The 2023 CINCH Playoffs Governor’s Cup kicked off September 28 with fast action in the barrel racing. Boasting a lucrative $1.1 million total payout, the CINCH Playoffs has the capacity to alter the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s barrel racing world standings in the last week of the 2023 regular season. National Finals Rodeo qualifications will be determined at the end of September, and this last weekend of the season is making a big impact.
—> Find complete results and standings from the2023 WPRA barrel racing pro rodeo season here.
Best of Beisel: Emily Beisel and Ivory On Fire Went Four-for-Four at CINCH Playoffs Governor’s Cup
SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA, September 30, 2023 —Emily Beisel and Ivory On Fire not only took home the $25,000 championship at the CINCH Playoffs Governor’s Cup, held September 28–30 during the last weekend of the regular pro rodeo season, but they did it by winning all four rounds. All totaled, Beisel earned $43,750 in Sioux Falls, South Dakota, and moved from the No. 7 position in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association world standings to No. 3 with $158,755.26 in regular-season earnings.
Beisel and “Liza” conquered the Denny Sanford Premier Center arena. Beisel is used to high stakes and high-pressure situations with five Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifications under her belt and more than $531,537 in Wrangler NFR earnings alone. She’s picked up more than $1.2 million in EquiStat lifetime earnings and won seven NFR go-rounds.
What might be surprising to rodeo fans is watching the 7-year-old mare by Ivory James and out of the Fire Water Flit mare Lil Miss Firewater excel in such an atmosphere. Beisel purchased Liza in 2022 from Shelby Ridling, who trained the mare. Beisel has been taking Liza on the rodeo to pro rodeos this year, but according to EquiStat, she’s only earned about $14,000 and a handful of checks from pro rodeos. Liza added to her resume this week and made it look easy with a four-for-four sweep of the rodeo.
In Round One, the duo from Weatherford, Oklahoma, turned in a 13.95 to share the round-win with Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi. They also won Round Two with a 13.69, which put them in the No. 1 aggregate spot and qualified them to the Semifinals. A 13.84 in the Semifinals topped the field and advanced to the clean-slate Finals that night. The pair solidified their success in Sioux Falls with a time of 13.74, which was ultimately worth the championship and $25,000.
While the $43,750 Beisel won in Sioux Falls wasn’t needed for her to qualify for the NFR, it did move her up four spots in the standings and puts Beisel only $111,808 away from WPRA regular-season earnings record holder Tonozzi, who held onto her commanding lead in the world standings this week. While $111,808 sounds like a lot of money to the layman, it is within striking distance of a world title if the cards fall in Beisel’s favor in December.
Remember, in 2022 Hailey Kinsel came into the NFR in the No. 5 position in the standings and collected $182,783 to earn her fourth world title.
That’s not to say Tonozzi is going to make it easy on anyone this year in Vegas. The Lampasas, Texas, cowgirl has been on a heater all year and has stormed through the regular season, collecting checks along the way to officially break the regular-season earnings record previously set by Tiany Schuster in 2017 with $250,378. Tonozzi has finished the 2023 season with $270,563.42, won mostly aboard Busby Quarter Horses-owned and Janna Brown-trained gelding Jets Top Gun (Blazin Jetolena x GL Famous First Lady x Dash Ta Fame), on whom Tonozzi won Reno, Calgary and the Utah Days of ’47 Rodeo, among many others.
Tonozzi came into Sioux Falls aboard the stallion SR Industry Titan, splitting the Round One win with Beisel, finishing second in Round Two and third in the Semifinals. Unfortunately, Tonozzi and “Titan” had a tough fall in the Finals round as they came around the backside of the second barrel, which resulted in a no-time for the duo. Tonozzi still earned $6,000 for the fourth-place finish as consolation for advancing, bringing her total Governor’s Cup earnings to $21,000.
It’s been reported that Tonozzi and Titan are doing well after their fall. 70 Ranch Performance Horses — owners of Titan — posted on Facebook on October 1: “Thank you to everyone who has sent prayers for Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and SR Industry Titan after their spill last night at the Governor’s Cup. We are happy to report that both Brittany and Titan were not seriously injured and are getting the rest they need to be back in full force.”
