The Rundown July 6: The One With the Cowboy Christmas Report

Michelle Alley’s Ponoka Stampede average title, Lanita Peirce’s Cody Stampede win at 76, the Calgary Stampede pools and the Cowboy Christmas money leaders headline this week’s episode of The Rundown on The Money Barrel.

• Results are Rolling: Cowboy Christmas Barrel Racing Tracker 2026
• Otero Kicks off Pool B With Win: Calgary Stampede Barrel Results 2026

From Michelle Alley winning the Ponoka average to Emily Beisel advancing at Calgary and Kim Squires winning the Black Hills Roundup, this week’s episode of The Rundown, presented by Chewy, breaks down the biggest barrel racing results of Cowboy Christmas and what they mean for the WPRA standings. Listen to the full episode below.

Cowboy Christmas Money Leaders

More than 30 rodeos ran over the holiday, and the titles spread wide: 16 different women won the top 17, and only Michelle Alley won two. Alley topped the money list off the Ponoka Stampede average, won on Stiletto after a switch to a mullen mouthpiece helped the mare stand up in the mud.

Lanita Peirce, 76, won the Cody Stampede on Famous Wahini (“Lexie”). Kim Squires won the Black Hills Roundup in Belle Fourche, a year after a July that ran 13 straight rodeos without a check. Anneliese McCurry, the Big Sky college region champion, was one of the week’s biggest earners from outside the top 30. The episode runs the full money list.

Full top 25 Cowboy Christmas money leaders and projected WPRA standings on Cowboy Christmas

Calgary Stampede

Three pools of 10; the top three by money advanced to Sunday’s semifinal, and the top four from there run for the Showdown checks.

Heidi Gunderson and Casey advanced atop the pool at $11,500, the first team into the 16s on day one, and came back from a hit barrel in round two to place third in the final round.

Emily Beisel advanced at $11,000, in on an overnight flight after her St. Paul wreck; she started on Chongo, then placed second in each of the final two rounds on Olie.

Sydney Graham won the second round on her stud Dupont First (16.87) but landed just outside the cut, fourth in the pool at $10,250.

Industry Notes

• Prescott Frontier Days: Christina Gould won the average. Full results on the tracker.
• Calgary results reflect riders advancing to Showdown Sunday; the pool champions run after this episode drops. Calgary results here.
• Cowboy Christmas money figures are unofficial until the WPRA posts final numbers.