FORT WORTH, Texas – The Women’s Rodeo World Championship (WRWC) and the PBR (Professional Bull Riders) Team Series’ Texas Rattlers recently announced that barrel racer Laura Mote (Llano, Texas) earned the Honorary Texas Rattlers Cowgirl Bonus Award. The cash bonus was created to honor a Texas resident competing at the event and was awarded to the athlete who earned the most points in one discipline during the 2023 championship event.
In addition to the cash bonus, Mote is now an honorary member of the Rattlers’ Team Texas. Team Texas works to unite those from all walks of life who embody grit, heart and determination in their everyday lives, all key values to the PBR Team Series’ Rattlers.
Mote went into the 2023 event with nearly 3,700 points, good for the No. 5 leaderboard position.
After earning the second-place spot in the opening round, Mote punched her ticket to the Semi-Finals. Backed by a dominant showing, including the week’s fastest time, the 18-year-old barrel racer was on a mission and surged to the top of the Semi-Final round leaderboard after a dominant 12.907-second run to win the bonus.
Mote set the arena record for the pattern while sitting atop Red Hot Redbull.
Mote emerged victorious after earning over 3,300 points throughout the three-day Women’s Rodeo World Championship. The Texas native edged out the competition totaling 7,018 points in barrel racing, distancing her from second place by more than 350 points to earn the $2500 Texas Rattlers Cowgirl Bonus Award.
WRWC is the largest annual purse for a women’s rodeo event. With the conclusion of the 2023 Women’s Rodeo World Championship, the event has paid out $3 million to women rodeo athletes since 2020.
Photo courtesy of Bull Stock Media