BY BRETT NIERENGARTEN
The last three years the WPRA Barrel Racing World Championship has been won by Hailey Kinsel and she enters this year’s Wrangler NFR as the top cowgirl in the World Standings.
In 2021, Kinsel proved she can win money at faster rates than just about anyone in the PRCA. Near the end of June, she had won around $20,000 for the year and sat outside the Top 20. It took her only two weeks between June 22 and July 6 to go from outside the Top 20 to No. 2 in the WPRA World Standings.
Kinsel won over $14,000 in Reno by finishing second and placing in all four rounds there. Then, a week later, she was the top barrel racer in the WPRA over the 4th of July run by winning more than $20,000. Kinsel was second at Cody Stampede (Wyoming) and St. Paul Rodeo (Oregon) and won the Livingston Round-Up (Montana).
KINSEL’S COWBOY CHRISTMAS HIGHLIGHTS
Kinsel also won the Sheridan WYO Rodeo and Ogden Pioneer Days (Utah) in July and in case there was any doubt about her standings as one of the sport’s premier stars, she won Cheyenne as well.
KINSEL IN SHERIDAN
At the Dad, Kinsel placed in all four rounds and was 17.30 seconds in the Finals to take home the buckle and more than $30,000.
KINSEL IN CHEYENNE
By the beginning of August, Kinsel was No. 1 in the World Standings with $92,846 with only one cowgirl within $25,000 of her. In June and July combined, Kinsel won around $80,000.
She closed the year by winning Kansas’ Biggest Rodeo, the Tri-State Rodeo (Iowa) and Amarillo Tri-State Fair and Rodeo in August and September.
In 2020, Kinsel was dominant at the NFR. She won five rounds and her first NFR Average title. She won more than any other contestant at Globe Life Field with $189,305, which broke her own NFR earnings record and made her the first WPRA athlete to win the RAM Top Gun Award, which goes to the competitor who wins the most money at the NFR across all events.
Kinsel finished with $349,076 in 2020, nearly breaking her own record for most money won by a barrel racer in a single season ($350,700 in 2018).
RELATED:
Stevi Hillman set for sixth NFR