixth and 10th round.

The story on the night was Lisa Lockhart not only winning the average for her third time in 17 trips to the NFR but in finishing as the reserve world champion with $343,688. Lockhart won the average in total time of 137.18 seconds on 10.

“I am at a loss for words,” said Lockhart who previously won average titles in 2014 and 2016. “There was a lot that transpired in a short amount of time for all of us tonight. This is ally pretty surreal right now.”

Lockhart also got the round win in a time of 13.54 seconds to add another $30,706. She now sits at the top of the all-time career earnings for the WPRA with $3,510,066. Sherry Cervi is second with $3,388,790, while Pozzi Tonozzi is third with $3,348,160. In addition, Lockhart has now won $1,712,318 in NFR earnings alone.

“I could never have scripted this,” continued Lockhart. “I just had all to gain and nothing to lose. So much transpired tonight and it just snowballed into something ginormous. Winning the round, average and reserve in the world was totally unexpected.”

Snapshot of Pozzi Tonozzi’s 2023 season:

• Set new season earnings record with $496,499
• Surpassed the $1 million mark in NFR earnings alone and currently has won $1,158,060 at her 17 NFRs alone
• Set new regular season earnings record (money won prior to NFR) with $270,563
• Currently No. 3 in all-time WPRA career earnings with $3,348,160
• Won rodeos in Calgary, Reno, Salt Lake City, Puyallup (WA), Ellensburg (WA), Caldwell (ID), Logan (UT), Vernal (UT), Dodge City (KS), Preston (ID), Rifle (CO), Castle Rock (CO), Cortez (CO), Stephenville (TX), Burlington (CO), Santa Fe (NM) Odessa (TX)

Other 2023 NFR highlights:

• Lisa Lockhart becomes the WPRA’s all-time career earnings leader with $3,510,066
• Kassie Mowry and Force The Goodbye “Jarvis” tun in the fastest time of this year’s edition with a 13.30 in the eighth round
• Jessica Routier surpassed the $1 million mark in career earnings and currently has 1,062,288.
• Sissy Winn takes home the 2023 Jerry Ann Taylor Best Dressed Award. Her first at the NFR but third overall as she won the title in Fort Worth in 2022 and 2023. She received a custom made bracelet and $5,000 made possible by the National Cowgirl Museum and Hall of Fame

Courtesy of WPRA