When Cassie Moseley and her high-powered barrel racing horse burst into the arena on opening night of the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo, the pair was just another set of first-time qualifiers with nothing to lose.

Moseley entered the Dec. 4-13 Las Vegas championships ranked 14th in the world standings.

But after earning $96,544 during the 10-day rodeo and leaping 10 places in the standings, she and her 9-year-old quarter horse Mitey Man are on every pro barrel racing fan’s radar screen.

Moseley, 26, who grew up in the South Texas town of Angleton and now lives in the West Texas town of Farwell, finished the year ranked fourth in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association world standings with $156,298.

“I knew that I didn’t have anything to lose, and I didn’t really have any expectations (going into the 50th NFR),” Moseley said. “I just wanted to do the best that I could do. I didn’t know what was going to happen out there.”

Moseley finished second on opening night, and then won the second round. After finishing in the money in rounds three, four and five, Moseley’s earnings were $54,627.

“I told my husband (David who is a horse farrier) every night, if I don’t win another dime, then what I’ve still done is so amazing,” Moseley said.

She also placed in rounds seven, nine and 10, which helped her finish fourth in the average. The only two performances that she failed to earn a check in were rounds six and eight when her horse knocked over a barrel in the Thomas & Mack Center.

Moseley said one of the reasons her horse consistently wins is because he is cantankerous and she’s able to help him channel his energy in the right direction.

“He’s dang sure ornery, and he keeps you on your toes all of the time,” said Moseley, who began training Mitey Man five years ago. “He’s really temperamental and if he doesn’t like something, you’re probably not going to get your best out of him. But

if he does (like the situation), he’ll just perform amazing. So, (the Thomas & Mack Center Arena) just happened to be pen that he likes.”

And if there’s one arena that a barrel racing horse must like, it’s the Thomas and Mack Center where the cloverleaf pattern is small and horses usually have to finish under 14 seconds to earn a bigger paycheck. Over the years, many barrel racers have said the dirt used in the NFR arena and the small pattern combine to produce a big challenge.

But Moseley said Mitey Man runs well in any type of arena.

“He’s a big horse and he’ll go in there and run real well in a little pattern as well as a big pattern,” Moseley said. “He’s so versatile.”

Running half throttle

Six-time world all-around champion cowboy Trevor Brazile of Decatur sustained a second-degree sprain and partial tear of the MCL in his right knee after competing in the National Finals Rodeo.

The injury will not require surgery and Brazile is expected to compete in team roping at the SandHills Stock Show & Rodeo schedule for Jan. 2-3 & 7-10 in Odessa.

But upon the advice of Dr. Tandy Freeman, the longtime rodeo sports physician, Brazile will not compete in tie-down roping for 6-8 weeks.

Mesquite rodeo sells

Camelot Sports and Entertainment, LLC. intends to buy the Mesquite (Texas) Championship Rodeo from Hicks Sports Group, according to a report in the Dec. 23 edition of the Mesquite News.

Camelot is a newly formed company that was created with the sole intention of purchasing the rodeo in order to maximize its earning potential. On Dec. 22, the Mesquite City Council approved tax incentives to rebate some of the upgrades Camelot seeks to bring to the Resistol Arena, including a 39-foot tall video display marquee visible on Interstate 635.

Brett Hoffman is a 20-year rodeo columnist for the Fort Worth Star-Telegram and a member of the Texas Cowboy Hall of Fame. He can be reached at brett@myrodeoinsider.com.