Mandy Hamilton didn’t waste anytime this summer. Everywhere she entered, Hamilton returned home with a check or at least it sure seemed that way. The Manhattan cowgirl was the high-money winner – male or female – for an individual event in 2015. With a dozen checks, Hamilton stuffed $8,104 into her jeans. The 2011 all-around champion won the barrel racing at Gardiner, Wilsall, Townsend and Boulder. She also earned money at Big Timber, Choteau, East Helena, Three Forks, Havre, Eureka, Superior and Deer Lodge. Hamilton is trying to track down her first barrel racing year-end championship. She was fourth in 2014, 2011 and 2009. Abby Knight of Charlo was coming into the finals in third. Knight also competes for the University of Great Falls and she started her finals off with a bang. Abby won the first two go-rounds closing the gap on Mandy’s lead. Mandy was not able to run her famous horse Okie Dokie Dutchess, who was also voted the 2015 NWRA Barrel Horse of the Year, at the NWRA Finals and was on a back up horse. Hamilton’s finals defiantly did not go as planned and Abby Knight was hot on her tail in the standings. Coming into the final round Abby was sitting good but had an unfortunate turn when she tipped a barrel. Hamilton did not pull a check the whole finals but had a big enough lead coming in that it didn’t matter. Congratulations Mandy and Dutchess on your first NWRA Barrel Racing Championship!
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