Hailey Kinsel is an American professional barrel racer and four-time Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA) World Champion, best known for her record-setting partnership with her horse DM Sissy Hayday, known as Sister.
She grew up on a cattle ranch in Cotulla, Texas, and turned her childhood passion for riding into one of the most decorated careers in barrel racing history.
Who is Hailey Kinsel?
Hailey Kinsel is a professional barrel racer from Cotulla, Texas, who competes in the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association.
She won the WPRA World Barrel Racing Championship in 2018, 2019, 2020, and 2022, becoming the first WPRA member to win the world title, NFR average title, RAM Top Gun award, and fast time award all in the same year, which she did in 2020.
Her horse, DM Sissy Hayday, nicknamed Sister, holds the record as the winningest barrel horse of all time.
Together, Kinsel and Sister have set multiple National Finals Rodeo records, arena records, and WPRA standard pattern records, including breaking the NFR go-round wins record with 26 wins at the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.
Kinsel and Sister qualified for the NFR nine consecutive times from 2017 through 2025. Sister also won the Barrel Racing Horse of the Year award in 2018 and again in 2025.
As of 2026, Kinsel holds over $2.6 million in WPRA career earnings and over $3.2 million in total EquiStat lifetime earnings. Her mother, Leslie Kinsel, is a former Miss Rodeo Texas (1980) who also competed as an equestrian.
Hailey Kinsel Early Life
Hailey Kinsel was born on October 3, 1994, in Cotulla, Texas, and grew up on her family’s cattle ranch in the same region. Her parents, Dan and Leslie Kinsel, raised her with a deep connection to horses and the land.
Her mother, Leslie (née Walker), competed in equestrian events and won Miss Rodeo Texas in 1980.
Growing up on the ranch shaped Kinsel’s riding instincts before she ever entered a formal competition.
She has said that she did not grow up doing drills in an arena but instead learned to ride outside while doing real work on the property.
Before focusing on barrel racing, she competed in gymnastics and played musical instruments. Her background in gymnastics contributed to the body control and mental discipline that later defined her riding.
Her brother Matt has also been a part of her horse racing journey throughout her career.
Hailey Kinsel Age / Birthday
Hailey Kinsel is 31 years old as of 2026, born on October 3, 1994. Her birthday falls in October, making her a Libra, a sign often associated with balance and a competitive drive toward fairness.
At 31, she continues to compete at the highest level of professional barrel racing while holding multiple records in the sport.
Hailey Kinsel Ethnicity and Nationality
Hailey Kinsel is American by nationality, born and raised in Texas. Her ethnic background is Caucasian.
She grew up in a Christian household and has spoken about her faith as a key part of how she handles both wins and setbacks in professional competition.
Hailey Kinsel Height and Weight
Hailey Kinsel stands at 5 feet 7 inches tall, which equals approximately 170 centimeters or 1.70 meters. Kinsel’s reported weight is approximately 60 kilograms, or 132 lbs.
Her athletic build comes from years of competitive gymnastics and riding. Her physical conditioning is central to the precision and speed she brings to barrel racing.
Hailey Kinsel Education
Hailey Kinsel attended Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas, where she graduated in May 2017 with a Bachelor of Arts in Agriculture Economics.
While at Texas A&M, she competed on the Fightin’ Aggie Rodeo team in barrel racing, breakaway roping, and goat tying.
Her college schedule included caring for three horses, leading a Bible study group, and competing in PRCA rodeos outside of her academic commitments.
She earned three consecutive National Intercollegiate Rodeo Association (NIRA) Barrel Racing Championship qualifications from 2016 to 2018.
Hailey Kinsel Career
Hailey Kinsel’s competitive career began in her early teens and built through high school, college, and the professional circuit.
Her rise to the sport’s top level came through consistent performance rather than a single breakthrough moment.
Junior and College Career (2007–2017)
Kinsel began competing in rodeo at around age thirteen when she received a barrel horse named TJ as a gift. TJ gave her an entry into youth competition, where she quickly found her footing.
She competed through high school rodeo in Texas before joining the Texas A&M rodeo team.
At Texas A&M, she qualified three consecutive times for the NIRA Barrel Racing Championship nationals from 2016 to 2018. She also competed in breakaway roping and goat tying at the collegiate level, showing range across multiple rodeo disciplines.
In 2017, she won the NIRA Barrel Racing Championship and The American Rodeo, two major titles that announced her readiness for the professional stage.
She and Sister also won $50,000 at the Days of ’47 Cowboy Games and Rodeo in Salt Lake City during the summer of 2017, a result that introduced her to the national rodeo audience.
Professional Debut and First Titles (2015–2020)
Kinsel joined the WPRA in 2015 while still in college. In 2017, she qualified for the National Finals Rodeo for the first time and set the Thomas and Mack Center arena record with a 13.11-second run, a record that still stands as of 2026.
Her breakout season came in 2018, when she won the WPRA World Barrel Racing Championship for the first time.
Sister also won the Barrel Racing Horse of the Year Award that year. Kinsel followed with back-to-back titles in 2019 and 2020, making her the first barrel racer to win three consecutive WPRA world titles in the modern era.