2023 NFR Barrel Racing Bubble Watch
A big portion of discussion during the Governor’s Cup was how the $1.1 million payout could affect the WPRA top 15. Prior to the Governor’s Cup, the bubble to make it into the top 15 and secure a spot to the NFR was $100,412.67 with Paige Jones in the hot seat. Only a few thousand dollars separated Jones and the No. 17 through No. 18 cowgirls. Two of those ladies — Kelly Allen (No. 17) and Ashley Castleberry (No. 18) — were entered at the Governor’s Cup and put up a fight to make it into the top 15. Allen fell out of contention after Round Two. Castleberry, however, made it through to the Semifinals. For a brief moment, it looked like the WPRA top 15 battle might be a dramatic race to the finish, but Jones wasn’t one to let opportunity slip away. Jones and Famous Hayday steadily advanced throughout the rounds at the Governor’s Cup. While Jones only earned $2,500 from finishing seventh in the Semifinals, she did hold onto her No. 15 position in the WPRA world standings to unofficially solidify her first trip to the NFR.
While the action was taking place in Sioux Falls, there were still several other pro rodeos happening throughout the country. WPRA world standings will not become official until those rodeos have been accounted for and audited by the WPRA. To find WPRA Pro Rodeo Standings, visit the WPRA website.
CINCH Playoffs Barrel Racing Results
Finals
- Emily Beisel / Ivory On Fire / 13.74 / $25,000
- Taycie Matthews / Fame Fire Rocks / 13.97 / $19,000
- Summer Kosel / Firewaterfrenchfame / 19.22 * / $12,000
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi / SR Industry Titan / NT / $6,000
* denotes penalty
CINCH Playoffs Barrel Racing Results
Semifinals
- Emily Beisel / Ivory On Fire / 13.84 / advances to Finals
- Summer Kosel / Firewaterfrenchfame / 13.89 / advances
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi / SR Industry Titan / 13.91 / advances
- (tie 4/5) Taycie Matthews / Fame Fire Rocks / 13.92 / advances
- (tie 4/5) Jessica Routier / Fiery Miss West / 13.92 / advances
- Wenda Johnson / Steal Money / 13.96 / $2,500
- Paige Jones / Famous Hayday / 14.00 / $2,500
- Ashley Castleberry / Skyy Blue / 14.18 / $2,500
UNOFFICIAL WPRA World Standings after CINCH Playoffs Governor’s Cup
*NOTE: all standings are unofficial as they have not been verified by the WPRA. Results from other pro rodeos taking place the last weekend of September are not taken into account for these forecasted standings.
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi / $270,563.42
- Jordon Briggs / $160,824.2
- Emily Beisel / $158,755.26
- Taycie Matthews / $144,161.40
- Lisa Lockhart / $134,593.55
- Kassie Mowry / $133,802.17
- Wenda Johnson / $120,450.02
- Jessica Routier / $118,937.96
- Summer Kosel / $115,681.61
- Ilyssa Riley / $110,619.33
- Stevi Hillman / $109,031.93
- Sissy Winn / $109,022.49
- Hailey Kinsel / $105,775.77
- Sue Smith / $105,643.94
- Paige Jones / $102,912.67
- Sara Winkelman / $91,276.2
- Ashley Castleberry / $87,782.60
- Kelly Allen / $86,101.86
- Carlee Otero / $79,056.30
- Dona Kay Rule / $78,860.34
Beisel On Fire: Emily Beisel and Ivory On Fire Win Round Two of Governor’s Cup
SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA, September 29, 2023 —The 2023 CINCH Playoffs Governor’s Cup continued Friday with fast action in the barrel racing. Emily Beisel made it look easy in Round Two at the Governor’s Cup and went two-for-two, picking up the win with a time of 13.69, worth $10,000. Beisel rode Ivory On Fire, who helped her share the win in Round One. The 7-year-old mare trained by Shelby Ridling showed no signs of being affected by pressure. Beisel and “Liza,” by Ivory James and out of the Fire Water Flit mare Lil Miss Firewater, are currently leading the aggregate going into the Governor’s Cup Semifinals.
The top eight in the aggregate will advance to Saturday’s Semifinals, where the top four in the round will advance to a clean-slate finals. The winner of the finals will earn $25,000, second place with pick up $19,000, third place will win $12,000 and fourth place will bank $6,000. With the WPRA top 15 bubble within a few thousand dollars difference, there are big opportunities to be had in Sioux Falls.
