old gelding who loves running outside in the big wide-open pens, and “typically loves the California rodeos…he loves the crowd, and he loves to feed off the crowd. California crowds are some of the loudest,” Hillman said fondly. He is by Dash Ta Fame and out of Princess Streaks. Hillman and Truck also won the rodeo back in 2017, so this was a fun win to replicate especially on her beloved gelding.
17.00 to win the first round at Reno. Although she didn’t place in the second round, she had a solid time good enough to advance her to the final round. There she won third and finished atop the leaderboard in the average with a total time of 51.37 seconds on three runs, just a tick ahead of reigning world champion Jordon Briggs who finished second in the average in a time of 51.38 seconds. “It was super exciting; I couldn’t believe it. It was so tight and so close I had no idea. When they called my name, I had to find someone to hold my horse because all the girls had left. I couldn’t even believe it to go out there and win and get those awesome spurs… I am so thankful for my horse,” she said. She also looks forward to displaying her infamous trophy spurs in her home!
April 30 - Cianfichi Clinches Breakaway Title at Inaugural Rookie Roundup…Three swings and a bell-collar catch in 3.4 seconds was what it took for Gianna Cianfichi to win the Cowboy Channel Rookie Roundup presented by Resistol in Fort Worth, Texas. After a heart-breaking miss in the semifinal round, the spot in the final round of four came from a tiebreaker: the fastest time from the first round. Cianfichi had tied in that round but had a higher placing in the standings, so she got the spot. As a result, she took advantage of her second chance.
July 4 - WPRA Barrel Racing Rookie Bayleigh Choate chose to spend her Cowboy Christmas week North of the Border and what a profitable week it was for her. Choate is definitely on the move up the world standings and extending her lead in the WPRA Rookie Race.
Choate was the top earner among all WPRA barrel racers in just her first year fully experiencing the lucrative week surrounding the Fourth of July that is known in rodeo as Cowboy Christmas. When all was said and done Choate collected $25,506 and edged out Shelley Morgan, who remained in the U.S. for her run, finishing with a total of $20,352. On the roping end, Jordi Edens was the big winner collected $15,156 during the Cowboy Christmas week. Edens’ biggest check came in Oakley, Utah winning the rodeo in a time of 2.0 seconds good for $6,387. She also won Belle Fourche, S.D. in a time of 2.4 seconds for $4,426 and added $4,343 from her winnings at Prescott to bring her total to $15,156. July 16 – The WPRA added two more ladies to the hallowed hall of the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. 1964 WPRA World Champion Ardith Bruce was inducted posthumously after passing away at the age of 90 on June 27, 2022. Bruce was inducted into the WPRA Barrel Racing category, while Cindy Rosser was inducted as a WPRA notable. “Oh wow,” said Bruce upon learning of her induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame. “This is a surprise to me, but I feel deserving of this recognition. I am honored to be joining an elite group of hard working ladies that have received this honor before me.” Rosser, similar to Bruce, has been a staunch supporter of the WPRA for decades and has worked every facet of the rodeo business. She grew up horseback and rodeo has remained her life’s work. She joined the GRA/WPRA in 1969 and served 20-plus years on the Board of Directors. She was the California Circuit Barrel Racing Champion in 1982. “You are kidding…wow, wow, wow,” said Rosser when she learned of her induction while working cattle on the family ranch. Rosser is only the second WPRA notable to earn induction into the ProRodeo Hall of Fame with Florence Youree being the first. “I am honored to be put in the same category as Florence, an early member of the GRA. That is quite an honor and it is great that the ProRodeo Hall of Fame is recognizing the women of the WPRA. “It is truly a great honor to be in there with some great people.” July 16 – Martha Angelone (breakaway roping) and Cheyanne Allan (barrel racing) victorious at the NFR Open (formerly known as the Ram National Circuit Finals Rodeo) in Colorado Springs, Colorado, as part of the Pikes Peak or Bust Rodeo. This marked the first year for continued on page 54
Cianfichi quickly refocused to back into the box for her third run ever inside the legendary Cowtown Coliseum. Being first out in the finals, Cianfichi waited through three more ropers to find out she had finished on top. “I did not expect this to happen. It’s super exciting,” said. With Nu GI Joe, or “Chase,” Cianfichi’s old faithful, she knew she could trust him in an unfamiliar set-up. The 21-year-old sorrel gelding, trained by family friend Rodd Hagge, has been with Cianfichi since she was in middle school, and she knew he would do his job so she could focus on her roping.
May 8 - Sister and Kinsel Find Winner’s Circle in Guymon for Second Straight Year Superlatives are nothing new for DM Sissy Hayday. Since she and her jockey, Hailey Kinsel, burst onto the scene five years ago, they have had unparalleled success.
Take the $70,000-plus she’s collected in 2022; most of it has come on just 16 runs that Sister has made in the calendar year: Four in Fort Worth, five in San Antonio, five in Houston and two in Guymon, Oklahoma. While the Texas stops are big, indoor rodeos with high-dollar purses, Sister seems to excel in just about any situation, just as she did on the first Friday in May, when she and Kinsel placed twice and won the aggregate title. It marks the second straight for the tandem, which shared the 2021 Pioneer Days Rodeo crown with eventual world champion Jordon Briggs and Rollo. “Guymon has been good to me,” Kinsel said. “I’ll keep going as long as she wants to go.”
June 26 - Medford, Oklahoma’s Michelle Darling had never entered Reno before. Her prized mare, “Martini” had never run at Reno. Despite both being newbies to Reno Rodeo’s grand stage, they pulled out of the Nevada parking lot champions. Darling and Martini ran a
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