Harper Grace Pierce and Joel Lesh Out-Perform in Cinch #13 Gold Shootout at Dixie National

Victory was claimed by Cinch #13 Gold Shootout team of Harper Grace Pierce and Joel Lesh at the inaugural Cinch RSNC Dixie National Super Sort in Jackson, Mississippi, Feb. 19-21, 2026, where the team sorted a perfect 30 head over three rounds in 157.28 seconds to earn $6,716

Pierce, from Williamson, Georgia, rode her trusted partner “Spyder,” the 2013 gelding Smooth Spyder Rey by Smooth As A Cat out of Margaret Rey. The horse has been a consistent performer for Pierce in major sorting events and once again proved dependable in high-pressure rounds that landed Pierce at the top of the game.

“Just to do our best and not push them too hard, and just do whatever comes to us,” Pierce said of her plan that helped secure both the win with Lesh and a second-place finish with Logan Wolfe in the class.

Lesh, of Stillwater, Oklahoma, was aboard his 2020 mare Hot Baloo (Lil Catbaloo x Hotstuff An Then Sum), known as “Kahlua.” The mare has become one of Lesh’s top mounts in the sorting pen and has already helped him claim major wins, including the Championship at the recent Cowtown Showdown benefit, both alongside partner Tanner Keith.

With a solid mount beneath him and a good eye for cattle, Lesh was poised to succeed.

“The cows kind of give you what they had and they just were soft, so we just kind of went to them,” Lesh said. “I knew going first, as long as nothing was really shooting out with them being run the first day, they’d be a little calm to start and then they livened up after about team three, which is normal.”

Lesh also credited his young partner—Pierce turned 12 a few weeks before the event—for staying composed throughout the class.

“She’s a good little rider. She’s won the Shootout before. She sticks to her game plan, she doesn’t get too worked up in it watching her ride, and she’s just paying attention to her stuff.”

To Pierce’s further credit, she also finished the event as the show’s high-money earner, winning $10,325 across the weekend. Happy 12^th, indeed.