GAME CHANGER Skyla Peters Wins Boot Barn Card Holder Race at WPRA World Finals By Kristen M. White S kyla Peters had zero expectations when she decided to enter the card holder race at the WPRA World Finals. So, to walk away with the win, plus a berth to RodeoHouston among other things, was quite the victory.
“I know what he can do, but I don’t try to put that in my head either,” Peters said of 8- year-old Pistol Whistle. “I knew if I just went in and did my job, that God had a plan. Pistol has been doing amazing.” Overall, Peters won the three-run average in a time of 47.363 seconds, edging out Abby Phillips who finished in 47.548 seconds. Peters won nearly $12,000 all totaled, which also made her eligible for most of the big winter rodeos that she didn’t think she had a shot at. “Denver, Houston, San Antonio, all of those - that’s a huge game changer for someone who bought a horse last June,” Peters, of Liberal, Kansas, said. “I’m so thankful and super excited to go and have fun.” Peters was a rookie in 2016, riding a horse named Cash for Bid who took her to the Prairie Circuit Finals in 2017 and 2019. Unfortunately, he had to be put down in 2020 and Peters said it’s taken “three long years to claw my way back to where I was. “I’ve always had young horses and tried to make do with what I had, but nothing was really filling the void. Until I got Pistol, who is a half-brother to Cash. He’s been the biggest blessing.” Peters grew up first showing horses and eventually moving to barrel racing when she wanted to go faster. But her family didn’t have the money to buy anything fancy, so they mainly purchased out of horse sales and had no expectations as to their abilities. “I’ve probably ridden a lot of horses that were not too fun, but that’s made me a better rider for sure,” Peters said. She didn’t do high school rodeos, but instead opted for barrel races where she could run several head of horses. There was a lot to learn when she bought her rookie card, and now with some big rodeos on the horizon there will be more to learn. “I never used to be a planner or goal setter. Cash was so notorious for getting hurt that I couldn’t really plan well,” she said. “But with
Pistol, I think in the first run I let him see what is going to happen and how he’ll clock and then set a goal for the second round. “I’ve been to Denver and Austin, but Houston and San Antonio are Skyla Peters knew she had something special in her 8-year-old Pistol Whistle but she didn’t realize how special until the second week of November when she won the WPRA Card Holder Race. Not only did Peters picked up a cool $12,000 that went direct to her 2024 WPRA World Standings but she also punched her ticket to her very first RodeoHouston in March. WPRA photo by Rodeobum.com
Skyla Peters was all smiles in the winner’s circle collecting her buckle from WPRA President Jimmie Munroe for winning the card holder race. WPRA photo by Rodeobum.com
new. Of course I’d love to make the NFR someday, and Calgary is something I’ve always wanted to qualify for.” So, she’ll see where the season takes her, how much of a springboard the card holder victory can give her. She and her husband help run the family business, so she has some flexibility in heading out to rodeos when needed. Time will tell if the road becomes a full-time job for her in 2024.
Skyla Pters and Pistol won the Boot Barn Card Holder Race at the WPRA World Finals in Waco in a time of 47.363 seconds on three runs outdistancing Abby Phillips with a 47.548 and Wenda Johnson with a 47.618. WPRA photo by Rodeobum.com
40 WPRA NEWS JANUARY/FEBRUARY 2024
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