The Money Barrel: Lanita Peirce on Famous Wahini and 40 Years of Wins

Lanita Peirce, 76, won the Cody Stampede over the Fourth of July and Nebraska’s Big Rodeo at Burwell on July 25, both on Famous Wahini, the last horse out of the breeding program she rides for.

She joined Kayla Jones on The Money Barrel to talk about the mare, that program, and coming back from back surgery.

Table of contents

• Who is Lanita Peirce?
• Famous Wahini’s pedigree
• The Bugs Alive In 75 connection
• Lanita Peirce’s 2026 season
• Coming back from back surgery
• Inside the episode
• Listen
• Sponsor — SmartPak / ColiCare

Who is Lanita Peirce?

Peirce is a WPRA barrel racer and horse trainer from Oklahoma. She qualified for the National Finals Rodeo in 1993, drew up first out in the opening round and won it, and finished the week reserve in the average behind Charmayne James. She has since added a Senior World Championship on Famous Wahini. She married out of high school, started colts for other people, and later moved to Wynnewood, Oklahoma, to work for Ralph Shebester. She has ridden for that family ever since.

“Nobody paid your entry fee but you. This horse is all that’s here but you. And the rest doesn’t matter.” Peirce, on what she tells herself going down the alley. She says it does not change from a rodeo to a futurity to a jackpot.

Famous Wahini’s pedigree

Famous Wahini, called Lexi, is a 10-year-old mare by Dash Ta Fame out of Take The Cash Bug, by Takin On The Cash. Her second dam is Ms Wahini Bug, who is also the dam of Famous Bugs. Ms Wahini Bug had a navicular issue early and was bred rather than run; Peirce says she produced eleven or twelve foals and that all but two or three made 1D horses. Famous Wahini is the last horse they have out of that line.

“I don’t care how good you turn the barrels, if you can’t run home, it’s not going to pay off very good.” Peirce, on what separates a good horse from a great one.

The Bugs Alive In 75 connection

Shebester owned Bugs Alive In 75, who won the 1975 All American Futurity and died in 1985 after colic surgery. His daughter, Mary Watkins, owns Peirce’s horses today. Watkins raised the horses and Peirce rode them. “She never bought anything,” Peirce says of Watkins. “We raised everything.” The first one Peirce had for her was Wahini Bug, a horse she says early injuries kept out of the NFR several times.

Lanita Peirce’s 2026 season

Peirce won Cody in 17.06 for $11,308 and Burwell, run July 23–25, in 17.48 for $3,243. She also won the Jayhawker Roundup at Hill City in 16.80. As of late July she sat second in the Prairie Circuit standings with $12,315 and 53rd in the world with $29,696, and she is trying to make the Prairie Circuit Finals. She enters on added money.

“You do try to not haul one like her to something that’s not going to pay the bills.” Peirce, on choosing where to enter.

Coming back from back surgery

Peirce ruptured two discs stepping off Famous Wahini at the BFA in Oklahoma City, 45 minutes before she was set to run, and had surgery within two weeks. It took her close to two years to get the strength back in her core. The mare has had her own run of them: hurt at Guymon, a fracture the next summer and bleeding the summer after that.

“You either suck it up or you quit. Don’t ruin your horse because you can’t ride.” Peirce, on the two options she gave herself after an earlier injury left her riding timid for a year and a half.

Inside the episode

• The $50,000 slot race she was not entered in until friends talked her into it the day before
• Her horse-care program
• Seasoning a colt at the 4Ds versus hauling to run there
• Patreon members get more than 10 extra minutes with Lanita

Listen

Sponsor — SmartPak / ColiCare

This week’s episode is brought to you by SmartPak and ColiCare, an innovative approach to hindgut health and colic prevention. Colic is one of the leading causes of emergency vet visits, and ColiCare pairs targeted digestive support with a program built to help owners stay ahead of potential issues rather than react to them. Eligible horses enrolled in the program may receive up to $15,000 in colic surgery reimbursement. Learn more at smartpakequine.com.