The WPRA’s Circuit System is unique in that it provides a grassroots playground for its members as well as offering a springboard for a National Finals Rodeo qualification. For pedigree enthusiasts, the distribution of the money-winning horses shows the pervasiveness of leading bloodlines, but it also showcases those that are regionally popular.
By Tanya Randall
While it’s common to find members of the WPRA’s Elite Top 15 ranked in the standings, the circuits are largely made up of women who don’t travel nationally on a regular basis. By and large, they stay within the geographic boundaries of the circuit in which they reside.
A large number of these women are riding horses that they trained from scratch or rodeo seasoned after purchasing. A few are riding what they or their family’s raised. Some are trainers that use the circuit system to build a horse’s resume.
Here, Barrel Horse News takes an exclusive look at the top horses in 12 of the WPRA’s circuits, halfway through the 2024 season. These standings represent rodeos held from October 1, 2023, until March 31, 2024, with a few exceptions for the Prairie and Texas circuits that allowed a few late September 2023 rodeos to count toward 2024 standings.
It’s important to note that while similar, the WPRA World Standings and Circuit Standings aren’t the same. Only rodeos within the circuit’s geographic area and a few close enough to merit co-approval count toward circuit standings. And, not all rodeos within the circuit count as with the case of the limited entry, high-added money rodeos like Fort Worth, San Antonio and Houston, Texas, to name a few.
At the halfway point, some circuits have just held one rodeo, like those with the colder climates, while others have had several like those in the southern half of the United States. Circuits with a lot of rodeos through the fall, winter and early spring like the Southeastern won’t have hardly any rodeos once the brutal heat of summer hits. Others like Columbia River will bloom with spring and by late summer it’s possible to rodeo every weekend and even during the week in August and September.
While most WPRA members rodeo in the circuit of their home state, they are allowed to designate another circuit if they’re likely to make more rodeos there than at home. Competitors that don’t live in the circuit are required to attend more rodeos than those that do reside there.
The Bloodlines
The presence of Dash Ta Fame blood is overwhelming on both sides of the pedigrees. While only one of the top five horses in this snapshot is by Dash Ta Fame, 15 horses listed here are by his sons and 11 are out of his daughters.
His hottest son in the rodeo world is his NFR qualifying and siring son JL Dash Ta Heaven with five horses in the top 5 of the various circuits. He has the most in the Southeastern Circuit, which is fitting given his dam Dynas Plain Special was bred and raised in Florida.
Along with proven popular Dash Ta Fame sons like Carrizzo, Woodbridge, JL Sirocco to name a few, there are some unique Dash Ta Fame sons too like the late Famous Lane. The son of Dash Ta Fame out of Lanes Leinster mare has two horses currently sitting well—one in Montana and another in the Columbia River. Got Caught Speeding, another Dash Ta Fame, Lanes Leinster stud, also has a leading circuit horse. Lions Share Of Fame has had a horse or two in the Great Lake Circuit Standing for many years. Dash Ta Fame sons A Classic Current and the rising sire Conn Creek also appear.
Frenchmans Guy lines often go hand in hand with Dash Ta Fame. A rodeo star himself before his stud career, Frenchmans Guy has two leading circuit horses, eight by his sons and three out of his daughters. Not surprisingly, Frenchmans Guy, and thus the Sun Frost, lineage dominates Badland Circuit.
A Streak Of Fling has three horses at the top of the early season circuit standings. He also has two horses by sons including the Great Lakes Circuit Leading MF Famous Aces Fling, a young stallion by A Streak Of Fame. His legendary daughter Fame Fling N Bling produced Blings Smooth Guy, who sired two top circuit horses in the Southeast. One, Blings Smooth Girl, ridden by Taylor Carver, won her first pro rodeo shortly after winning the Kinder Cup Futurity.
Other leading sires with multiples include Tres Seis, Blazin Jetolena, Slick By Design and First Moonflash.
Ivory James has three horses in the circuit standings—two within the top five of the Prairie Circuit. Two were raised by barrel racers—NFR qualifiers Vickie Adams and Martha Wright—and pointed to the arena. The third was off the racetrack.