Beisel came into Sioux Falls in the No. 7 position in the WPRA world standings, and after Round One moved into the No. 5 position. Unofficially after Round Two, she’s only $47 shy of the No. 4 spot currently held by EquiStat All-Time Leading Rider Kassie Mowry.
Beisel is no newcomer to pressure situations or the pro rodeo road. The Oklahoma cowgirl has garnered more than $1.2 million in EquiStat lifetime earnings, has won seven NFR go-rounds, qualified to the NFR four times — 2023 will mark her fifth qualification — and won the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (now dubbed NFR Open) in 2017. Beisel will head into Las Vegas in a safe position in the world standings within striking distance of a world title opportunity.
Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi, the No. 1 cowgirl in the WPRA standings, didn’t let off the pedal in Round Two. After sharing the win in Round One with Beisel, Tonozzi and SR Industry Titan came in gunning for another round win. They finished the set in the No. 2 slot with a time of 13.86, splitting second and third with Wenda Johnson and Steal Money.
Tonozzi and “Titan” have been on a roll recently, and he’s been a steady asset to her team this season. The 2013 sorrel stallion bred by Matt and Bendi Dunn was previously owned by WJR Trucking Inc., since the beginning of his career. However, he sold to 70 Ranch Performance Horses on September 28, 2023.
Titan first gained notoriety as an aged-event horse under the skillful hand of $4.3 million rider Troy Crumrine, who rode the stallion to $188,442. He then became a pro rodeo and National Finals Rodeo money-earner with Wenda Johnson at the 2020 Wrangler NFR. Now with Tonozzi as his jockey, he’s adding more pro rodeo money to his impressive record. Not including any money won in Sioux Falls, Titan has amassed more than $275,470 in EquiStat lifetime earnings.
2023 NFR Barrel Racing Bubble Watch
The WPRA top 15 is a race to the finish this year. The bubble to make it into the top 15 and secure a spot to the NFR is a race within a few thousand dollars, and with the lucrative payouts offered up at the Governor’s Cup, there’s high pressure for NFR qualifications on the line.
Paige Jones currently sits in the No. 15 position with $100,412.67. Jones has ridden Famous Hayday to two solid times so far in Sioux Falls —she hasn’t yet picked up a paycheck, but she has solidified her spot in the aggregate and therefore a qualification to Saturday’s Semifinals. She’s one step closer to making her first NFR.
Sara Winkelman is in the No. 16 position with $91,276.20, however, she is not entered in Sioux Falls. No. 17 cowgirl Kelly Allen made her bid at the Governor’s Cup with hopes of earning an NFR qualification in the last days of the season, and while she turned in an aggregate time of 28.24, it was one spot out of advancing to the Semifinals.
There’s still a ringer in the ranks, though. No. 18 cowgirl Ashley Castleberry advanced in the No. 6 position in the aggregate with a time of 28.09 on two runs. Castleberry hasn’t yet picked up round money in Sioux Falls, but she’s still in the game for a chance to earn the $25,000 paycheck. She would need at least $15,131 to overtake Jones’ lead.
CINCH Playoffs Barrel Racing Results
Round Two
- Emily Beisel / Ivory On Fire / 13.69 / $10,000
- (tie 2/3) Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi / SR Industry Titan / 13.86 / $6,250
- (tie 2/3) Wenda Johnson / Steal Money / 13.86 / $6,250
- Taycie Matthews / Fame Fire Rocks / 13.88 / $2,500
- Summer Kosel / Firewaterfrenchfame / 13.90
- Jessica Routier / Fiery Miss West / 13.95
- (tie 7/8) Ashley Castleberry / Skyy Blue / 13.99
- (tie 7/8) Stevi Hillman / Sand In My Socks / 13.99
- Paige Jones / Famous Hayday / 14.01
- Kelly Allen / Wildchildsgotcashuno / 14.02
- Hailey Kinsel / BCK Spyder Monkey / 14.44
- Sue Smith / Diamond Center / 19.30 *
* denotes penalty
Aggregate on two runs (top eight advance)
- Emily Beisel / 27.64
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi / 27.81
- Taycie Matthews / 27.98
- Wenda Johnson / 27.98
- Summer Kosel / 27.99
- Ashley Castleberry / 28.09
- Paige Jones / 28.20
- Jessica Routier / 28.23
- Kelly Allen / 28.24
- Hailey Kinsel / 28.81
- Stevi Hillman / 32.82
- Sue Smith / 33.26
UNOFFICIAL WPRA World Standings after CINCH Playoffs Round Two
*NOTE: all standings are unofficial as they have not been verified by the WPRA. Results from other pro rodeos taking place the last weekend of September are not taken into account for these forecasted standings.
