WPRA World Finals 2023 Barrel Racing Recap and Results
Courtesy of WPRANov 13, 2023
WACO, TEXAS – The 2023 WPRA World Finals at Extraco Events Center in Waco came to a close on the morning of November 12 with the Boot Barn Cardholder race and permit race.
Skyla Peters won the Boot Barn cardholder race and added nearly $12,000 to her 2024 WPRA ProRodeo standings getting a great jump start on the year. Peters of Sublette, Kansas, placed in all three rounds winning the second round in a time of 15.708 seconds, the fastest of the weekend.
Peters placed fourth in the first round in a time of 15.849, won the second round and then finished second behind NFR qualifier Wenda Johnson in the final round in a time of 15.806.
Abby Phillips was second in the average in a time of 47.584, while Johnson was third in a time of 47.618 seconds.
BarrelRacing.com fast facts: Peters and Pistol Whistle earned an exemption to RodeoHouston 2024 with the WPRA World Finals win. They are also the same duo who broke the Cornhusker Breeders Futurity and Open arena record in McCook, Nebraksa, this September, which was previously held by Samantha Flannery and Promise Me Fame Guys, “Levee.”
Pistol Whistle is a 2015 gelding by PC Frosty Bid and out of Whistle N Skip by No Whistle.
Place
Name
Time
Payout
1
Cardholder race: First round: 1. Ashley Castleberry
15.745 seconds
$3,255
2
Abby Phillips
15.818
$2,790
3
Kalli McCall
15.822
$2,325
4
Skyla Peters
15.849
$2,015
5
Jordan Driver
15.850
$1,550
6
Paige Dove
15.870
$1,240
7
Preslie Reid
15.950
$930
8
Liz Pinkston
15.952
$620
9
Shelley Morgan
15.988
$465
10
Cheyenne Wimberley
16.015
$310
Place
Name
Time
Payout
1
Second round: 1. Skyla Peters
15.708 seconds
$3,254
2
Kassie Mowry
15.710
$2,790
3
Jymmy Kay Cox
15.772
$2,325
4
Abby Phillips
15.774
$2,015
5
Millie Marquart
15.809
$1,550
6
Kaiden Ayres
15.847
$1,240
7
Wenda Johnson
15.851
$930
8
Ari-Anna Flynn
15.886
$620
9
Sadie Miller
15.905
$465
10
Cheyenne Wimberley
15.931
$310
Place
Name
Time
Payout
1
Final round: 1. Wenda Johnson
15.741 seconds
$2,411
2
Skyla Peters
15.806
$1,808
3
Alishea Broussard
15.826
$1,206
4
Lana Merrick-Bailey
15.837
$603
Place
Name
Time
Payout
2
Abby Phillips
47.548
$4,185
3
Wenda Johnson
47.618
$3,487
4
Ashley Castleberry
47.710
$3,022
5
Kassie Mowry
47.716
$2,324
6
Millie Marquart
47.898
$1,860
7
Preslie Reid
47.975
$1,395
8
Lana Merrick-Bailey
47.991
$930
9
Kaiden Ayres
48.006
$697
10
Tiany Schuster
48.070
$465
WPRA Permit Race
Emily Ward of Miles, Texas, didn’t waste any time filling her WPRA permit. She purchased her permit in October and entered the WPRA World Finals Permit Only Race. She won the final round and average title and will now be faced with the decision to extend her permit or embark on her rookie year in 2024. Due to her school schedule, she will more than likely be extending her permit. Ward finished eighth in the first round in a time of 16.461, was third in the second round in a time of 16.264 and won the final round in an event best time of 15.902 to land atop the average leaderboard in a time of 48.627.
BarrelRacing.com Fast Facts: Ward competes on the Cisco College Rodeo Team as a freshman. Her partner in crime is FrenchmansNVousAngel, or “NV,” a 2012 mare by PC Frenchmans Hayday and out of Angel Of Honor by Blue Darter Jet. Ward took to social media after her win, thanking NV for pulling through and helping to land her not only at the top of the permit results, but for rolling over to the Open and collecting a sixth-place check there, as well.
Emily Ward won the 2023 WPRA World Finals Permit Race. Image courtesy WPRA by RodeoBum Photography.
Place
Name
Time
Payout
1
Permit race: First round: 1. Avery Ledesma
15.962 seconds
$758
2
Ashton Padon
16.242
$659
3
Nisse Flaten
16.318
$560
4
Shelby Vick
16.382
$461
5
Catherine Rhodus
16.396
$362
6
Alissa Flores
16.437
$264
7
Sarina Landers
16.450
$165
8
Emily Ward
16.461
$66
Place
Name
Time
Payout
1
Second round: 1. Emma Ricke
16.223
$758
2
Catherine Rhodus
16.230
$659
3
Emily Ward
16.264
$560
4
Jancie Shelburne
16.302
$461
5
Sarina Landers
16.321
$362
6
Ashton Padon
16.457
$264
7
Casi Guess
16.519
$165
8
Sara Redden
16.540
$66
Place
Name
Time
Payout
1
Final round: 1. Emily Ward
15.902 seconds
$628
2
Ashton Padon
16.231
$471
3
Catherine Rhodus
16.254
$314
4
Sarina Landers
16.337
$157
Place
Name
Time
Payout
2
Catherine Rhodus
48.880
$941
3
Ashton Padon
48.930
$800
4
Sarina Landers
49.108
$659
5
Nisse Flaten
49.386
$518
6
Casi Guess
49.615
$377
7
Shelbi Anders
49.661
$235
8
Sara Redden
49.712
$94
WPRA Junior Finals
Kara McDonald won the Junior World Champion title after finishing the year with $15,061. McDonald of Brunswick, GA, outdistanced fellow Southeastern Circuit racer Makayla Maddie of Auburndale, FL with $12,470.
BarrelRacing.com Fast Facts: Recognize the name “McDonald,” from Georgia? Kara McDonald is the younger cousin of barrel racing phenom and NFR qualifier, Sarah Rose Waguespack (McDonald) who also grew up in Brunswick.
WPRA World Finals Derby Results
BarrelRacing.com Fast Facts: The 2023 WPRA World Finals derby champions are Abby Phillips on VF Expensive Taste, the same pair recently earned a title in the WPRA Wilderness Circuit and punched their ticket to the NFR Open.