Another Corona Cartel son, Coronas Velvet, had two money earners for the California Circuit’s Tonia Forsberg. Both were bred by the late Mike Lipp. One went to the track and the other did not.
Sources
A large majority of the horses were bred for performance with only seven coming off of the racetrack.
The late Jud Little led the way with four horses from his famed program in the various standings. Bill and Deb Myers followed with three. Busby Quarter Horses, Bill and Cheryl Kennedy, and Jill Lane Quarter Horses also had two each.
Of the 60 riders represented, 11 bred at least one of their money winners. At least 12 of the riders won money on horses that they did not own.
2024 Pro Rodeo Badlands Circuit Standings
South & North Dakota
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Nikki Hansen | Dickinson, ND | $4,045.97 | Cowboys N Ladies (12M, Cowboys Cartel – Generals French Lady, Bogies General) B-Bill & Deb Myers |
| 2 | Raelin Jurgens | Parker, SD | $2,845.45 | Jaces Black Bart (14G, CM Nonstop Nitro – VF Kits An Stones, Sticks An Stones) B-Jade Crago |
| 3 | Jessica Routier | Buffalo, SD | $2,614.98 | Fiery Miss West (11M, Firewater Frenchman – Frenchmans Bo Dashus, Royal Quick Dash) B-Gary A Westergren |
| 4 | Emilee Pauley | Wall, SD | $2,259.59 | Okay Im A Fabulous (18G, Frenchmans Fabulous – Okay Katy, Dash Ta Fame) B-Cody & Renae Smith |
| 5 | Whitney Entzel | Killdeer, ND | $2,123.24 | Prowlers Sneaky Fox (14S, Dash Ona Drifter – PC Frenchmans Foxy, PC Fire N Smoak) B-Todd & Beth Cowan |
The only horse without Sun Frost blood was Raelin Jurgens’ Jaces Black Bart. His sire CM Nonstop Nitro is a son of Mary Crago’s Badland Circuit Finals qualifier and Divisional Tour Champion Nonstop Bubblin.
2024 Pro Rodeo California Circuit Standings
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Kathy Petska (G) | Turlock, CA | $5,708.29 | Dineromademefamous (09G, PC Frenchmans Hayday – Rebs Little Fame, Dash Ta Fame) B-Busby Quarter Horses |
| 2 | Ann McGilchrist | Marysville, CA | $3,485.89 | Fling Ta California (17G, A Streak Of Fling – California Fame, Dash Ta Fame) B-Valerie Scott |
| 3 | Meghann Pearce | San Luis Obispo, CA | $3,438.52 | Hey Say Neigh (08G, Brookstone Bay – Alicia Rene, Real Ease) B-Gary Dale McKinney |
| 4 | Katie Pascoe | Morro Bay, CA | $2,757.95 | JR Blazin Dash (15G, Blazin Jetolena – Dash On Sky, On The Dash) B-John W & Sherrie Jones |
| 5 | Tonia Forsberg | Fillmore, CA | $2,568.71 | VVR Big Horn Cartel (07M, Corona Velvet – South Bay, Brookstone Bay) $1,080.45 B-Mike Lipp VVR Southside Corona (17M, Corona Velvet – Maid Bale, Judge Cash) $1,486.26 B-Mike Lipp |
Ann McGilchrist’s Fling Ta California is out of a full sister to her two-time California Circuit Champion Fallin For Fame. Meghann Pearce’s Hey Say Neigh is a half-brother to Sue Smith’s National Finals Rodeo qualifier Real Claim To Fame, too. Katie Pascoe’s JR Blazin Dash is a full brother to her WPRA Top 20 mount JR Naughty Dash.
