BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
At 61-years-old, Dona Kay Rule was the breakout star of the 2019 Wrangler NFR with two Go-Round wins.
After not getting to compete at Globe Life Field in 2020 because of a positive COVID-19 test, Rule is ready to make another charge in Las Vegas. She enters No. 4 in the WPRA World Standings after winning $84,990 in 2021.
The Oklahoma native will arrive at the Thomas & Mack Center with a ton of momentum after placing in seven of the last eight rodeos she entered and winning three of them.
On Aug. 27, Rule won the Kitsap Stampede (Washington) by stopping the clock at 16.92 seconds. On Sept. 19, she was named the champion of the New Mexico State Fair and Rodeo after registering a time of 15.07 seconds and finally, at one of the last rodeos of the year, she took first at Cowboy Capital of the World in Stephenville on Sept. 26.
She finished the year by winning more than $1,000 on four straight runs.
Rule’s other wins included War Bonnet Round Up (Idaho), Last Chance Stampede (Montana), Strawberry Days Rodeo (Utah), Days of the Old West (Utah), Cord McCoy’s Pro Rodeo (Oklahoma) and the Ellis County Livestock Show (Texas).
Rule finished second at the San Angelo Rodeo in April and Snake River Stampede (Idaho) in July. At both of those rodeos, she placed on every run to win $17,000 in San Angelo and $10,000 in Nampa.
RULE IN SAN ANGELO
Rule was also second at one-headers in Estes Park and Weatherford. Both of those paid more than $3,000. She earned more than $3,000 on a single run in Deadwood, Cody and Livingston, Montana as well.
RULE IN DEADWOOD
Despite not being able to compete at the NFR in 2020, Rule still finished in the Top 15 in the WPRA World Standings, coming in at No. 13 with $77,454. In 2019, Rule won more $95,885 at the NFR and finished the year with $192,392.
Her horse, Valor, was Horse of the Year in 2019 and 2020.
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