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Go beyond the numbers with first-time NFR qualifiers in the barrel racing at the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Tricia Aldridge. Courtesy of WPRA.
Hometown: Sanger, Texas
Horses: Adios Pantalones (“Adios”), 2020 stallion, Tres Seis x French Bar Belle x Frenchmans Guy; Kissin Goodbye (“Ember”), 2020 mare, The Goodbye Lane x Letta Cat Do It x Letta Hank Do It.
WPRA Season Earnings: $141,182
Rodeo Count: 87
NFR Qualifications: 1 (2025)
Recent Career Highlights: 2025 champion Albuquerque, New Mexico; Abilene, Los Fresnos, Waxahachie, Texas; Springville, Lakeside, Oakdale, California; Logandale, Nevada; Oakley, Utah. 2025 reserve champion Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Caldwell, Idaho; Pleasant Grove, Utah; Mercedes, Texas; Starkville, Jackson, Mississippi. Adios Pantalones is the all-time leading futurity horse and highest money earning barrel stallion. Multiple futurity, slot race, derby, open wins.
Barrel Horse News: Can you talk about the horses you rode this year?
Tricia Aldridge: Adios Pantalones won all but $400, and I did use the rodeos to season some of my others. Truly Epic and Kissin Goodby. I only have young horses so they all had to make the jump into the deep end this year.
Tricia Aldridge earned her first NFR qualification aboard her stallion Adios Pantalones, who won $140,778 in his first year of rodeoing as a first-year derby horse. Photo by Sam-Sin.
BHN: What does it mean to you to make the finals?
Aldridge: My goal was just to season Adios and make a run in 2026, but Adios was a unicorn and kept me in the top 15 all season. I finished my Futurity year completely before attempting any, and I just thought we would be seasoning horses this year. He has just adapted to every challenge thrown at him.
BHN: What has been your biggest challenge to overcome when rodeoing?
Aldridge: Rodeo in my opinion is a lot of strategy, and since I have never rodeoed it was literally the blind leading the blind. I am just so thankful to my horse that’s such a team player, always tries, and even when I maybe didn’t set him up the best, he always came through for me.
BHN: Is there anything you would have told your younger self about this journey?
Aldridge: I never planned on rodeoing. I still don’t. I had a horse that deserved a shot, and I wasn’t willing to pass him off to someone, so here we are. I can’t wait to get back to the Derby and Futurity life.
BHN: What was your biggest win this year?
Aldridge: My biggest win this year was just having a great season and getting a 5 year old qualified right out the gate with none of the big winter rodeos. We finished the season happy, healthy and sound. I certainly can’t ask for anything else.
The post Spotlight on First-Time NFR Qualifiers: Tricia Aldridge appeared first on Barrel Horse News.
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Go beyond the numbers with first-time NFR qualifiers in the barrel racing at the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Tricia Aldridge. Courtesy of WPRA.
11. Tricia Aldridge
Hometown: Sanger, Texas
Horses: Adios Pantalones (“Adios”), 2020 stallion, Tres Seis x French Bar Belle x Frenchmans Guy; Kissin Goodbye (“Ember”), 2020 mare, The Goodbye Lane x Letta Cat Do It x Letta Hank Do It.
WPRA Season Earnings: $141,182
Rodeo Count: 87
NFR Qualifications: 1 (2025)
Recent Career Highlights: 2025 champion Albuquerque, New Mexico; Abilene, Los Fresnos, Waxahachie, Texas; Springville, Lakeside, Oakdale, California; Logandale, Nevada; Oakley, Utah. 2025 reserve champion Governor’s Cup in Sioux Falls, South Dakota; Caldwell, Idaho; Pleasant Grove, Utah; Mercedes, Texas; Starkville, Jackson, Mississippi. Adios Pantalones is the all-time leading futurity horse and highest money earning barrel stallion. Multiple futurity, slot race, derby, open wins.
Spotlight on First-Time Qualifiers
Barrel Horse News: Can you talk about the horses you rode this year?
Tricia Aldridge: Adios Pantalones won all but $400, and I did use the rodeos to season some of my others. Truly Epic and Kissin Goodby. I only have young horses so they all had to make the jump into the deep end this year.
Tricia Aldridge earned her first NFR qualification aboard her stallion Adios Pantalones, who won $140,778 in his first year of rodeoing as a first-year derby horse. Photo by Sam-Sin.
BHN: What does it mean to you to make the finals?
Aldridge: My goal was just to season Adios and make a run in 2026, but Adios was a unicorn and kept me in the top 15 all season. I finished my Futurity year completely before attempting any, and I just thought we would be seasoning horses this year. He has just adapted to every challenge thrown at him.
BHN: What has been your biggest challenge to overcome when rodeoing?
Aldridge: Rodeo in my opinion is a lot of strategy, and since I have never rodeoed it was literally the blind leading the blind. I am just so thankful to my horse that’s such a team player, always tries, and even when I maybe didn’t set him up the best, he always came through for me.
BHN: Is there anything you would have told your younger self about this journey?
Aldridge: I never planned on rodeoing. I still don’t. I had a horse that deserved a shot, and I wasn’t willing to pass him off to someone, so here we are. I can’t wait to get back to the Derby and Futurity life.
BHN: What was your biggest win this year?
Aldridge: My biggest win this year was just having a great season and getting a 5 year old qualified right out the gate with none of the big winter rodeos. We finished the season happy, healthy and sound. I certainly can’t ask for anything else.
The post Spotlight on First-Time NFR Qualifiers: Tricia Aldridge appeared first on Barrel Horse News.
Read More...