Wilderness Circuit Sees New Barrel Racing Season Earnings Record Broken

There is a new cowgirl at the top of the Wilderness Circuit record books.

Carlee Otero Professional Barrel Racer

Since 2009 Sue Smith has sat at the top of the Wilderness Circuit in the barrel racing (rodeos primarily in Utah and Idaho). Back in '09 she stole the regular season earnings record with $41,730.27 which stood until '23 when the Idaho native broke her own record earning over $53,4000 in one year (before circuit finals). But, that one didn't stand near as long. This year Carlee Otero came in guns blazing to now have $54,669.67 with two weeks left on the year.

Otero has had an incredible year coming off of her fourth-qualification to the NFR. As of September 11, per WPRA, she sits as the No.5 cowgirl in the world and will be headed to her fifth NFR when December rolls around. More than one third of this year's winnings came in the Wilderness Circuit, without these rodeos she wouldn't just be on the bubble, but outside of the top-15 completely.

2025 for Carlee Otero

During the summer months the Wilderness Circuit is arguably one of the best places to be. Committee after committee tries its very best to ensure the ground is fast and safe, making their rodeos worth coming to. Barrel horses are expensive to say the least and their health is the top priority. There isn't much worry about their safety when you enter a rodeo in this circuit.

The Texas native spent a good chunk of her summer over there, which included the famous Days of '47 rodeo in Salt Lake City. It is known for presenting their champions on a podium like the Olympics with gold, silver, and bronze medals. It was Otero who took home the Gold as well as a near $21,000 with a clean sweep of her bracket and the finals.

There are many high-dollar rodeos in the Wilderness Circuit, and she was the queen of that this summer and all year, and even though Otero didn't win a ton of them, she didn't need to. Records like this are broken with consistency and she was the queen of that this summer and all year really. She had a plethora of sub-17-second runs on a standard pattern, and that is why Otero is now the winningest barrel racer the circuit has seen.

Otero is gearing up for her next trip down the alley of the Thomas and Mack. She has an incredible equine team in her trailer, and she will be gunning for her first world title when she is in Vegas, and her big wins in this circuit play a big part in the possibility of that gold buckle.