Yuma, Colo.-August in Colorado means the annual fair run of rodeos. With county fairs piled up across the eastern portion of the state and each hosting its own professional rodeo, rodeo contestants find themselves competing nearly every day for a two week span in the early part of the month.

Amongst WPRA barrel racers, a new name sprung to the top of the list of fair run money winners. Sami Jo Sweeney is a rookie in the Mountain States this year but she and her mare Jesse are going punch for punch with toughs like perennial circuit finalist Kim Schulze and former NFR qualifier and WPRA Reserve World Champion Kelly Yates. In fact, after racking up wins worth $3,500 in the last two weeks, Sweeney is less than $1,000 behind both ladies for the Mountain States Circuit title.

"It's way better than I expected," says Sweeney, who bought her permit in 2009 at the urging of friends Susie and Courtney Ford. "It's phenomenal."

Sweeney filled her permit last year and began her season with a goal to make the MSCFR. With $7,339 in circuit earnings to date, she is easily making that goal at the moment. "Of course, everyone would love to run at the national rookie title," she says, "but I haven't gone down the road enough for that." Still, the Fort Lupton, Colo., cowgirl is sitting 11th in a very competitive group of rookies across the nation and leads the circuit's rookies by $6,000.

Her mare, Painted Robins Eagle by her papers, is 16 and has been in Sweeney's barn since she was a three year old. Sweeney, just 11 when her family bought the former bucking horse through an auction, broke and trained her to run barrels.

"They sold her as a kid's horse through the auction," Sweeney laughs about the circumstances that landed a bucking horse in their barn.

Sweeney came from a family that rode horses and competed in shows but was not involved in barrel racing.

"I started out in 4-H and at gymkhanas but Mom made me show horses to teach me to learn to ride better," Sweeney says. "Then I went on to Little Britches."

Mom, Wendy, and Sweeney's sister Amber now barrel race, competing primarily at the amateur rodeos.

"Amber is a huge supporter of mine," said Sweeney. "She is always there to video and cheer me on."

On her path to the WPRA, Sweeney captured rookie titles in both the Colorado Pro Rodeo Association and Wyoming Rodeo Association in 2007. Good friend Courtney Ford convinced her to give the WPRA a try and now hauls with her.

"She has taught me a lot about rodeo."

Sweeney works for Allen's Asphalt of Brighton, Colo., as an accountant and gives them credit for helping her succeed in rodeo. "They sponsor me and give me plenty of time off to compete."

Time she definitely needed during the fair run. Sweeney made 11 runs in a two week span, including a few amateur rodeos, and placed every time the gate cracked open. Saying her mare was just consistent through each run, Sweeney was particularly happy with her run at Loveland, the Larimer County Fair and Rodeo.

"We entered it last year on our permit and couldn't find the first barrel," she says of going indoors after a summer in the big pens outside. "I was just hoping Jesse would find it this time and she did real good."

The pair finished fifth in a time of 15.13 seconds.

"I like to say I am in charge when we run," Sweeney says of Jesse, "but she is so quick moving and catty, if you are not on top of it, she will just do it herself the way she thinks it should be done. She has a lot of heart."

Jesse also made a super run at the Yuma County Fair and Rodeo in Yuma. Sweeney's time of 17.83 was good enough to win the championship there. She added a second at the Logan County Fair and Rodeo (Sterling) and a third at the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo (Castle Rock) for a two week haul of $3,543 in WPRA earnings.

"I go for fun but it's great when you get home with a check, too," she laughs. "It's just a blessing to be able to go out and do it."

For more information on the Colorado fair run, check out the following web sites:
Yuma County Fair and Rodeo, www.yumacounty.net
Larimer County Fair and Rodeo (Loveland), www.larimercountyfair.org
Douglas County Fair and Rodeo (Castle Rock), www.douglascountyfairandrodeo.com
Logan County Fair and Rodeo (Sterling), www.lcfair.org