In 2020, she achieved a historic single-season sweep: world title, NFR average title, RAM Top Gun award, and the fast time award, all in the same year. No WPRA member had done all four in one season before.
She also won the RFD-TV American Rodeo three times across her early career, a major standalone event separate from the NFR circuit.
Recent Seasons and Records (2021–2026)
After finishing as reserve world champion in 2021, Kinsel returned to win her fourth WPRA World Title in 2022, finishing that year with $302,172 and crossing $1 million in NFR earnings alone.
She won two rounds during the 2022 NFR and posted the fastest time of the event in the ninth round.
In 2024, she finished as reserve world champion with $430,353 earned during the season. She won the first three rounds at the 2024 NFR and set a new arena record at the Spanish Fork Fiesta Days Rodeo with a time of 16.57 seconds.
Her total NFR earnings alone reached $1,384,310 across her eight trips to Las Vegas.
At the 2025 NFR, Kinsel and Sister broke the go-round wins record with their 26th win in Round 2.
That same year, Sister won the 2025 Nutrena/AQHA Horse of the Year award, a second recognition for the mare seven years after her first in 2018.
Hailey Kinsel Career Stats and Records
Kinsel’s career numbers include over $2.6 million in WPRA earnings and over $3.2 million in EquiStat lifetime earnings as of 2026.
She holds the Thomas and Mack Center barrel racing arena record from 2017 at 13.11 seconds.
| Year | Achievement | Earnings |
|---|---|---|
| 2017 | First NFR qualification; NIRA World Champion | First NFR year |
| 2018 | WPRA World Champion | Season champion |
| 2019 | WPRA World Champion | Season champion |
| 2020 | WPRA World Champion; NFR Average; RAM Top Gun | $302,172 est. |
| 2021 | Reserve World Champion | $281,156 |
| 2022 | WPRA World Champion (4th title) | $302,172 |
| 2024 | Reserve World Champion | $430,353 |
| 2025 | NFR record 26th go-round win; Sister wins Horse of Year again | Season ongoing |
Hailey Kinsel Awards and Championships
Kinsel’s career accolades include four WPRA World Barrel Racing Championships (2018, 2019, 2020, 2022), the NFR Average title in 2020, and the RAM Top Gun award in 2020.
Her horse Sister also holds individual honors. Sister won the Barrel Racing Horse of the Year award twice, in 2018 and 2025. In 2025, the pair set the all-time NFR go-round wins record at 26.
Hailey Kinsel Endorsements and Sponsorships
YETI is one of Kinsel’s confirmed brand partners and lists her as an ambassador on its website.
She has also collaborated with Mud Lowery on the HK x Mud clothing collection, launched in 2024. Both partnerships reflect her standing as one of the sport’s most visible athletes.
Her profile across sponsorship categories includes Western fashion and lifestyle brands. Her consistent championship performance makes her one of the most sought-after ambassadors in professional rodeo.
Hailey Kinsel Husband
Hailey Kinsel was previously married to professional bull rider Jess Lockwood. The couple began dating in April 2018 and married on October 25, 2019, at her family’s ranch in Cotulla, Texas.
Jess Lockwood is a two-time Professional Bull Riders (PBR) World Champion, winning the title in 2017 and 2019. He became the youngest rider ever to win two PBR World Championships. His father was a former saddle bronc champion, and his mother competed in barrel racing.
The couple later divorced. Signs of the separation emerged in late 2022 and early 2023, with Kinsel removing Lockwood’s name from her social media handles. The exact date of their divorce has not been publicly disclosed. The couple had no children together.
Since the split, both have continued their individual rodeo careers. Kinsel has retained her focus on barrel racing and competition, while Lockwood has continued competing in PBR events.
Hailey Kinsel Net Worth
Hailey Kinsel’s estimated net worth is $7 million as of 2026. Her income comes primarily from prize winnings across her WPRA rodeo career, NFR appearances, and brand endorsements.
Kinsel’s WPRA career prize earnings alone exceed $2.6 million, with her total EquiStat lifetime earnings passing $3.2 million.
Her eight trips to the National Finals Rodeo produced $1,384,310 in NFR earnings alone, as of her 2024 season total. Kinsel’s 2024 season earnings reached $430,353.
Her endorsement deal with YETI and her 2024 HK x Mud collaboration with Mud Lowery contribute to her income beyond prize winnings.
As one of the most decorated barrel racers in WPRA history, she commands significant sponsorship value across western lifestyle, equine, and athletic brands.
Kinsel also lives and trains on a ranch in Stephenville, Texas, which she uses as her professional base alongside her family’s original property in Cotulla.
Hailey Kinsel Social Media
Hailey Kinsel is active on Instagram under the handle @haileykinsel, where she shares updates on her rodeo season, horses, and personal life. She uses the platform to engage with fans and promote her sponsor partnerships.
Her social presence reflects her professional brand as both an athlete and a western lifestyle figure. Her Instagram remains her primary public-facing platform across social media.
Summary
Hailey Kinsel’s four WPRA world titles, over $3.2 million in lifetime rodeo earnings, and 26 NFR go-round wins with one horse make her career one of the most statistically dominant in the history of barrel racing.
Her partnership with DM Sissy Hayday, spanning nearly a decade at the top level of the sport, stands apart in a field where longevity is rare.
