Sydney Graham and Dupont First Shatter WPRA Standard Pattern Rodeo Record

Sydney Graham and Dupont First ("Trump") have put together the most memorable year of their careers in 2026, and on a Saturday night in Utah, they added some pretty sweet icing on the cake.

Following re-measurements by the judges after the performance (standard protocol after a potentially record-breaking run), Graham and Trump now hold the WPRA standard-pattern rodeo record at 16.49 seconds.

For more insight on standard pattern records around the world, check out this recent article.

The Team Behind the Record

The duo turn a barrel — Graham and Trump | Fernando Sam-Sin

One of the hottest barrel racing duos running currently, Graham and Trump have steadily maintained their position safely inside the top 15 in the WPRA World Standings throughout the season.

Seeking their first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualification, this team has been on fire since Trump burst back onto the scene following a bout with a deadly virus in late 2025. From their first major professional rodeo earnings at the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo in Denver, Colo., in January, to key summer run wins, they have been unstoppable.

Particularly during the summer run, we witness 16-second runs regularly — an incredible feat by any stretch, but even more so in outdoor arenas at rodeos, with varying factors and conditions.

The WPRA recognizes this record in its own category, rightfully so.

Apparently, Trump had heard everyone chatting about a recent social media post regarding standard pattern records and decided it was time to shake things up a bit.

Highpoint Barrel Horses had recently posted a social media inquiry about the current fastest time on a standard pattern run by a stallion. Charlie Cole and Jason Martin of Highpoint have owned many top-level barrel horses, including NFR qualifiers Slick By Design and Steal Money.

Unofficially, it was determined that record belonged to HP Hotrod and Ashley Schafer, who stopped the clock at 16.573 seconds at the 2025 Ruby Buckle Central inside the Lazy E Arena in Guthrie, Okla.

Trump, a full-blooded racehorse on paper, stepped in this week as if to say, "Hold my beer." A son of Duponte, a stakes winner and earner of nearly $1,000,000 on the track, and out of First Fervor by First Down Dash, Trump is a seven-year-old stallion.

At the Mountain Valley Stampede in Heber City, Utah, Graham and Trump stopped the clock with a record-breaking 16.49-second run.

"It all happened so fast. The main thing I remember is that he was running so hard to the first barrel. After that, I just stayed two-handed for a lot of it," Graham explained. She told us that she sometimes rides Trump two-handed deeper into the turns to prevent coming back over the barrel too quickly and dragging it over leaving.

Obviously, that strategy paid off dividends with the silky-smooth run that stopped the clock in record-breaking fashion.

Clocking lightning-fast times is nothing new for this duo, and for their first year competing full-time at professional rodeos, the team has looked like solid veterans. Graham credits much of that to Trump: "I can trust him and let him fly from the back of the alley."

Trump's flat, low-running style has proven ideal on the wide variety of ground conditions the team has encountered on the rodeo trail.

"He feels so efficient because he stays low running and in his turns," Graham told us of Trump's unique, signature style.

Graham also credited her support system at home, citing that there are highs and lows on the road, but when she has felt like going home, she's kept going because of Trump.

We know there's much more where that run came from, and we cannot wait to see what else this talented pair can accomplish as they finish out the 2026 season.

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