Women in Rodeo: Barrel Racer Julie Plourde Continues Momentum After NFR Average Title

After an unconventional trip to the NFR last year, Plourde is proving it was no fluke as she sits at No. 13 in the world standings.

Julie Plourde | Nathan Meyer Photography

The 2026 rodeo season is picking up quickly and barrel racers across the country are looking to pick up speed themselves. Julie Plourde had an unconventional end to her 2025 season and is now proving why she landed at the National Finals Rodeo last season. 

Unconventional Season For Plourde

Just weeks before the NFR, Plourde got a career-changing call. Ending the season at No. 16, just outside of a qualification, she believed she wouldn’t see the Thomas & Mack arena. As things go, No. 15, Anita Ellis faced a terrible season-ending injury, allowing Plourde to take her place in the NFR line-up.

Now, Plourde is sitting at No. 13 in the world standings and is looking to solidify her spot in the top 10 during the summer. With $38,409 earned so far, she’s just $3,000 outside of the top 10, but with margins so close, it will be hard for any of these cowgirls looking to close the gap.

After a great run at the NFR last year, Plourde landed at No. 9 in the world. Not to mention, at her first ever NFR, she secured the average title.

Now, it seems that she rode that momentum into this year. Her biggest win of the season happened at the Sandhills Stock Show and Rodeo where she took home the title with a run of 14.38 seconds.

Since then, the cowgirl has worked hard to land in the top 15. Despite some struggles along the way, she’s competed at 38 rodeos, more than any of her top 15 competitors. With some solid horsepower underneath her, she is clearly capable of a lot. 

Solid Horse Power

Plourde travels with three mounts that allow her to choose which horse is the best fit for each rodeo. Not only does this expand their skillset, it also is what allows her to compete in so many rodeos. It’s her main mount Rocky that she won $119,412 with at the NFR, and he continues to be her right-hand man this season.

Heading into the summer, Plourde landed a spot at the legendary Calgary Stampede. With this she’ll have ample opportunity to win big and continue to do so at rodeos all summer. Despite her unconventional trip to the NFR last season, Plourde came into this season to show it wasn’t a fluke. 

Plourde is making her dreams come true this season. A second qualification to the NFR would prove she has what it takes to keep her name in lights throughout her career. Right now, her spot in the standings is shaky at best, considering how quickly things change, but she is managing to pull ahead of some of the top competitors in the sport. 

Looking ahead, Plourde will have to lock down several more wins this summer in order to solidify her spot at the top. But, with her work ethic, she knows exactly how to get it done.