2017 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo: Recordbreakers

By AQHA Media

Firewatermakemehappy and DM Sissy Hayday contributed to a lot of drama – good drama – in Round 3 of the 2017 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo this past weekend.

Immediately after watching the 13.37-second arena record get broken by Kassie Mowery and Firewatermakesmehappy, Hailey Kinsel and DM Sissy Hayday posted a blistering time of 13.11 seconds to set the Thomas & Mack arena record in Round 3 of the NFR.

After two barrels, Hailey knew something special might be happening.

"(My horse) Sister was a little different than normal tonight," Hailey said. "She felt a little bit more focused than ever. I felt like she was going to do something good. I mean, I didn't know it was going to be that good. She smoked the first barrel and then she smoked the second, and I sat up and rode my third good, so I can take a little credit there, but I let her work and I don't know what else to say. This is one night I sure won't forget."

Sister is DM Sissy Hayday, a 6-year-old pretty palomino mare by PC Frenchmans Hayday and out of the Royal Shake Em mare Royal Sissy Irish. With $572,095 in barrel racing earnings, according to AQHA’s Robin Glenn Pedigrees, Hailey and Sister won the barrel racing and became the first qualifier to win the barrel racing championship and split the million-dollar bonus with two other qualifiers at RFD-TV’s The American rodeo in February 2017. Hailey and Sister’s takehome pay from The American was $433,333.

Then, the pair won the national barrel racing title this past June at the 2017 College National Finals Rodeo. Qualifying and competing at the 2017 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is the icing on the cake for Sister and Hailey, who compete on the Texas A&M University rodeo team.

"I can't downplay what Kassie did," Hailey said of Kassie’s record-breaking go in the same round. "That was a smoking run. We know from record books that it was an awesome run. ... I mean, Ivy Conrado ran a 13.59, and any other night, that might win the round. So, smoking runs by everybody. Hats off to the ground crew. They help us out a lot."

Kassie was riding Firewatermakemehappy, a 2010 buckskin gelding by the Fire Water Flit stallion Firewaterontherocks and out of Junior Country Girl by Deep Note Jr. “Junior” has $321,480 in barrel racing earnings, according to AQHA’s Robin Glenn Pedigrees, and 43 AQHA barrel racing points.

The former fast time of 13.37 in Round 3 was set by Taylor Jacob in 2013 and Amberleigh Moore and CP Dark Moon in 2016.