2024 Pro Rodeo Columbia River Circuit Standings
Washington, Oregon & Idaho panhandle
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Teri Bangart | Olympia, WA | $1,172.55 | JL My Sis Streaks (19M, A Streak Of Fling – JL Twisted Sister, JL Sirocco) B-Jill Lane Quarter Horses |
| 2 | Lacy Diefenbach | Stanfield, OR | $1,005.04 | Ranger (NR) (G, Bogie Biankus – Unknown) |
| 3 | Julia Johnson | Tenino, WA | $837.54 | Cajun Chrome (15G, Shawne Bug Leo – Guys Ittybitty Fame, Dash Ta Fame) B-Renee & James David Cain |
| 4 | Leigh Parker | Northport, WA | $725.86 | Ella Lane (11M, Famous Lane – Patronella, First Down Dash) B-Frank Richardson |
| 5 | Val James (R) | Sandy, OR | $446.68 | HR Famously Smooth (PT) (17M, A Classic Current – Chickabooming (PT), AR Star (QH). B-Running H Farms |
Lacy Diefenbach’s Ranger is a grade son of the late, great leading barrel horse sire Bogie Biankus. A son of the legendary Biankus, Bogie Biankus was a Columbia River Circuit Champion himself, an NFR finalist and the sire of NFR qualifiers, Canadian and college rodeo champions.
2024 Pro Rodeo First Frontier Circuit Standings
Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island, Connecticut, New York, Pennsylvania, New Jersey, Delaware, Maryland, West Virginia and Virginia
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Hannah Goerlach | Greenfield Center, NY | $677.78 | Firen Red (14G, Alive N Firen – Doc Lories Lucky Day, Doc N Bar Red) B-Phyllis Wells |
| 2 | Bobbie Jo Griswold | Lake Luzerne, NY | $589.38 | Wranglers Trick (04M, Sonny Six Killer – Miss Runaway Wrangler, Runaway Dash) B-David Spieker |
| 3 | Montanna Lambrecht (R) | Bethany, CT | $412.56 | Blazin Paul T (13G, Furyofthewind -My Love My Valentine, Chicks Beduino) B-Paul Treadwell |
| 4 | Brooke Klinger | Andover, NJ | $324.15 | Gotti Be Early (13G, Gotti – TQH Kiss N Katie, Scorched N Scorned) B-Raymond Toole |
| 5 | Erica Chase | Galway, NY | $147.34 | Fancy Hollywood Gold (19G, Blanc Chex To Cash – Blue Lea Dunit, Foothills Beau Dunit) B-Foothills Ranch/Miles Snider |
The one rodeo held in the circuit last fall represents the most diverse bloodlines of the entire circuit system.
Hannah Goerlach’s Firen Red shares the same sire and breeder as Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi’s 2007 WPRA World Champion Yeah Hes Firen. Bobbie Jo Griswold’s Wranglers Trick is by Sonny Six Killer, a son of Streakin Six, that was a popular sire on the upper East Coast for many years. Montanna Lambrecht’s Blazin Paul T is an off-the-track Furyofthewind. Brooke Klinger’s Gotti Be Early is halter, performance bred with several traces to Conclusion through his sire Gotti. Erica Chase’s Fancy Hollywood Gold is reining-bred with traces to Nu Chex To Cash and Hollywood Dun It.
2024 Pro Rodeo Great Lakes Circuit Standings
Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Wisconsin, Illinois, Michigan, Indiana, Ohio & Kentucky
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Katie Chism | Tiskilwa, IL | $3,291.73 | MF Aces Famous Fling (17S, A Streak Of Fame – Frenchmans Sally, Two Eyed Frenchman) B-Maubach Farms |
| 2 | Emma Charleston | Reeds, MO | $2,091.39 | Cfour Slicks On Fire (18G, Slick By Design – This Blondes On Fire, Fire Water Flit) B-Four Taylors Ranch |
| 3 | Austyn Tobey | Bemidji, MN | $1,801.87 | TR Lying Badger (16M, Lions Share Of Fame – TR Dashing Badger, Mr Illuminator) B-Harry Thomas |
| 4 | Lakota Elkins (R) | Owensville, MO | $1,168.37 | MV LotaIvoryJames (17G, Ivory James – LotaKnowHow, Now I Know) B-Ed & Martha Wright |
| 5 | Lauren Strough | Skidmore, MO | $1,134.86 | Marthas Slick Moons (16S, Slick By Design – Six Moons Fashion, Marthas Six Moons) B-Ronna Smelser |
Austyn Tobey’s TR Lying Badger is one of the many winners out of two-time National Finals Rodeo Champion TR Dashing Badger (“Dolly”).
