2017 BARREL RACING RECORDS WOMEN’S PROFESSIONAL RODEO ASSOCIATION 431 S. Cascade Colorado Springs, CO 80903 Phone (719) 447-4726 • Fax (719) 447-4631 www.wpra.com Golden Season For Burger By Ted Harbin ary Burger did everything she her arms around, but that’s what happens in could to break all the WPRA re- the excitement and fervor that comes with a Mcords in 2016. world-title race. Oh, and what a race it was. She set a new regular-season earnings Moore made a dramatic run toward the mark with $190,977, surpassing the mark set gold buckle. The Salem, Ore., cowgirl by Lindsay Sears in 2008. She became only the third WPRA contes- tant in Wrangler National Finals Rodeo his- tory to wear the No. 1 back number. At 68 years, 4 months, she became the oldest Wrangler NFR qualifier. More importantly, she became the oldest world champion in rodeo history, placing in five rounds at ProRodeo’s grand champion- ship, finishing sixth in the Wrangler NFR av- erage and earning $86,577 over 10 nights in Las Vegas. She edged reserve world champ Amberleigh Moore by less than $11,000 – a fourth-place check in any go-round in the City of Lights. “This is pretty wild,” said Burger of Pauls In 2016, Mary Burger (right) became jut the third WPRA Valley, Okla. “I don’t know what to think.” barrel racer to wear the No. 1 back number. Eleven time world That was moments after she earned the champion Charmayne James (left) was the first in 1987 and gold buckle on the final night of the ProRo- four-time world champion Sherry Cervi (middle) repeated that deo finale. Weeks later, it’s still hard to wrap feat in 1995. WPRA photo by Kenneth Springer scrambled to make the NFR, earning her cherished No. 15 spot with a serious rush in the final few weeks of the regular season, closing the campaign with $79,068. She then placed in eight of 10 go-rounds in Las Ve- gas, leaving the Nevada desert with nearly $180,000 in Wrangler NFR earnings. She did almost all of it aboard DC Dark Moon, a 7-year-old bay mare by Darkelly out of SRQH New Highs she calls Paige. They finished with $266,760 and gave Burg- er a major run for gold with three go-round victories including an arena record tying run of 13.37 seconds in Round 8. But the Oklahoma cowgirl did just enough to take the crown, the buckle, the saddle and nearly $300,000 on the year. Of course, a big portion of that came through the regu- lar season, where Burger earned more than $50,000 at RodeoHouston and $122,000 at the Calgary (Alberta) Stampede – of which $72,000 counted toward the WPRA world standings. She and Sadiesfamouslastwords made it count. Even though the 7-year-old buckskin Mary Burger and Sadiesfamouslastwords finished their race to gelding – by Sadies Frost Drift out of Porky the 2016 World Title in Las Vegas, Nevada. The duo captured and Bess – wasn’t as sound in the Nevada their first world title together but second for Burger after desert, he handled the 10-round affair fairly collecting $277,554 for the season. Burger and Mo won the well. seventh round in a time of 13.58 seconds. WPRA photos by “Mo is not a hundred percent, but he has Kenneth Springer been monitored very closely every day,” Burger said. “He’s had therapy, and we do Conrado calls Tibbie. Mo was named the everything possible to make sure he’s not in- Scoti Flit Bar Rising Star Award that was juring himself, or he would not come down awarded during the Star Celebration on Dec. the alleyway. 1 prior to the first performance. “My vet was very much on top of it. He Of course, this isn’t the first horse the was out here and checked Mo out several grandmother has ridden to top honors. She times. He was pleased with how (Mo) was won her first world title in 2006 on that handling it even though he wasn’t quite 100 year’s Horse of the Year, Rare Fred, who percent, but he did the best he could.” also won the title in 2009. That was a theme for the season. In ad- In fact, Burger had been spotted wearing dition to the big-money rodeos in southeast that first gold buckle, something she hasn’t Texas and in Canada, Burger and Mo con- done much in the 11 years since she earned tinued to cash checks all season. There’s no it. other way to earn nearly $200,000 in the “I never figured I’d get another one, and regular season without it. I didn’t want to scratch it,” she said with a And the duo was recognized for great- laugh. “They’re very expensive, and they’re ness, with Mo being named the runner-up beautiful. Having one is a treasure, but now to AQHA-WPRA Horse of the Year CFour that I have two, I might wear one a little Tibbie Sinson, a 7-year-old sorrel mare Ivy more.” Is there one that means more than the other? “I guess this one means a whole lot more because of all the people that come up to me and congratulate me and tell me I’m