WILL TO WIN Mowry Top Money Earner in San Angelo By Ted Harbin T here’s a lot going on around Kassie Mowry’s place near Dublin, Texas. She’s a barrel horse trainer who has a variety of things going on with her colts, her breeding mares, rodeos and futurities, but she always seems to find her way to the San Angelo Stock Show and Rodeo.
There are reasons behind her decision: It’s close to the house, just about two hours away; every barrel racer who enters can make at least one run; and there’s a big purse in which to run at. In fact, no cowboy nor cowgirl competing at San Angelo earned more money than Mowry, a three-time National Finals Rodeo qualifier who now stands a great chance to return to Las Vegas in December. She placed in all three go-rounds to win the aggregate title with a cumulative time of 43.86 seconds, pocketing $25,283. It was a whale of a payday and gave her some much-needed cash as she takes a break from ProRodeo to focus on the colts at home.
“I love this rodeo, and I really want to thank this committee for dragging and (also) raking after every barrel racer,” said Mowry, who made trips to the NFR in 2005, 2017 and this past December. “It just makes such a difference for us to have a clean slate to work with. It makes it a horserace, and we all love to be on equal terms.” The first round of barrel racing took place in March at First
Kassie Mowry rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 14.04 seconds to win the second round at the San Angelo Rodeo aboard CP He Will Be Epic that she simply calls Will. Photo by Ric Andersen
Mowry was in the final performance before the championship round, and she and her mount, CP He Will Be Epic, rounded the pattern in 14.04 seconds to win the second round. Momentum was rolling in her favor, as was her partner, a 17-hand gray gelding she calls Will by Epic Leader and out of Percilla. “I do have a lot of confidence in my horse,” she said. “I feel like if he leaves the barrels up, he usually clocks really good. I just have to be good in my timing.” She was, and Will did his job. They stopped the clock in 14.00 seconds, the fastest run of the rodeo, to finish second in the championship round. The fastest run of the rodeo? That was by two- time world champion Lindsay Sears, now living in Lipan, Texas, who won the final round in a quick 13.88-second run. She has returned to the scene in a big-time manner; the last time she won ProRodeo’s gold was 12 seasons ago. “I’m just so proud of my horse,” Mowry said. “He worked really consistent these three runs and finished it with a really tough run. I couldn’t be more ecstatic.” Her time in west Texas was likely the last ProRodeo in which she will compete for a couple months. Because of her futurity work and training schedule, she’ll need several weeks to get much needed things done at home. She plans to return to rodeo action in time for the Fourth of July run. The last time Mowry won San Angelo was in 2017, when the event took place in February. It served as a qualifier for RodeoHouston, which Mowry then won and punched her ticket to Las Vegas for the second time. Now that it’s changed to an April rodeo, San Angelo offers a large payout and the final indoor rodeo of the winter-spring run. It’s the perfect way for Mowry to end a solid start to her season, that also included a big win in San Antonio, and prepare herself for the larger outdoor pens to come.
Community Credit Union Spur Arena, which offers a bigger pattern. Jimmie Smith-Tew of McDade, Texas, won the round in 15.80, while Mowry and Timber Allenbrand split second place just two-hundredths of a second behind. The ladies that advanced through the progressive to the second go-round then competed during the 10 preliminary performances at Foster Communications Coliseum. Kassie Mowry placed in all three go-rounds to win the aggregate title with a cumulative time of 43.86 seconds, pocketing $25,283. It was a whale of a payday and gave her some much-needed cash as she takes a break from ProRodeo to focus on her futurity colts at home. Photo by Ric Andersen
20 WPRA NEWS MAY 2023
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