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Governor’s Cup 2026: Sioux Falls Barrel Racing Draw, Payout and Preview

Megan Mcleod-Sprague barrel racing
Casey Allen11 hours ago

Andrea Busby is first out Friday night and Carlee Otero is last when 12 barrel racers open the Cinch Playoffs Governor’s Cup, running for $166,666.66 in added money Sept. 25-27 at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, S.D.

The trade list is in, so here’s the unofficial draw, the 2026 payout and what’s riding on it. Money won in Sioux Falls counts toward the WPRA world standings, and the ProRodeo regular season closes Sept. 30.

Quick facts

  • When: Friday, Sept. 25 and Saturday, Sept. 26 at 7:30 p.m. Finals Sunday, Sept. 27 at 2 p.m.
  • Where: Denny Sanford Premier Center, Sioux Falls, S.D.
  • Added money: $166,666.66 in the barrel racing
  • Field: 12. The top four from Puyallup plus the top eight in the Cinch Playoff Series standings
  • Format: two long rounds, a semifinal and the finals

Everybody runs Friday and Saturday. The top eight on the two-run aggregate come back Sunday for the semifinal, and the fastest four in the semi run again for the title.

The draw

Friday’s first-round running order off the trade list. The same 12 run both long rounds. Each rider’s world standing is in parentheses, from BarrelRacing.com’s projected standings through Sept. 20. Tap a name for our coverage of her season.

  1. Andrea Busby, Brock, Texas (No. 19)
  2. Tricia Aldridge, Sanger, Texas (No. 13)
  3. Katelyn Scott, Odessa, Texas (No. 12)
  4. Sydney Graham, Abilene, Texas (No. 8)
  5. Makenzie Mayes, Scroggins, Texas (No. 14)
  6. Tayla Moeykens, Three Forks, Mont. (No. 7)
  7. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, Redcrest, Calif. (No. 2)
  8. Emily Beisel, Weatherford, Okla. (No. 3)
  9. Megan McLeod-Sprague, Marsing, Idaho (No. 11)
  10. Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D. (No. 9)
  11. Michelle Alley, Madisonville, Texas (No. 6)
  12. Carlee Otero, Lipan, Texas (No. 1)

Otero, Alley, Lockhart and McLeod-Sprague earned their seats as the top four at Puyallup. The other eight came in off the Playoff Series standings.

Why it matters

At the top, Otero leads Gibson-Stillwell by $7,194 on our projected standings through Sept. 20. A long-round win in Sioux Falls pays $12,533.40. Beisel is No. 3, $17,381 back of Otero.

At the cut, Busby is the only rider in the field outside the top 15. She’s No. 19 at $94,701, $21,917 behind No. 15 LaTricia Duke. Winning the finals ($34,000) or placing second ($26,000) gets her past that number, and so does winning both long rounds ($25,066.80). Third in the finals ($17,000) doesn’t get there on its own.

Duke is leading Pasadena, which runs through Sept. 25, so that number can still move. Final Week Math runs the scenarios for everyone on the bubble.

Eight of these 12 ran here in 2025: Busby, Aldridge, Moeykens, Beisel, McLeod-Sprague, Lockhart, Alley and Otero. Aldridge was second in last year’s finals and McLeod-Sprague was third.

2026 payout

Off the 2026 ground rules for the barrel racing.

Long rounds, Friday and Saturday ($31,333.50 each)

  1. $12,533.40
  2. $9,400.05
  3. $6,266.70
  4. $3,133.35

Semifinal ($18,000)

Fifth through eighth get $4,500 each. The top four advance to the finals instead of drawing semifinal money.

Finals ($86,000)

  1. $34,000
  2. $26,000
  3. $17,000
  4. $9,000

Results

Round 1 goes Friday night. Results go here as they come in.

The road to Sioux Falls

Past years

This article was originally published on BarrelRacing.com — ProRodeo. View original article →
Governor's CupCinch Playoffs SeriesBarrel RacingWPRA World StandingsSioux Falls South Dakota

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