arrived at the Wrangler NFR this year, she was ready. She and Benny placed in eight rounds, winning the seventh. She collected just shy of $226,000 over that week and a half in the Nevada desert and finished third in the race for the Ram Top Gun Award, which went to bull rider Ky Hamilton for having the most earnings of any contestant in a single event. She also surpassed the $1 million mark in NFR earnings. She has now won $1,154,788 and is currently fourth on that list that is led by Lockhart with $1,712,318, Sherry Cervi with $1,279,547 and Hailey Kinsel with $1,158,060. Over the course of her stellar career – three pages of the WPRA media guide are dedicated to her – Pozzi Tonozzi has had many supporters, from her parents and sister to the many sponsors that have graced her presence. That list keeps growing, and there may be no bigger cornerstone to what she does than her husband, Garrett, and their 6-year-old daughter, Tinlee. “Garrett’s a huge part of what we’re doing,” she said of her team- roping husband. “He’s been there and done that and understands every aspect of rodeo; he understands every aspect of winning and losing. To have somebody like that on your team, how can you go wrong? “A lot of people act like they want to be in your position or that they know what you’re feeling and they know how the game is played, but he truly does because he’s been there himself. That’s huge. When I wanted to go home after Dodge City (in August), he knew what was
you could go like that all the time when you go out there. That’s not necessarily the case, but I definitely did enjoy it while it lasted.” Just trying to qualify for the Wrangler NFR can be stressful. Fortunately, Pozzi Tonozzi is a veteran with two decades of experiences. She first qualified for the championship in 2003 and has finished up and down the money list. This past season, she collected wins at 17 ProRodeos, with big-money titles in Puyallup and Ellensburg, Washington; Caldwell, Idaho; Reno, Nevada; Dodge City, Kansas; Odessa, Texas; Salt Lake City; and the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede. She also surpassed the $3 million in career earnings which now stands at $3,348,160. “Calgary’s the one that I really look back on, because it’s so cool,” she said. “They treat you like royalty up there.” Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi has stated in the past that she doesn’t let herself think about a gold buckle until at least the eighth round of the Wrangler NFR, so it was a bit ironic that it was during this year’s eighth round that she mathematically clinched her third world title. WPRA photo by Kenneth Springer
It was also her first Stampede title after all these years of competing in the “Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth.” How did she accomplish all this and set records? “The horses we had were the game-changer,” Pozzi Tonozzi said. “The horses I got to ride were outstanding; I thoroughly enjoyed it. I didn’t ride a whole lot of young horses, which a lot of time I’m on young horses. I got to run a bunch of seasoned veterans. “Well … I had to season Benny a little bit, but after that, he got into the grove of things. It was just like clockwork. It’s nice to show up and know you have a chance to win something.” Confidence defines her and her career. Even on her down years, Pozzi Tonozzi was always a threat. When she
on the line and he knew that I could win, that I could break the record. He pushed me to stay out there, and he came home and ran things at home, and we don’t have just a little operation here at home. It’s a big one, and he took care of it because it was the best thing for me.” It may have been the best thing for ProRodeo. Traveling across North America with Tinlee by her side has been fruitful, not only for Pozzi Tonozzi and her husband, but also for their child. The rodeo trail is all she’s ever known, and there doesn’t seem to be any reason to slow down now. “Tinlee loves it,” her mom said. “She loves going. She loves taking her pony and riding at the rodeos and running at Steamboat (Springs, Colorado). It’s not hard at all for her, and that’s good.” It’s also good for Pozzi Tonozzi, who will cherish her third gold buckle for a long time. In a twist of fate during the 10th round of the NFR, Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi and Lisa Lockhart, who have competed in 17 NFRs, would finish the season 1-2. For Pozzi Tonozzi she was in the drivers seat for the world title when she landed in Vegas but Lockhart winning the average and finishing as the reserve champion was not determined until the totals were tallied on December 16 in Las Vegas. WPRA photo by Kenneth Springer
Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi added a third gold buckle to her trophy case but making it even more special than the previous two was getting to celebrate the victory with her husband Garrett Tonozzi and their daughter Tinlee. WPRA photo by Kenneth Springer
JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024 WPRA NEWS 13
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