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Rodeo Daily

Who’s Headed to Vegas: 2026 Unofficial NFR Barrel Racing Qualifiers

September 30 has come and gone, meaning the 2026 professional rodeo season has come to a close.
Teal Stoll|
Hayle Gibson-Stillwell
Hayle Gibson-Stillwell | Fernando Sam-Sin

The calendar has turned, and with it, the month of September gone. As we head into October, the focus for rodeo athletes and fans is on one thing: who is headed to Las Vegas in two months?

After 365 days of the 2026 professional rodeo season, National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualifiers have been determined.

From the winter building rodeos to the spring rodeos in California, to the lucrative summer run, Cowboy Christmas, late-summer fair run, and the limited Playoffs Tour rodeos that capped the year off, it was an action-packed season.

The Stats

The duo race to the finish line
Kassie Mowry and Jarvis | Fernando Sam-Si

The mean rodeo count this year was 70.5, with Kassie Mowry falling on the lowest end of the qualifiers, earning her position in just 27 rodeos.

Andrea Busby came within a hair of maxing her rodeo count, at 99, to make her third NFR qualification happen.

Regardless of the number of rodeos each cowgirl went to, every one of these athletes put together an incredible performance in the 2026 season.

The position of standings leader bounced back and forth among a few talented cowgirls throughout the year, but in the end, it was Hayle Gibson-Stillwell who finished on top.

Each year, we debate what the "cutoff" will be for the top 15. In 2025, Kassie Mowry was the season leader, with $203,445 in earnings. Gibson-Stillwell added exactly $15,000 to that number to hold onto the top spot this year.

The No. 15 hole last season was Katelyn Scott, who earned $130,763. The magical number to hold onto that No. 15 position this season was slightly less: Tricia Aldridge at $128,747.

Last season, six first-time qualifiers headed to Las Vegas, and this year there are three: Michelle Alley, Sydney Graham, and 2025 Resistol Rookie of the Year, Makenzie Mayes.

Hayle Gibson-Stillwell, Tayla Moeykens, Megan McLeod-Sprague, and Katelyn Scott were all part of that group last year and are now two-time qualifiers.

Reigning and two-time World Champion Kassie Mowry, 2025 Reserve World Champion Tricia Aldridge, 2024 NFR Average Champion Andrea Busby, and four-time World Champion Hailey Kinsel will all return to the Thomas & Mack in this stacked field of barrel racers.

We extend our congratulations to all 2026 NFR qualifiers and cannot wait to continue interviews and coverage with this group of ladies leading up to Round 1.

WPRA World Standings (Updated October 2, 2026)

1. Hayle Gibson-Stillwell / $218,455.50 (64)
2. Emily Beisel / $214,122.83 (63)
3. Carlee Otero / $202,388.99 (82)
4. Kassie Mowry / $170,868.45 (27)
5. Hailey Kinsel / $166,081.12 (57)
6. Michelle Alley / $165,512.26 (54)
7. Tayla Moeykens / $164,788.22 (85)
8. Megan McLeod-Sprague (G) / $162,701.11 (74)
9. Lisa Lockhart (G) / $160,066.40 (75)
10. Sydney Graham / $157,780.59 (81)
11. Katelyn Scott / $138,222.47 (87)
12. Makenzie Mayes / $135,782.77 (88)
13. Kathy Grimes (G) / $135,261.89 (61)
14. Andrea Busby / $133,911.38 (99)
15. Tricia Aldridge / $128,747.09 (61)
** () denotes rodeo count

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Teal Stoll
TEAL STOLL

Teal Stoll is a lifelong Wyomingite from a working ranch family of several generations. Both sides of her family have deep roots in rodeo, as contestants and stock contractors. Teal grew up horseback and actively competes in rodeos and barrel races. She has degrees in both business and accounting, which she uses operating her own bookkeeping service. Teal enjoys spending time with her horses, training colts, and maintaining her string of athletes. When she isn’t at the barn, she can be found reading, doing yoga, or on her paddle board at the lake. Teal lives with her fiancee and a plethora of animals, because she can’t say no to a displaced critter with a sad story. When she isn’t on the road running barrels, she spends her time helping with day to day operations on the family ranch.

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