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi / $264,563.42
- Jordon Briggs / $160,824.2
- Lisa Lockhart / $134,593.55
- Kassie Mowry / $133,802.17
- Emily Beisel / $133,755.26
- Taycie Matthews / $125,161.40
- Wenda Johnson / $117,950.02
- Jessica Routier / $116,437.96
- Ilyssa Riley / $110,619.33
- Stevi Hillman / $109,031.93
- Sissy Winn / $109,022.49
- Hailey Kinsel / $105,775.77
- Sue Smith / $105,643.94
- Summer Kosel / $103,681.61
- Paige Jones / $100,412.67
- Sara Winkelman / $91,276.2
- Kelly Allen / $86,101.86
- Ashley Castleberry / $85,282.6
- Carlee Otero / $79,056.3
- Dona Kay Rule / $78,860.34
Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and Emily Beisel Share CINCH Playoffs Governor’s Cup Round One Win
SIOUX FALLS, SOUTH DAKOTA, September 28, 2023 —The 2023 CINCH Playoffs Governor’s Cup kicked off Thursday with fast action in the barrel racing. Boasting a lucrative $1.1 million total payout, the CINCH Playoffs has the capacity to alter the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association’s barrel racing world standings in the last week of the 2023 regular season. National Finals Rodeo qualifications will be determined at the end of September, and this last weekend of the season is making a big impact. After just one round at the Governor’s Cup, the bubble on the WPRA’s top 15 gets tighter and a regular-season earnings record was broken.
Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi rode SR Industry Titan (Firewaterontherocks x Mulberry Canyon Moon x Marthas Six Moons) to share the first-round win with Emily Beisel and Ivory On Fire (Ivory James x Lil Miss Firewater x Fire Water Flit) with times of 13.95. Tonozzi and Beisel each earned $8,750. With that money, Tonozzi not only holds onto her No. 1 position in the world standings but broke the regular-season earnings record previously set by Tiany Schuster in 2017 with $250,378. Unofficially after the win, Tonozzi has banked $258,063.42 in world standings earnings.
“Titan” is a 2013 sorrel stallion bred by Matt and Bendi Dunn and owned by WJR Trucking Inc.. He first gained notoriety as an aged-event horse under the skillful hand of $4.3 million rider Troy Crumrine. The Waynesfield, Ohio, trainer andfour-time Barrel Futurities of America World Championrode the stallion to more than $188,442 in EquiStat earnings. In 2019, Crumrine and Titan won the BFA Derby championship, worth $61,640. In 2020 the stallion became afirst-time NFR earner with Wenda Johnsonwhen the Pawhuska, Oklahoma, cowgirl rode him to $16,077 at the Wrangler NFR inside Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. But this year, he’s been a steady asset to Tonozzi’s pro rodeo string, picking up more than $24,000 in pro rodeo earnings, according to EquiStat.
It’s no shock Titan is a force to be reckoned with on the barrel pattern — he’s bred for the job. His sire Firewaterontherocks ran to more than $249,800 in lifetime earnings as a performer and went on to sire more than $3.3 million in winners, with Titan being his No. 3 earner. On Titan’s dam side,Mulberry Canyon Moonwill go down in history as one of the greatest barrel racing producers of all time, not to mention her own outstanding performance record. Multiple NFR qualifier Angie Meadors paired up with Mulberry Canyon Moon,the 2007 Equi-Stat Leading Futurity Horse, to qualify for the NFR in 2010 and 2011. At their first NFR, Meadors and “Mulberry” won three rounds — the fourth, ninth and 10th. Even before her retirement from the arena, Mulberry, a 2003 daughter of Marthas Six Moons and out of De Streaker by Osage Streaker (TB), was producing via embryo transfer. Her 2012 A Sharp Frenchman gelding MCM Imasharpguy (“Sharpie”) followed his dam’s path from futurities to rodeos. As a performer, Mulberry earned more than $355,624 and has now produced more than $908,242 as a dam — Titan being her No. 2 leading offspring.
