Recent Success Has Hayle Gibson Making Up For Lost Time

With significant paydays at Houston and Redmond, the up-and-coming barrel racer has vaulted into the top 40 of the WPRA standings.

Hayle Gibson and her horse, Fancy, won $13,500 at RodeoHouston in Fancy's first competition since sustaining and injury nine months ago. / Photo courtesy RodeoHouston

The contrast of opportunity versus reality has been something Hayle Gibson found difficult to reconcile. 

In 2023, the up-and-coming barrel racer put together her most impressive season to date, finishing inside the top 35 of the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) standings with a little more than $46,000 in earnings. Along with placing fifth in the California Circuit Standings, the Redcrest, Calif., cowgirl had done enough to qualify for many of the winter rodeos in 2024, setting herself up for a special season. 

It was a dream scenario that quickly turned into a nightmare. 

Over the last year, Gibson has been dealt some significant setbacks. First, one of her horses, Fancy, sustained a fracture in the navicular bone of her right hind leg, leading to a recovery period that lasted nine months. Then, she lost her other horse during a surgery to address a severe case of colic.

It all left Gibson on the sideline for much of the winter, wondering what might have been. 

Then, came RodeoHouston, Fancy’s return to action. Since that moment, the game has certainly been back on. 

Following some significant earnings in Houston, Gibson won the High Desert Stampede in Redmond, Ore., to start April, vaulting her from outside the WPRA top 50 to just inside the top 40 in about two weeks. 

“The goal last year was to be able to get into these winter rodeos and try to get some good money won. And then that happened, and I was kind of bummed thinking, ‘Man, I’m not going to be able to get a jump on this year,’” Gibson said. “Then Houston came, and I won pretty good money there, and then (Fancy) goes and wins this rodeo. I think she has something to prove.”

Gibson and Fancy’s return to the arena has been nothing short of spectacular. 

In Houston, she earned money in all three rounds of Super Series 5, including a win in the third, and then tied for second in the semifinal qualifier. The pair went on to win the Super Series Semifinal 1 to reach the championship round.

A week later, things didn’t slow down as Gibson followed up her Houston success with a time of 16.32 seconds in Redmond to capture the High Desert Stampede title and $4,819 in prize money. In just six total rodeos this year, Gibson and Fancy have already earned $14,319 so far. For her efforts in Redmond, Gibson was named the WPRA Athlete of the Week. 

Despite some early season setbacks, Hayle Gibson has found her stride in recent weeks, keeping her in position for a career year. / Fernandon Sam-Sin/@fsamsin

The successful return to action has been a morale boost for Gibson after a crazy few months of uncertainty. She has raised and trained Fancy since she was a yearling, so seeing the hard work result in positive outcomes has been an extremely rewarding experience.

With plenty of season left to unfold, Gibson is focused on continuing to build momentum while adding to her earnings. It might not have been the start she envisioned, but the opportunity to reach the perfect ending at her first Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is still within reach. 

“I’m pretty confident anytime I get to put my foot in Fancy’s stirrup. She gives me all the confidence in the world. When I’m with her, it’s like I’ve got an angel with some wings with me, which I do,” Gibson said. “I used to kind of get nervous and worry about the outcome. Now, since I’ve gone through some pain, I will say, things are put in a different perspective for me. There’s something that comes over me when I go into the gate and whatever happens I’m OK with. And Fancy really likes to shine.”