BADLANDS CIRCUIT: BARRELS
BARRELS Lockhart Crosses $3 Million and joins Routier in Representing the Badlands at 2023 NFR Open By Joe Kusek T here are two paths to the NFR Open. Take the long road to the year-end title of your circuit. Or try the more unpredictable shorter route, winning the circuit Finals.
Entering the RAM Badlands Circuit Finals 11th in the standings, Lisa Lockhart didn’t have many options to reach the high-paying NFR Open, scheduled for July of 2023 in Colorado Springs, Colorado. “There was only one way to qualify for the NFR Open and that was to win the average,” said the South Dakota barrel racer. “The goal is always to do your best and win some money. “There was one title left. The goal was to go out and do it.” And she did. Lockhart placed in all three rounds at the RAM Badlands Circuit, Oct. 14-16, in Minot, North Dakota, winning the last two and the average. Jessica Routier, of Buffalo, South Dakota, won her fourth straight year-end championship. She also qualified for her fifth consecutive Wrangler NFR this December. Aboard her grey horse Levee, Lockhart posted times of 14.07, 13.72 and 13.60 seconds in the State Fair Center. She won the average with a total time of 41.39 seconds to earn $8,058. The money won lifted Lockhart from 11th to fourth in the final standings. She had the fewest amount of circuit rodeos in the top seven. It is her 15th qualification for the RAM National Circuit Finals
Jessica Routier won her fourth straight year-end championship in the Badlands Circuit and will join good friend and tough competitor Lisa Lockhart in representing the circuit at the NFR Open. Routier finished the circuit year with $23,984 to Nikki Hansen’s $17,146. Photo by Alaina Stangle
Rodeo and its replacement, the NFR Open. “Winning was awesome,” Lockhart said. “Absolutely there is a sense of accomplishment. I’m excited for the NFR Open. It’s a great start for next year.” Along that sprint, she reached a WPRA milestone that puts her in a very exclusive club. By winning the second round for $2,149, Lockhart surpassed $3 million in career earnings. “It means I’ve been around a long time,” she said with her trademark laugh. She earned her WPRA card in 1993. “It’s a big number. “I did not know. I’m not good at numbers. I had so much stuff going on all year. I am grateful for the opportunity. I’ve had a great career, no doubt. It is definitely an accomplishment that is hard to achieve whatever discipline you are in.” Lockhart takes career earnings of $3,006,052 into her 16th consecutive Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, Dec. 1-10 in Las Vegas. She trails only four-time world champion Sherry Cervi who has won $3,380,095 during her career. Lockhart’s 16 Wrangler NFR qualifications are third most in NFR history. She enters the Thomas and Mack Center 14th in the WPRA world standings year. She took a big step to qualification No. 17 with her average win at the Badlands Circuit. The win at Minot came after a grueling September in pursuit of continued on page 22
Lisa Lockhart made headlines at the 2022 Badlands Circuit Finals Rodeo crossing the $3 million mark in career earnings and winning the average title to earn her 15 th qualification to the NFR Open. Lockhart continues to be at the top of her game qualifying for her 16 th straight NFR in 2022 as well. Photo by Alaina Stangle
14 WOMEN’S PRO RODEO NEWS DECEMBER 2022
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