Coming to NFR as No. 1, These Season Leaders Dominated the 2025 WPRA World Standings

As the 2025 NFR looms on the horizon, let's take a look at the women who lead the way as we head into Round 1.

Kassie Mowry, 2025 RODEOHOUSTON Champion | RodeoHouston/ Kassie Mowry

It has been another incredible year for the women of professional rodeo. Each season, we are amazed at what these talented cowgirls can accomplish. This year, we saw some interesting outside factors affect the top 15, particularly in the final days of the season and as we headed into the National Finals Rodeo (NFR).

As always, these ladies prevailed despite mud, changing weather, and challenging ground conditions. We tip our hats to these incredible women and their grace in the face of difficult times due to the EHV-1/EHM outbreak.

Barrel Racing

Kassie Mowry | Fernando Sam-Sin

Our season leader in the barrel racing is no stranger to the No. 1 position. Kassie Mowry left Las Vegas at the top of the leaderboard in 2024, taking home the World Championship in historic and emotional fashion.

She entered the NFR in the No. 4 seat and after winning five rounds, placing second in three others, and finishing fourth in the average, she won almost $300,000 throughout the 10 rounds in Las Vegas.

The only two rounds Mowry did not place in were due to tipped barrels, but she and Jarvis were so fast on their other eight runs that they were still able to secure a lucrative average check. As 2025 kicked off, it did not take Mowry long to take over the lead once again in the World Standings. An early-season win at RODEOHOUSTON with Jarvis skyrocketed her back to that top spot.

Mowry held onto the lead throughout the year, coming in on October 1 with $203,445 earned at just 28 rodeos. The minimum rodeo count is 25 and in true Mowry style, she did the unthinkable. Not only did she qualify for the NFR in a minimal amount of rodeos, she finished at the top of the World Standings. To put this in perspective, 74 was the mean number of rodeos for the other top 14 cowgirls.

With Famous Ladies Man ("Emmett") back on her trailer alongside CP He Will Be Epic ("Will") and her main man, Force The Goodbye ("Jarvis"), Mowry had a phenomenal season. She is rapidly approaching $1.5 million ($1,475,861) in WPRA career earnings and it is likely we will see her meet that milestone in Las Vegas.

Breakaway Roping

Taylor Munsell | WPRA

2025 marks Taylor Munsell's fourth consecutive National Finals Breakaway Roping (NFBR) qualification. Munsell has already broken records this year - setting a new regular season earnings record for breakaway roping with $191,175.

The Oklahoma cowgirl absolutely dominated this season, winning RODEOHOUSTON to kick off her huge year. Munsell also bagged the Reno Rodeo title for the third year in a row. A multiple-time Prairie Circuit Champion, Munsell has qualified for the NFR Open three times. In 2022, she finished the NFBR as the Reserve World Champion.

Munsell could be positioned to take home her first gold buckle this season, as she heads into the 2025 NFBR in the top spot. The talented breakaway roper joined the WPRA in 2019 and a career pivot brought her to the event. Munsell grew up focused on team roping, but had to have major shoulder surgery, due to overuse at a young age. She also had to have surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, which is common in athletes who do repetitive overhead motions.

Munsell dedicated more time and energy to her breakaway roping during her freshman year of college, because the swing was less intense for her shoulder and upper body. Truly turning lemons into lemonade, Munsell has become a force in the event. Due to EHV-1/EHM concerns, the 2025 NFBR has been rescheduled for later in December.

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