Beisel purchased “Liza” in 2022 from Shelby Ridling, who trained the 7-year-old mare at the start of her career. She’s gone on to have success with Beisel on the pro rodeo stage, earning thus far a little more than $14,000 in EquiStat lifetime earnings. Beisel came into Sioux Falls in the No. 7 position in the world standings and unofficially has moved into the No. 5 position. With an easy cushion on what will be her fifth NFR qualification, Beisel made a businessman decision to put a relatively young horse into a pressure situation, which could simulate an NFR run. Over the course of the night, many contestants in every event commented during live TV interviews with the Cowboy Channel on the resemblance the Denny Sanford Premier Center had with the NFR’s Thomas and Mack Center Arena in Las Vegas, Nevada. Taking the opportunity to expose a horse to a similar setup and atmosphere might pay off for Beisel come December.
Beisel has ridden three other horses throughout the 2023 season to her $123,755.26 in regular-season earnings — Biddin On Fame (“Beau”), Namgis D 33 (“Chongo”) and Namgis D 35 (“Pipewrench”). Of her four mounts, Chongo is likely Beisel’s most well-known, having led the Weatherford, Oklahoma, cowgirl to seven NFR round wins:2019 Round One,2019 Round Four,2020 Round Six,2020 Round Seven,2021 Round Five,2022 Round Four, and2022 Round Six. All totaled, Beisel has earned more than $1.2 million in EquiStat reported earnings.
Going into Friday’s round there’s still plenty of money on the line. As it sits — unofficially — $14,310.81 separates No. 17 Kelly Allen from No. 15 Paige Jones, and $15,130.07 separates No. 18 Ashley Castleberry from No. 15. With the rounds paying $10,000 to win and the Finals round paying $25,000 to win there is still plenty of opportunity for the standings to shake up.
CINCH Playoffs Barrel Racing Results
Round One
1/2. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi / SR Industry Titan / 13.95 / $8,500
1/2. Emily Beisel / Ivory On Fire / 13.95 / $8,500
3. Sue Smith / Diamond Center / 13.96 / $5,000
4. Summer Kosel / Firewaterfrenchfame / 14.09 / $2,500
5. Ashley Castleberry / Skyy Blue / 14.10
6. Taycie Matthews / Fame Fire Rocks / 14.10
7. Wenda Johnson / Steal Money / 14.12
8. Paige Jones / Famous Hayday / 14.19
9. Kelly Allen / Miss JB 165 / 14.22
10. Jessica Routier / Fiery Miss West / 14.28
11. Hailey Kinsel / Outta Clear Blue / 14.37
12. Stevi Hillman / Sand In My Socks /18.83 *
* denotes penalty
UNOFFICIAL WPRA World Standings after CINCH Playoffs Round One:
*NOTE: all standings are unofficial as they have not been verified by the WPRA. Results from other pro rodeos taking place the last weekend of September are not taken into account for these forecasted standings.
- Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi / $258,313.42
- Jordon Briggs / $160,824.2
- Lisa Lockhart / $134,593.55
- Kassie Mowry / $133,802.17
- Emily Beisel / $123,755.26
- Taycie Matthews / $122,661.4
- Jessica Routier / $116,437.96
- Wenda Johnson / $111,700.02
- Ilyssa Riley / $110,619.33
- Stevi Hillman / $109,031.93
- Sissy Winn / $109,022.49
- Hailey Kinsel / $105,775.77
- Sue Smith / $105,643.94
- Summer Kosel / $103,681.61
- Paige Jones / $100,412.67
- Sara Winkelman / $91,276.2
- Kelly Allen / $86,101.86
- Ashley Castleberry / $85,282.6
- Carlee Otero / $79,056.3
- Dona Kay Rule / $78,860.34
2023CINCH Playoffs Governor’s Cup Total Payoff for each of the first two performances per event: $25,000
1st Place $10,000
2nd Place $ 7,500
3rd Place $ 5,000
4th Place $ 2,500
Total Payoff for Semifinals per Event (5th through 8th place): $10,222.20
1st Place
2nd Place
3rd Place
4th Place
5th Place $2,555.55
6th Place $2,555.55
7th Place $2,555.55
8th Place $2,555.55
Total Payoff for the Finals per Event (equal money in team roping): $62,000.
1st Place $25,000
2nd Place $19,000
3rd Place $12,000
4th Place $ 6,000
