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 come back and be able to compete,” Sears and fantastic finishes. Whether the rounds Sears makes memories with said. “I just have to thank all the people who were defined by a mere 1-100ths of a sec- have helped Martha get better throughout ond or watching Carlee Pierce and Rare Martha and Moe en route to the year, all my veterinarians. Dillion clear the pattern in a new record Martha also is the reason Sears dominat- 13.46, the 2011 Wrangler NFR was a 2011 world title ed the NFR. The tandem won the average, showcase of tremendous athletic talent. rounding the cloverleaf pattern 10 times “You’ve just got to know your horse and By Ted Harbin in a cumulative 139.50 seconds, earning know what it takes to get it accomplished,” or anyone who has ever been in the $45,865 for that feat alone. said Lisa Lockhart of Oelrichs, S.D., who heated battle of competition, the In addition, they placed in eight go- won two rounds and finished fourth in the pressure to win is incredible. To be rounds, including two wins – she shared final world standings with $159,710, with successful, to win, is like bursting the opening-round victory with front- about $79,000 coming at the NFR. F that bubble and feeling the air ex- runner Brittany Pozzi of Victoria, Texas, That has worked for Sears, who has had plode from it. clocking in at 14.03 seconds; they each some incredible wins on her main mount, For the 15 cowgirls in the field of the won $16,010 and made a statement about including four straight championships 2011 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the race for the world title. Sears also won at the tour finale in Omaha, Neb. – 2011 the golden yellow chutes and blue fenc- the seventh round, posting a 13.56 to win marked the first time in five years she and ing intensifies the pressure. The heat turns the go-round buckle outright. Martha didn’t leave Nebraska with the title. up as each lady prepared to take a shot at “There is no game plan,” Sears said on “You are as good as your horse is in bar- $17,885 each night and a chance to fasten opening night, Dec. 1. “Every night is a rel racing,” said Sears, who spent much a Montana Silversmiths gold buckle at the new night. It’s great. It makes for our sport of the year on another horse, Ima Guy Of end of the 10-day marathon. to be great watching.” Honor, an 8-year-old bay gelding she calls Nobody, however, realized how much It was great watching, with high speeds Moe. “We’re like peas and carrots. Martha pressure was on a tiny blonde from Nan- ton, Alberta, the only Canadian in the field of 119 contestants in ProRodeo’s grand championship event, held in the Thomas & Mack Center on the campus of the Univer- sity of Nevada-Las Vegas. As she sprinted around the arena each night during the grand entry, Lindsay Sears was carrying the weight of a nation fanati- cal about rodeo, about champions. Don- ning the gold buckle earned three years prior, the 30-year-old cowgirl who spends a good portion of her time near Lubbock, Texas, knew much was expected of her. Lindsay Sears of Nanton, Alberta, was the only But there’s so much more to the back Canadian competing at the 2011 Wrangler NFR but she didn’t disappoint the Maple Leaf fans returning story of a world champion. You see, Sears with a gold buckle. Sears admits this year’s jour- left Las Vegas in December 2010 with an ney to the world title was a struggle but as a result injured horse and a ton of questions. Sugar made the win that much sweeter. Sears used Moon Express, an 11-year-old sorrel by her backup horse Moe for most of the year while Dr. Nick Bar out of Babys Blue Jeans, has Martha was sidelined, but once Martha returned been Sears’ driving force since she pur- it was full speed ahead and in the end they were able to say – Mission Accomplished. WPRA photo chased the mare nearly six years ago. When Lindsay Sears left the Wrangler NFR in 2010 she wasn’t sure she would ever be able to run Martha “We left here last year with my good by Mike Copeman again after suffering a major injury. Thanks to Martha’s veterinarians she was nursed back to health and horse, Martha, being seriously injured and shared the opening round with Brittany Pozzi in a time of 14.03 seconds en route to the duos second world not knowing whether or not she would title. WPRA Photo by Mike Copeman is the one for me. If I wasn’t going to get to … less