Circle cowgirl is currently 8th in world barrel racing standings with $77,196
Lockhart taking business-like approach to third NFR
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She's been awed by the bright lights and sold-out arena.
She learned that juggling competing, outside responsibilities and creating family time is a must-learn skill.
And while excited and happy to be going once again, this year's National Finals Rodeo is different.
"Now, its all business,'' said Lisa Lockhart.
The Circle native has qualified for her third consecutive year in barrel racing for the NFR, Dec. 3-12 in Las Vegas at the Thomas and Mack Center.
The mother of three is eighth in the world standings with $77,196 won for 2009. She is only $18,000 from being in the top five.
"It's such a thrill and honor to qualify again,'' said Lockhart, who lives in Oelrichs, S.D., with her family. "But I'm not so star-struck as before. It's an accomplishment to qualify but I have expectations I want to meet. I'm more realistic and it's more like a business. I have more of a business perspective.''
Lockhart's 2009 followed the same path as her 2007 and 2008 seasons. A slow start followed by a sizzling summer.
"I went to some of the winter rodeos. It was OK,'' she said. "I have never, for whatever the reason, had a great winter.''
Like previous years, Lockhart began her climb up the world standings at the Canadian rodeos. With husband Grady at home because of pelvis and groin injuries, Lockhart would compete in Canada on the weekends and return home by Sunday evening.
She earned a nice check at Innisfail, Alberta and pocketed $12,000 at Ponoka, Alberta during the Fourth of July run to rocket into the top 15 of the world standings.
"That's been the pattern the last couple of years,'' Lockhart said of her season warming up with the weather. "I had a good Fourth of July run. There is so much money available that time of year. June and July always gets the ball rolling.
"I like competing in Canada. I like their rodeos, they're kind of like home. It's more of a laid-back atmosphere.''
Lockhart rode her horse Chisum during most of the summer. "He just runs better in the large outdoor arenas,'' Lockhart added. "He has great acceleration, is smooth and very consistent. You have to go with what works for you.''
Lockhart earned $31,910 in Canada this summer. She used a top-four finish at Cheyenne Frontier Days to put herself firmly among the top 10 in the world standings the rest of the year.
Lockhart also won the Badlands Circuit barrel racing finals last month in Minot, N.D., to earn another trip to the Dodge National Circuit Finals. She won the first round and the average for more than $3,500. Money won at the DNCFR does not count in the world standings.
Last year, Lockhart placed in five rounds of the 10-round NFR, including back-to-back finishes in the fifth and sixth go-rounds for $24,068. She finished 12th in the final world standings with $95,750.
At the 2007 NFR, Lockhart placed in seven of 10 rounds, including a first place in the third around and second place in the eighth round. She won $58,173 over 10 days and was fifth in the world standings.
She'd like more of a 2007 run at this year's NFR.
"The focus is now on the rodeo instead of the experience,'' Lockhart said. "This year, I'm determined to get off to a better start.''
And she won't let all the things surrounding the NFR take away from her game plan.
"There are so many distractions. Things you need to take care of outside of the arena,'' said Lockhart of autograph sessions and sponsor appearances. "Scheduling for us is crazy. I know how to handle the day-to-day things better. I think our family had one sit down meal during the entire NFR. It was mostly fast food.
"It's easy if you have somebody take care of your horses. But I'm more hands-on. I take care of my own horses.''
Prior to the NFR, however, she's got another high-paying finals on her schedule.
Lockhart will travel to Edmonton to defend her barrel racing title at the Canadian Finals Rodeo, Nov. 11-15. She has won the Canadian barrel racing championship two of the past three years.
She goes to Edmonton sandwiched in the standings by the last two world champions. Brittany Pozzi, of Victoria, Texas, leads the CPRA standings, while Canadian Lindsay Sears is third. Pozzi won the world title in 2007 and Sears last year. Pozzi and Sears are also currently 1-2 in the world standings for the NFR.
"I have to be really fast,'' said Lockhart with a laugh about the CFR. "The Canadian Finals will be fun.
"And I'm anxious for the NFR. I'm going to keep competing as long as I have the horsepower.''
Posted in Rodeo on Monday, November 2, 2009 12:10 am | Tags: National Finals Rodeo, Lisa Lockhart
