By Danika Kent – Photo by Ross Hecox

She may have had a slow start to the week, but the tipped barrels that plagued the first two rounds of Taylor Jacob’s inaugural Wrangler National Finals Rodeo were a distant memory tonight when she left a 13.37 on the clock in the Thomas and Mack Center Arena. Her round six win bested the previous record set by Carlee Pierce on Rare Dillon, a 13.46 in 2011, by nine hundredths of a second.

“It’s his heart that makes him so good,” said a teary-eyed Jacob. “He tries so hard. He’s amazing, he really is. He did his job and I tried to help him a little bit.”

Jacob bought the lethally-fast, Marne Loosenort-trained gelding from Angela Michaels in February of 2012. Tonight, the lefty carried the WPRA Rookie of the Year to WNFR glory.

“It just solidifies the fact that I thought my horse was the best. Now maybe he is,” Jacob said of the achievement. “I don’t know, I think he is. It just means so much because there have been so many greats in this building. So many. The fact that he’s up there with the rest of them, and I was riding him, is awesome. It’s a great ride.”

Mary Walker stopped the clock at 13.64 to finish in second place for the second night in a row. Walker is closing the gap on Sherry Cervi’s lead, but Cervi has some security in her first-place position in the average. Brittany Pozzi finished third on Ima Super Fly Guy with a 13.69, her fastest of the week. Cervi, the only cowgirl to place in each round of this year’s NFR, clocked a 13.75 on MP Meter My Hay to finish fourth. Round 6 found Fallon Taylor back on Flos Heiress, who also made her best run of the week with 13.76 seconds worth of work. Christy Loflin and Lisa Lockhart split sixth with 13.87-second runs on Sheza Blazin Move and An Oakie With Cash.

Don’t miss the February issue of Barrel Horse News to read in-depth coverage of all the great stories from the 2013 Wrangler NFR.

Barrel Racing Results – 6th Go Round:

1.       Taylor Jacob, Carmine, Texas, Honor Thy Frenchman, 13.37, $18,630
2.       Mary Walker, Ennis, Texas, Perculatin, 13.64, $14,724
3.       Brittany Pozzi, Victoria, Texas, Ima Super Fly Guy, 13.69, $11,118
4.       Sherry Cervi, Marana, Ariz., MP Meter My Hay, 13.75, $7,813
5.       Fallon Taylor, Whitesboro, Texas, Flos Heiress,13.76, $4,808
6/7.    Christy Loflin, Frankton, Colo., Sheza Blazin Move, 13.87
6/7.    Lisa Lockhart, Oelrichs, S.D., An Oakie With Cash, 13.87
8.       Trula Churchill, Valentine, Neb., A Streak Of Rita, 13.93
9.       Kaley Bass, Kissimmee, Fla., Wonders Cowboy Dan, 14.05 
10.     Shada Brazile, Decatur, Texas, Dial It Fast, 14.09
11.     Sabrina Ketcham, Yeso, N.M., Swivel Ta Fame, 14.22
12.     Sydni Blanchard, Albuquerque, N.M., NF French Tigger,14.29
13.     Michele McLeod, Whitesboro, Texas, Slick By Design, 18.88
14.     Jane Melby, Burneyville, Okla., First Down Perk. 18.91
15.     Jean Winters, Texline, Texas, Crickets Peppy Zan, 19.18      

Wrangler NFR Average Standings
Rank/Name/Aggregate/Aggregate Prize/Total NFR Earnings

1.     Sherry Cervi        82.68/6 $0.00 $70,413
2.     Lisa Lockhart      83.51/6 $0.00 $31,250
3.     Kaley Bass          83.96/6 $0.00 $35,457
4.     Shada Brazile      84.36/6 $0.00 $6,010
5.     Christy Loflin     88.82/6 $0.00 $22,336
6.     Taylor Jacob        91.79/6 $0.00 $63,802
7.     Mary Walker       93.01/6 $0.00 $43,570
8.     Michele McLeod 93.36/6 $0.00 $14,724
9.     Sabrina Ketcham 94.20/6 $0.00 $11,118
10.   Sydni Blanchard 95.27/6 $0.00 $14,724
11.   Fallon Taylor       98.64/6 $0.00 $15,925
12.   Jane Melby          98.89/6 $0.00 $6,010
13.   Jean Winters        99.50/6 $0.00 $0.00
14.   Brittany Pozzi     102.44/6 $0.00 $18,930
15.   Trula Churchill    108.72/6 $0.00 $6,310

Jack Daniel's World Rankings
Rank/Name/Season Winnings/NFR Earnings/Total World Earnings