MOUNTAIN STATES CIRCUIT: BARRELS Rocky Mountain High Lord and Busby to represent the Mountain States in 2023 NFR Open By Kristen M. White I n some ways, the Mountain States Circuit Finals seem like old hat for Shali Lord – after all, the experienced barrel racer has competed at them about 15 times – but then again, in a circuit full of talented riders and mounts, Lord knows every year is unlike any other.
And since making the circuit finals in 2022 her main goal for the season, she already had that goal accomplished. Going in, she knew she was too far out to win the year-end title, so she’d need the average victory for her eighth berth to the national circuit finals (now the NFR Open). That’s just what she got. “It never gets old. It’s such a fun weekend,” Lord said of the Mountain States Circuit Finals. “It’s really jam-packed and so fun.” Lord won the average in nail-biting, photo-finish style, finishing three runs in 46.13 seconds while Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi was right behind her in 46.14 seconds. “Last year we won the average as well, she really likes that arena,” Lord said of her horse, CeCe (Frosted in Fame). “I just wanted to focus on what I needed to do, and on my horse in the third round. If I can do the best I can, that’s all I can do.”
so I worked her a little bit differently before the second and third rounds.” Kelly Yates won the first round, in a time of 15.27 seconds. In the second go, CeCe was definitely sharper, winning things in 15.27 seconds. It put Lord into contention for the average, but she knew they’d need another strong run. “It was like once CeCe got that first run under her belt, she was Andrea Busby used a huge win in Cheyenne the end of July to secure the No. 1 spot in the Mountain States Circuit standings, a position she didn’t relinquish. As a result, Busby earned a spot at the NFR Open in Colorado in July of 2023. She finished the year with $27,784 but Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi was hot on her tail finishing with $27,720. Photo by Tanya Hamner
And it was just enough. Lord said she’d been working with CeCe a little bit in the weeks prior to the rodeo, taking her to a couple of jackpots to get some runs in and get her ready to go after being on a break for a bit. “In the first round, she was good, but we didn’t place. It was tough,” Lord said. “I knew she needed to be a little shaper and a little snappier, Shali Lord and CeCe captured the average title at the Mountain States Circuit Finals to earn her a ticket to the NFR Open. Competing at a circuit finals is nothing new for Lord having competed at them for the last 15 years and with her win this year she secured her eighth trip to the big show. Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi didn’t make it easy for Lord or Andrea Busby to capture their titles. Lord finished the average in a time of 46.13 seconds on three runs, while Pozzi Tonozzi was second in 46.14 seconds. Photo by Tanya Hamner
Shali Lord punched her ticket to the NFR Open after winning the average title at the Mountain States Circuit. Lord has now earned eight trips to the National Circuit Finals, which used to be called the Dodge National Circuit Finals Rodeo (DNCFR), then the RAM National Circuit Finals Rodeo (RNCFR) and is now known as the NFR Open. In fact, Lord won the DNCFR title in 2007. Photo by Tanya Hamner
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16 WOMEN’S PRO RODEO NEWS DECEMBER 2022
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