1. BRITTANY WHIDDON
Whiddon, 30, began her journey to the top of the Ladies leader board at the mid-November NTRL USTRC Triple J Ranch roping in Sarasota, Florida, where the 4-header roped four steers in 38.34 seconds with partner Lewis Rimes, Jr. in the #11 Handicap for $780. The modest start was the foothold she needed to put her at the top when she followed it up with a $4,170-win with Rick Scruggs in the #11 at Perry, Georgia’s South Georgia Championships in late December for a total of $4,950, giving her a $685 lead as the season heats up.
2. BETHANIE SHOFNER
Shofner, hailing from Los Lunas, New Mexico, and classified as a 5-header/4-heeler, will be celebrating her 21st birthday at the end of the month from the second spot in the standings, which she earned entirely at November’s Sonny Campbell Memorial USTRC National Finals Qualifier in Las Cruces, New Mexico, with a clean, winning sweep in the #11, #12 and #13, while also laying claim secondin the #13, for a total takeaway of $4,265. The biggest check of the day came after she and heeler Josh Love were 38.33 seconds on four head in the #11, which earned the pair a shared $2,770.
3. BRYLEA FOEGELLE
As the Top 5’s youngest competitor, Foegelle, 15, has garnered an early place on the podium, despite trailing Shofner by just over $1,000. Foegelle, a 4 header from Rosanky, Texas, commandeered her earnings at her home state’s Jingle Bell Classic in November by finishing in the money in both the Super #9 and the #10, for which she was awarded $3,250 total.
4. KYLEEANN FENN
Midland, Texas’ Fenn is hot on Foegelle’s heels, trailing by a mere $100. The 17-year-old 4.5-header/4-heeler earned her fourth-place standing when she and heeler Cowboy Porras took second in November’s Chris Irwin Memorial Team Roping #10 for a team total of $6,300.
5. TISH LUKE
Luke, 47, is the only 2018 Top 10 finalist to kick off the new season with a place at the table. The Yeehaw Junction, Floridian earned the bulk of her winnings in November at the NTRL USTRC Triple J Ranch roping in Sarasota, where she took home $2,075 in four divisions. When the 4-header concluded 2018 with a second-place finish in the South Georgia Championships’ American Cowboy #10 for $600, she locked in her place among the 2019 Cinch Ladies Standings Top 5 competitors.
