Omak, Washington-Sometimes a little break is just what you need. After a lifetime on the road, Molly Powell didn't mind taking a break from rodeo in 2011. The 10-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo (WNFR) qualifier took time off to have her first child, son Layne, who arrived August 8. Just four months later, her husband Turtle won the average and World Championship at the Wrangler NFR in his sixth appearance in Las Vegas.

"It was really exciting," Powell says of the year and watching Turtle achieve the pinnacle of professional team roping. "I've had my card since I was 10-years old and have rodeoed pretty hard my whole life. It was nice to have a break and it was fun to step back and watch for a while."

Not only was it a proud moment for her family but Powell also believes that the needed rest helped her come back to competition better.

It's hard to argue the point. Powell's summer is definitely heading in the right direction with wins coming at nearly every stop. But it wasn't the path she had planned when she started her trip in Reno, Nev., back in June.

"I had a young horse that my Mom trained for me and I had kind of written off the season, thinking I would just run him to get him seasoned and be ready for next year." Unfortunately, the young horse got hurt the day before Powell's scheduled competition in Reno, leaving her afoot not just there but for the upcoming Calgary Stampede, a favorite of Powell's as a two-time Champion.

Enter Gardnerville, Nev., cowgirl Carmen Creekbaum. Powell was staying with friends near Creekbaum's home and says the cowgirl wanted her to try her horse Missy whom Creekbaum had ridden to the victory at the Marysville (Calif.) Stampede a few weeks prior to Reno.

"I was just mildly interested in buying something until my horse got hurt," laughs Powell who is sponsored by Swire Oil Field Services, Atascosa Dodge, Reinsman, Pureform and Wrangler. With one practice run, Powell decided to take the chance on Quixotes Bar Chex, the 11-year old daughter of Dustin Quixote out of Ebes Concession.

"I ran at Reno the next day and I had wired half the money that morning. I was saddling the mare to make my first run and we were working out a contract that I would pay the rest of the money regardless of what happened on the run," Powell says. "After my run, I was winning the first go so it was a big thrill that I was literally stepping in the stirrup as we finished the deal."

The new pair started big, making the short round at Reno and earning big money at Calgary and Salinas as well. Despite a few minor adjustments along the way, the duo is quickly making up for lost time.

Over the course of 10 WNFR seasons, Powell has come to be known for her strong late summer pushes and she knows the Northwest run well, having grown up in Montana. So it was little surprise to see her name come to the top of the results once again at the Omak (Wash.) Stampede.

Held in conjunction with the World Famous Suicide Race, the rodeo provides many of thrills to fans and is one of the toughest barrel races around with many current and former WNFR qualifiers competing.

Running on the final Sunday, Powell and Missy scampered around the pattern in 16.22 seconds to edge out one of the other hottest barrel racers of the past few weeks, Mary Walker, by just six one-hundredths of a second. She pocketed $3,004 for the win. Added to her winnings in Hermiston, Ore., Powell earned nearly $6,000 for the weekend.

"It's been fun, a good year," Powell says.

For more information on the Omak Stampede and World Famous Suicide Race, visit them on-line at www.omakstampede.org.