WITH EXPERIENCE, COMES KNOWLEDGE Rule Rises to the Top in San Angelo By Ted Harbin T here are several things about barrel racing at the SanAngelo Stock Show and Rodeo that make it unique. For one, there were 260 entrants, with more than 210 ladies who competed in the opening round inside the First Community Credit Union Spur Arena. Of those, the top 120 advanced to the progressive round, which took place through the 10 preliminary performances inside Foster Communications Coliseum. “I love that they get a lot of entries,” reigning world champion Jordon Briggs said prior to the April 15 short round. “They let everybody run, so it pays really well, and it gives everybody a shot. When they bring back that many to the performances, it lets everybody get their feet wet in the coliseum.” “There were only eight-tenths (of a second) between first and 120th. That’s a tough barrel race.”
It just got tougher. In the championship round alone, there were multiple lead changes, with the final one coming on the last run of the rodeo. Dona Kay Rule, running bottom of the ground, posted the fastest run of the rodeo when she and High Valor rounded the cloverleaf pattern in 13.96 seconds to win the round and the average title. She had already placed in the first two go-rounds, then she and her famous horse dominated the short round. “Just competing there is pretty exciting,” said Rule, a three-time
From slack to a packed house no matter what day they ran, San Angelo offers a nice change of pace for all the girls in the mix. Reigning champion Wenda Johnson of Pawhuska, Oklahoma, won the opening round in 15.47 seconds. Shannon McReynolds of La Luz, New Mexico, won the second round nearly a second and a half quicker, in 14.12. That’s why this large, indoor rodeo is uniquely San Angelo, but there’s a lot more to it.
12 WPRA NEWS MAY 2022 DECEMBER 2021 WOMEN’S PRO ROD O NEWS MAY 2022
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