No. 1—Kelsey Barry
Barry, age 27 and a 4.5 header out of Charlotte, Texas, has maintained her powerhouse presence at No. 1 for months, and despite her competitors’ best efforts, continues to hold a $10,965 lead over the second-place roper. Notably, this is the narrowest her lead has been since she moved into the top spot in April.
No. 2—Lorie Patterson
Patterson, a 4.5 heeler from Konowa, Oklahoma, has spent the season on the fringe of the Top 10, peeking in once in June, when $5,180 secured her the No. 10 spot. Since then, the 57-year-old has roped monthly, chipping away at the competition until August, when she made her dark-horse move and cashed in on a whopping $16,695 at the 2019 All Star Finals in Guthrie, contributed to largely by her $7,825 earnings, gained by roping four steers in 44.72 seconds for second place with header Steve Young in the #8.5 Shootout. Patterson has a hefty sum to make to catch Barry, but with $25,865 in USTRC earnings, she’s also secured a healthy $13,547 lead in front of No. 3.
No. 3—Dana Markham
Twenty-five-year-old, 4.5 header Markham is more cannonball than dark horse. Waiting until August to make her 2019 USTRC debut, the Vinita, Oklahoman won her season’s total earnings of $12,318 in one fell swoop at the Guthrie All Star Finals. She made it count in three divisions, but it counted most when she turned four steers for Nicky Northcott in 38.27 seconds in the #9.5 Shootout for second place and $9,953. To keep her No. 3 spot in the Top 5, Markham must defend her scant $298 lead over fourth place.
No. 4—Della Bird
Bird, a 4.5 header from Williston, Florida, has been a consistent Top 10 contender since her January debut, and has maintained a spot in the Top 5 since May. The 17-year-old is hot on the heels of the No. 3 spot she held back in June, but with the No. 5 contender just a $265 whisper behind her, Bird is surely feeling the heat.
No. 5—Caila Jantzen
This 29-year-old, 4 heeler is another Oklahoma cannonball, who waited until August to dip her toes in the warm USTRC waters in order to flood the competition out. Jantzen, from Ames, set to swinging her rope and saw success seven times at the 2019 All Star Finals, earning her an $11,405 single-event payday. She then topped her winnings off with another $350 at the Inola All Star Team Roping late in the month, landing her firmly within the confines of the Top 5.