2024 Pro Rodeo Montana Circuit Standings
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Ashley Day | Volborg, MT | $2,039.80 | Flash N Dynamite (15M, First Moonflash – Ima Dyno Doc Tari, Dyno Doc Tari) B-Bud & Sandy Williams |
| 2 (T) | Tia Murphy | Lewiston, MT | $1,447.60 | ICan Make U Famous (12M, Famous Lane – Skazol Memories, Proudest Effort) B-Spencer Peterson |
| 2 (T) | Tammy Stedmen (R) | Arlee, MT | $1,447.60 | Leos Rare News (15G, Rare News – Leos Sugar Deal, Bobs Dun Deal) B-Tammy Stedmen |
| 4 | Celie Salmond | Choteau, MT | $394.80 | Man Named Jed (17G, A Crack Shot – Grannys Tonic, Pulling Your Leg) B-Randolph Rasmussen |
| 5 | Karen Boyd | Billings, MT | $329.00 | Wranglers Trip (08G, Social Wrangler – Dandy Cats Mitzi, Ranger Dandy) B-John Holland & Barbara Clark |
2024 Pro Rodeo Mountain States Circuit Standings
Wyoming & Colorado
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Maggie Poloncic | Gillette, WY | $9,901.40 | Aint Seen Me Yet (12M, Aint Seen Nothin Yet – Jumping Sugar, RR Milk Bone Shorts) B-Chad & Shannon Wade |
| 2 | Tessa Arnold (R) | Coleman, TX | $8,281.28 | Ditto (Clone) (16G, Dash For Perks – Curiocity Corners, Silver Lucky Buck) B-Byron & Mary Walker |
| 3 | Cheryl Kennedy | Bennett, CO | $6,713.84 | Papagaio (15G, Tres Seis – Ms Lucky Lucky, Dash Ta Fame) B-Bill & Cheryl Kennedy |
| 4 | Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi | Lampasas, TX | $4,232.36 | Babe On The Chase (11M, Chasin Firewater – Streakin Six Babe, Streakin Six) B-Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi |
| 5 | Shali Lord | Lamar, CO | $1,747.31 | Frosted In Fame (10M, Dash Ta Fame – Judges Fancy Frost, Sun Frost) B-Marikelly Anzimendi |
Tessa Arnold, a rookie member, is riding Ditto, a clone of Mary Walker’s WPRA World Champion Perculatin (“Latte”). Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi’s Babe On The Chase is a multiple NFR qualifier and the 2023 EquiStat Leading Broodmare.
2024 Pro Rodeo Prairie Circuit Standings
Oklahoma, Kansas & Nebraska
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Emily Beisel | Weatherford, OK | $2,641.72 | Ivory On Fire (16M, Ivory James – Lil Miss Firewater, Fire Water Flit), $2,124.40 B-Vickie Adams Namgis D 35 (10G, Bucks Hanco*ck Dude – Central Station, First Down Dash) $517.32 B-Stan Sigman |
| 2 | Lindsey Muggli | Lane, OK | $2,621.18 | In The Nick A Time (16M, Blazin Jetolena – Rollin Nickie, As Good As Nick Gets) B-Busby Quarter Horses |
| 3 | Ivy Hurst | Springer, OK | $2,096.45 | Famous Dallas Jazz (13G, Dallas Fuel – Mistys Dash Of Fame, Dash Ta Fame) $1,034.65 B-Joe & Dee Lynn Braman Famous Quick Streak (18G, A Streak Of Fling – J Quick Fame, Dash Ta Fame) $757.24 B-Bill & Cheryl Kennedy JL Rocky Lane (14G, JL Sirocco – Quint Glory, Lanes Leinster) $304.56 B-Jill Lane Quarter Horses |
| 4 | Wenda Johnson | Pawhuska, OK | $1,839.76 | Steal Money (16G, First Moonflash – Im Chica Stoli, Stoli) B-J. Santos Espinoza |
| 5 | Kallie Gates | Hydro, OK | $1,666.60 | James Darlin (12G, Ivory James – Darlin Thru N Thru, Dash Thru Traffic) B-Joyce Irvine & Gwen Ward |
Emily Beisel’s Ivory On Fire is out of the Fire Water Flit mare Lil Miss Firewater. A full sister to the late leading sire Chasin Firewater, Lil Miss Firewater is also the dam of 2023 BFA Super Stakes Champion TJR Malibu Eddie. Ivy Hurst’s Famous Dallas Jazz is out of the all-time great Mistys Dash Of Fame, who produced NFR qualifiers KN Fabs Gift Of Fame and KN Fabs Mist Of Fame.
