Jackson, Miss.-It's great when a plan comes together. 2009 WPRA World Champion Brittany Pozzi laid out a plan for defending her title in 2010. She wanted to have a good winter, so she could stay closer to home through the spring.

It's only mid-February but there is no doubt her mission is accomplished.

Pozzi started the year off with a big win at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, the third of her career, and added a share of the title at the Mid-Winter Fair and Rodeo in Lafayette, La., both aboard her outstanding 13-year old gelding Sixth Vision, better known as Stitch. The two wins were worth $14K and put the champ back in familiar territory at the top of the leader board.

But Pozzi has an ace in the hole in the form of Yeah Hes Firen, the 7-year old palomino wonder whom she rode to the World title at the Wrangler National Finals last December and to the bonus check from the WPRA's Pro Elite Sire Incentive program. Just a few days after streaking to the lead of the money earnings at San Antonio after collecting $7K in her four run bracket, Pozzi and Duke made tracks to one of the WPRA's best paying one go round rodeos: the Dixie National in Jackson, Miss.

With 158 WPRA members plunking down their fees to run at the $10K added committee purse, Jackson's total payoff was nearly $30K. Pozzi ran during the slack, historically not the best conditions for picking up checks. But it worked to perfection for Duke and Pozzi in 2010.

"I've never won it (Jackson), but I usually place," says Pozzi who is sponsored by Tandem Oral, Professional's Choice, Fiddler's Trailer Sales, Brazos Valley Equine Hospital, Roper and Stetson Apparel, Purina, Priefert, Platinum Performance, and Double J Saddlery, "It is always a tough barrel race."

Pozzi's time of 15.83 seconds topped the list after slack and 10 performances of tough barrel racing. Just seven one-hundredths of a second separated first from sixth. The win was worth $5,953, pushing Pozzi's season total to nearly $30K.

"This was kinda the plan," she says of her scorching winter. "I wanted to do well enough here at the winter rodeos to not have to go out to California in the spring, maybe stay closer and crack back out at Reno."

It certainly helps to have two top caliber mounts to choose from at each rodeo. The toughest part is picking which one to ride on any given day.

"I kinda know where Stitch runs good because I have been running him so long," Pozzi describes her strategy. "And I know the places where he's not as fast, like San Antonio. So I've been running Duke at those."

With a huge start and two horses running at the top of their game, Pozzi's plans are certain to come to fruition for some time to come.