Hot Barrel Racer on a New Ride Nips at the Hooves of a Champion

SAN ANGELO, TX — There must have been something in the water on Saturday Night because the horses were lightning fast and full of energy in the 8th Performance at the 91st Annual San Angelo Rodeo. Four-time NFR qualifier Shelley Morgan beat out young upstart Ilyssa Riley by only 0.05 seconds in the barrel racing.

Cowboys and their horses worked in perfect sync during the Team Roping. The horses shot out of the gate, and the Cowboys followed their lead. Jaxson Tucker and Wyatt Cox followed up their first-place finish in the first round with a solid 5.3 seconds in the second round. Their performance securely landed them in 6th place in the average. However, Erich Rogers and Paul Eaves blew up the second-round standings when they roped their steer in 3.4 seconds. This run was the best so far in the rodeo.

The crowd witnessed true speed in the Barrel Racing. After the first few riders had their turn, Shelley Morgan from Eustace, Texas, and her horse, blew away the competition with a run of 14.12 seconds. She now sits alone in first place in Round Two and in second place in the average. 

Another Cowgirl whose horse put the pedal to the metal was Ilyssa Riley. This Cowgirl did not beat out Morgan but came in at a close second with a 14.17. She currently sits in second place in Round 2 and in fourth in the average.

San Angelo LIVE!’s Matt Trammell tracked down Ilyssa Riley and her horse, “Thriller,” after their run and asked her what was in Thriller’s water.