than the blink of an eye.” BARREL RACING get on her again, I’m not sure if I wanted to This season marked the sixth time in World Records & Season Stats continue doing this for a living. Sears’ career she’s played for the biggest So is their run through the finals. After prize money in the game, and she likes to Youngest NFR Qualifiers Most Money Won at the NFR their seventh round win, Sears admitted ride in Las Vegas. She may not play the Ann Lewis, 10 years old, 1968 Sherry Cervi, $146,100, 2009 she was a little shocked at how fast the two table games or punch the slots, but she Rachael Myllymaki, 11 years old, 1988 Lindsay Sears, $139,002, 2008 clocked. understands how things work. Early in Lindsay Sears, $133,558, 2011 “Martha’s been kind of easing along all 2011, she didn’t like her odds of winning Oldest NFR Qualifiers Jill Moody, $133,035, 2010 week, and I was wondering when she was that prestigious gold buckle, but she knows June Holeman, 62-years-old, 2005 Lindsay Sears, $131,126, 2009 going to realize we’re in Vegas,” Sears how to cash out money ahead. Mary Burger, 61-years-old, 2009 Janet Stover, $126,934, 2001 said Wednesday, Dec. 7. “She did tonight, Sears understands what it means to live Martha Josey, 60-years-old, 1998 thank goodness. up to the pressure of the Wrangler National Linda Vick, 58-years-old, 2005 Most Money Won at a Rodeo “She stepped up to the plate tonight, and Finals Rodeo and work through a season of Judy Myllymaki, 54-years-old, 1998 $61,500 by Lindsay Sears at the 2008 she felt like Martha. She felt like she’s al- limitations by one of the world’s greatest RodeoHouston & Sherry Cervi at the Youngest World Champion 2010 RodeoHouston ways felt in this pen.” racehorses. Her 10th-round run of 13.75, Ann Lewis*, 10 years old, 1968 $58,500 by Mary Burger at the 2009 It was important to make a statement at worth second place that night, is proof. LaTonne Sewalt, 11 years old, 1950 RodeoHouston that point in the championship while re- “I don’t have safetying-up in my vocab- Jackie Jo Perrin, 13 years old, 1977 maining consistently fast. ulary, and neither does Martha,” she said Charmayne James, 14 years old, 1984 Most Money Won, “When you only have a 10th of a second that Saturday, Dec. 10. “I wouldn’t have (*Ann was killed, a car accident just prior Rookie Year between first and sixth, and some nights been satisfied any other way.” to the 1968 NFR but maintained her lead, $79,076 by Brittany Pozzi, 2003 five-100ths, how do you even talk about Sears realizes what it means to handle the world standings and was awarded the $60,782 by Peyton Raney, 1999 that,” she said. “It’s just a blink of an eye the expectations of a nation. She knows championship posthumously.) $54,913 by Gloria Freeman, 2000 Oldest World Champion Most Money Won, Mary Burger, 58 years old, 2006 Regular Season (Prior to NFR) Janet Stover, 47 years old, 2001 $184,567 by Lindsay Sears, 2008 Kristie Peterson, 43 years old, 1998 $179,852 by Sherry Cervi, 2010 Kappy Allen, 42 years old, 2000 $155,865 by Brittany Pozzi, 2009 Martha Josey, 42 years old, 1980 $141,218 by Lindsay Sears, 2009 $130,996 by Sherry Cervi, 1999 Most NFR Qualifications Sherry Cervi, 14 (1994-2001, 03, 05-06, WPRA Career Earnings Leaders 09-11) (Through 2011) Charmayne James, 19 (1984-2002) 1. Sherry Cervi, $2,268,701 Sherry Cervi, 13 (1994-2001, 03, 05-06, 10) 2. Charmayne James, $1,842,506 Sherry Combs Johnson, 12 (1959-68, 70, 91) 3. Brittany Pozzi, $1,454,536 Kay Blandford, 12 (1975, 77, 79, 81, 93, 4. Kristie Peterson, $1,346,861 95-97, 99-2002) 5. Lindsay Sears, $1,338,611 Mildred Farris, 12 (1959-70) 6. Molly Powell, $961,883 Jimmie Gibbs Munroe, 11 7. Lisa Lockhart, $884,334 Martha Josey, 11 8. Kay Blandford, $882,383 Deb Mohon, 11 9. Janet Stover, $876,514 Sammie Thurman Brackenbury, 11 10. Jill Moody, $851,225 Highest Single-Year Earnings $323,570 by Lindsay Sears, 2008 $299,894 by Sherry Cervi, 2010 $279,435 by Brittany Pozzi, 2009 $272,344 by Lindsay Sears, 2009 $245,369 by Sherry Cervi, 1999 BARREL RACING BARREL RACING World Records & Season Stats World Records & Season Stats Kristie Peterson, 1996-97 Fastest Time at the Wrangler NFR Back to Back World Champions WPRA Presidents since 1948 Kelly Kaminski, 2004-2005 2011 Jimmie Munroe Since 1985 the one run fastest time has been awarded the Fastest Time award Kristie Peterson, 1996-1998 2009-2010 Kathi Myers in memory of Sissy Thurman.