Hitting
The
Summer
RUn
Like a
Pro
Paige Jones won over $24,776 Last year over cowboy christmas. she shares some tiPs
anD tricks to tackLing the summer run.
P
aige Jones of Wayne, Oklahoma hit the
scene with a bang when she bought her card and
won the coveted title of WPRA Resistol Rookie
Barrel Racer of the Year in 2020. Since then, she has
continued to add to her impressive resume with a
WNFR qualification in 2023, and championship titles
at the Cody Stampede (twice), Durant, Oklahoma,
and various other premiere pro rodeos across the
country.
Last year, Paige had the most successful Cowboy
Christmas run out of all of the WPRA barrel racers
and amassed $24,776 in earnings. How did she do
it? Thankfully, Paige was willing to share some of the
things she's learned throughout her career so far and
explain the driving forces behind her success over
the course of the summer rodeos.
So far, Paige has gone on four summer runs. Over
the course of her first two years, her horse, "Cotton"
was her main mount. In her last two summers, her
gelding "Bazinga" has been promoted from her back-
up horse to her main mount.
"Cotton has been hurt, so I really had to figure out
rodeos that work for me and Bazinga. I made a list,
and that list includes rodeos and arenas that really
work for me and my horses," explained Paige, "Over
the years, I have continued to narrow down that list."
Adjusting to only having one horse has changed the
game a bit for Paige.
"The only thing that has really changed for me now,
is that I do only have one horse. I am more selective
about where I go. Over the years the kind of arenas
he [Bazinga] likes has gotten broader, but he really
excels in big open arenas," continued Paige. "If it's an
arena that's a little funky, maybe the ground is a little
different, or the pattern is set at an angle, these are
the rodeos that Bazinga thrives at."
Last year was Paige and Bazinga's first time north
of the border, which proved to be a fruitful endeavor
for the duo.
"I headed up there for the Calgalry qualifier and
went over to Wainwright and Sundre. I won first in
Wainwright and second in Sundre. I felt like I was
on a roll, so I was making sure the only times I was
running him was for a lot of money."
From that point on, she only hit two more rodeos:
Ponoka and the Cody Stampede.
First out, in the pouring rain, Paige wasn't even sure
By Raegen DeLancey
Paige Jones at her first NFR in 2023.
Photo Credit: Rodeo Ready Photography