their in- spiration,” Burger said. “With some of the records I broke, I didn’t even know I was go- ing to break them until Cheyenne.” That came in late July, but it was a tell-tale sign of another gold-buckle year. Whether it’s holding up her jeans or on the mantle, it’s a trophy she should surely show off. It was hard-earned, even during the high-stress environment that is the Wrangler NFR. If it Mary Burger was surrounded by family as she accepted her wasn’t a somewhat lame Mo causing con- second world championship buckle. Burger credits her entire cern, there were 14 ladies in the game who family for helping her finish atop the leaderboard in 2016. WPRA photo by Greg Westfall were trying to track her down at every turn around the barrel. But the season was wrapped in a success- “It’s been a storybook year that I’ll never ful blanket with just enough earnings to hold forget.” off all contenders. Nor should she. This marked her fourth “It was a very successful year,” Burger career qualification to the grand finale. She said. “I did not plan to go to 80 or 90 rodeos. won more money in the regular season than I just wanted to have fun this year, and we she did all of 2006 when she won the title went to several rodeos in the fall so I could the first time. That says a lot about the dif- get in the buildings. I really wanted to go to ferences in the payouts over the last decade, Houston; I love that rodeo and the indoor but it also shows how Burger cashed in for building there. When I won Houston, I just 12 months. couldn’t believe it.” “I think everybody has worked really It was just the start of big things for her hard, but I didn’t go to as many rodeos as a and her talented horse. The culmination lot of them,” Burger said. “I really wanted came in the final two weeks of the season in to save my horse and hope that he would be Las Vegas, which was a whirlwind of emo- fresh. This little injury he had set me back tions and heart-stopping action. a little bit as far as feeling comfortable, but “I told my vet that if they had a heart mon- it’s just been a really competitive, amazing itor on me, I probably had seven or eight year.” heart attacks, and it wasn’t from coming While she is honored by her newest down the alley,” she said with a laugh. crown, she knows there are many that must Racing into the Thomas & Mack Center is fit in it. A big space will be allowed for Mo, enough of a rush; she didn’t need the stress but there have been plenty of others along from an injured partner. She had plenty of the way that should reap the rewards of an assistance, from her vet to her husband, amazing season. Kerry, to her kids, Todd and Joey and Joey’s “It’s been a lot of help from my family,” wife, P.J., a 2009 Wrangler NFR qualifier. she said. “They have all helped in some way “My oldest son, Todd, was here to start and been very supportive.” and had to go back for a little bit to the fu- It takes a talented jockey and a dedicat- turity in Oklahoma City, and he came back,” ed team to make horseracing history. Mary she said. “I’m thrilled they were all here at Burger has it all. the end. BARREL RACING WORLD RECORDS & SEASON STATS Youngest NFR Qualifiers Ann Lewis, 10 years old, 1968 Highest Single-Year Earnings Rachael Myllymaki, 11 years old, 1988 $323,570 by Lindsay Sears, 2008 $303,846 by Callie duPerier, 2015 Oldest NFR Qualifiers $303,317 by Sherry Cervi, 2013 Mary Burger, 68-years-old, 2016 $299,894 by Sherry Cervi, 2010 June Holeman, 62-years-old, 2005 $279,435 by Brittany Pozzi, 2009 Martha Josey, 60-years-old, 1998 Vickie Carter, 60-years old, 2015 Most Money Won at the NFR Linda Vick, 58-years-old, 2005 Amberleigh Moore, $187,692, 2016 Mary Burger 58-years old, 2006 Sherry Cervi, $164,635, 2016 Mary Walker, 57-years old, 2016 Sherry Cervi, $155,899, 2013 Lisa Lockhart, $151,731, 2016 Youngest World Champion Mary Walker, $146,941, 2012 Ann Lewis*, 10 years old, 1968 Sherry Cervi, $146,100, 2009 LaTonne Sewalt, 11 years old, 1950 Jackie Jo Perrin, 13 years old, 1977 Most Money Won at a Regular Season Rodeo Charmayne James, 14 years old, 1984 $72,000 by Mary Burger at the 2016 (*Ann was killed, a car accident just prior Calgary Stampede to the 1968 NFR but maintained her lead, $65,500 by Kaley Bass at the 2014 Calgary the world standings and was awarded the Stampede championship posthumously.) $61,500 by Lindsay Sears at the 2008 RodeoHouston & Sherry Cervi at the Oldest World Champion 2010 RodeoHouston Mary Burger, 68 years old, 2016 Mary Burger, 58 years old, 2006 Most Money Won, Mary Walker, 53 years old, 2012 Rookie Year Janet Stover, 47 years old, 2001 $164,780 by Jackie Ganter, 2015 Kristie Peterson, 43 years old, 1998 $164,484 by Taylor Jacob, 2013 Kappy Allen, 42 years old, 2000 $133,699 by Cayla (Melby) Small,