Barrel racer Anita Ellis made a powerful statement in her first-ever appearance at the Calgary Stampede, sweeping all three rounds of competition and setting a new arena record with a blazing 16.79-second run in Round Three.
Riding her standout horse, Axe, Ellis clocked impressive times of 16.88 and 16.96 seconds in the first two rounds. But in a bold move, she switched to her backup horse, Rico—who she calls “a breath of fresh air"—for the third round. That decision paid off.
Just moments after Emily Beisel broke the arena record, Ellis turned up the heat and set the record again with her 16.79 second run. She said that her and Beisel laughed about the circumstances after the performance concluded.
The Idaho cowgirl earned $21,000 over three days and had qualified through the Calgary Stampede qualifier. Despite the high-pressure environment and a stacked field of competitors, Ellis stayed mentally tough. She admitted to friend and fellow competitor Andrea Busby, “I have never been this nervous in my life.” Still, she kept a positive mindset.
Now, Ellis is headed to her first-ever Calgary Stampede Finals this Sunday. With two standout horses in her trailer—Axe, fresh off a comeback from spinal surgery, and Rico, her record-breaking backup—she’s got a tough decision to make.
Laughing, she added, “I don’t even know which one I am going to ride yet—maybe I’ll put up a poll on social media.”