2024 Pro Rodeo Southeastern Circuit Standings
Florida, Georgia, South and North Carolina, Tennessee, Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana & Arkansas
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Ericka Nelson | Century, FL | $13,152.51 | PC Cash (10G, PC Frosty Bid – Cashini, Bet The Cash), $8,639.72 B-Vaughn & Mary Watkins Rip This Cat (15M, One Cupa Cats – Two Debutante Girl, Watch Two Eyed Buck), $2,041.86 B- H B Bartlett, DVM Streakin Sunfrost (17M, Streak Of Moon BZ – Barefoot N Buckwild, PC Redwood Manny), $1,435.09 B-Renae Delhomme Troublenvrlooksogood (13G, First Down French – Tatango Twist Te, Triple Twist Te), $721.63 B-Michelle Deboer Goodfrenchmanfriday (07G, BHR Frenchies Socks – Joyces Gal, Direct Moon Jet) $314.21 B-Lance Carr |
| 2 | Taylor Carver | Broxton, GA | $13,066.88 | Miss Rare Perks (17M, Rare N Famous – Swingin Perks, Dash For Perks) $12,274.18 B-Taylor Carver Blings Smooth Girl (19M, Blings Smooth Guy – Violations Secret, Lika Movin Violation) $792.70 B-Darlene Barlow |
| 3 | Cindy Patrick | Brooksville, FL | $8,370.65 | Flit Ta Heaven (12M, JL Dash Ta Heaven – Flitin Firin Cash, Fire Water Flit) B-Jud Little |
| 4 | Kristin Hanchey | Okeechobee, FL | $8,180.89 | Smooth Way Ta Heaven (17M, Blings Smooth Guy – Cash Ta Heaven, JL Dash Ta Heaven) B-Larry Ammons |
| 5 | Chloe Gray | Yatesville, GA | $7,682.80 | Guys On Firewater (14G, Frenchmans Six Dash – Annie Firewater, Fire Water Flit), $4,154.48 B-Valerie Kiphart Heavenly Red (16M, JL Dash Ta Heaven – Reneoni, Rene Dan Jet), $3,528.32 B-Jud Little |
Former NFR qualifier and trainer Ericka Nelson has ridden a variety of bloodlines, but her PC Frost Bid gelding that’s out of a daughter of the great Ms Wahini Bug, is her biggest earner so far. Rip This Cat, her second choice, is from the same program as American finalist Rylee Jo Meryman’s One Cupa Tee Sis, both horses are by One Cupa Cats, a son of One Time Pepto, and bred by veterinarian H B Barlett. Streakin Sunfrost is by Brazilian-bred son of A Streak Of Fling and out of a maternal sister to French Bar Belle, dam of multiple 2024 futurity champion Adios Pantalones.
2024 Pro Rodeo Texas Circuit Standings
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Katie Jo Halbert | Port Lavaca, TX | $19,276.12 | Miz Milania (17M, Tres Seis – Makeala, Make It Anywhere) $18,381.24 B- Mickey Tiner Mias Famous N Heaven (19M, JL Dash Ta Heaven – French Mirage, Frenchmans Guy) $984.88 B-Randy Boyd |
| 2 | Tiany Schuster | Krum, TX | $12,268.69 | Show Mance (10G, First Smart Money – Baby Blue Cash, Hold On To The Cash) $5,259.91 B-James Baldwin Famous Mic Guy Ver (15G, Frenchmans Guy – Disarray, Dash Ta Fame) $5,207.12 B-Bill & Deb Myers JJ Carrizzo Fire Bug (16G, Carrizzo – Admire My Fire, Turn N Fire), $1,336.68 B-Sandra Fulgham Admire My Fame (19G, Carrizzo – Admire My Fire, Turn N Fire), $464.98 B-Lee Moore |
| 3 | Preslie Reid | San Angelo, TX | $12,050.01 | Streakin French Star (14G, Streakin Boon Dox – French Stars, Frenchmans Guy) $9,523.43 B-Joe & Carla Spitz Cool To Be In Heaven (14M, JL Dash Ta Heaven – Cool To Be Famous, Sun Frost), $2,526.58 B-Jud Little |
| 4 | Tillar King | Fort Worth, TX | $10,189.43 | Caught At The Disco (19G, Got Caught Speedin – Perks Special Lady, Perks Special) B-Locked Rocker Ranch |
| 5 | Shelley Morgan | Eustace, TX | $9,717.74 | Bucky Wonder Horse (17M, First Down Dash – Rosas Cantina CC, Corona Cartel), $7,151.92 B-Alan Woodbury Kinda Heavenly (13M, JL Dash Ta Heaven – Kindabugginme, Bug In My Frosty), $2,565.82 B-Jud Little |
Tiany Schuster’s Famous Mic Guy Ver is a full brother to 2011 Leading Futurity Horse Guys Famous Girl. Shelley Morgan’s Bucky Wonder Horse is out of five-time NFR qualifier Rosas Cantina CC.
2024 Pro Rodeo Turquoise Circuit Standings
New Mexico & Arizona
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Shannon Griffin | La Luz, NM | $7,909.56 | Wood Bring Bullion (13M, Woodbridge – Bullet Bullion, Bully Bullion) B- MJ Farms |
| 2 | Mariah Morgan | Glendale, AZ | $6,042.06 | Monster Express (11M, Finish Line Express – Frenchmans Sonora, Frenchmans Guy) B-Tim O’Donnell |
| 3 | Megan Albrecht | Deming, NM | $3,935.71 | JD Leo (18G, Wyatt Leo – Sign Of Luck, Streakin Six) B-Michael & Camille Figeroa |
| 4 | Jordan Bassett | Dewey, AZ | $3,157.65 | Slip Sliding Along (09G, Latest Version – SM Whistle Britches, Royal Quick Dash) B-Suzann Marney |
| 5 | Ashley Haller | Marana, AZ | $3,050.86 | Invisible Guy (05G, Frenchmans Guy – A Lovely Ladybug, Invisible Injun) B-Bill & Deb Myers |
Megan Albrecht’s pro rodeo winner JD Leo is by Wyatt Leo, a son of Slick By Design.
2024 Pro Rodeo Wilderness Circuit Standings
Nevada, Utah & southern Idaho
| Rank | Name | Hometown | Money Won | Horses |
| 1 | Kailey Mitton | Wellsville, UT | $1,822.00 | Switching Creeks (16M, Conn Creek – RM Switching Chicks, Chickie Cherry Cola) B-Ron & Laurie Moosman |
| 2 | Sue Smith (G) | Blackfoot, ID | $1,561.71 | Diamond Center (16G, A Smooth Guy – Dashs Centerfold, Dash Ta Fame) B-Kyle Edwards & Sue Smith |
| 3 | McKenna Coronado | Kanarraville, UT | $709.70 | This Guys Flying (19G, Guys Canyon Moon – Regal Flying, Dash Ta Fame), B-Mike & Kellie Sokol |
| 4 | Gracie Beckstrom | Spanish Fork, UT | $520.57 | MJ Swift Lane (17M, The Goodbye Lane – Nita Fame, Dash Ta Fame) B-Mike & Linda Jarvis |
| 5 | Mimi Argyle | Blackfoot, ID | $260.28 | Seis Somethin French (17G, Perks French Cash – Long Live Cowgirls. Tres Seis) B-Bertina Olafson |
Sue Smith’s Diamond Center is out of her NFR qualifier and 2016 Leading Futurity Horse Dashs Centerfold.
Editor’s note: standings and data are as of April 2024
