Beyond the Chutes | First Frontier Circuit Finals Series
Before the gate opens and the clock starts, there’s a moment when it’s just a rider, a horse, and everything you’ve worked on to that moment.
In Episode 1 of our special First Frontier Circuit Finals series, we sit down with Karissa Landis, a barrel racer from Middleburg, Pennsylvania, whose journey to success has been shaped as much by trust and patience as by speed.
Recorded on site at the First Frontier Circuit Finals in Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, this conversation goes far beyond the arena dirt. Karissa shares the deeply personal story of Old Man Cash — the horse who carried her through her youth, her grief, and her growth as a competitor.
In a meaningful full-circle moment, Karissa purchased Cash from my daughter Kathleen Simcox, who took a soured barrel racing horse out of the arena for nearly two years and made riding fun again. By stepping away from competition, riding with a partner, and allowing a horse to simply be a horse, Cash found his way back — not just as a competitor, but as a true teacher.
Karissa opens up about:
- Growing up in rodeo and starting young in barrel racing
- Learning hard lessons from difficult horses and tougher seasons
- Losing a close friend and finding comfort in the stall, not the spotlight
- Developing the mental game required to compete at the highest level
- And learning when to stop saying “if I win” and start saying “when I do”
The results followed.
At the 2026 First Frontier Circuit Finals, Karissa:
- Won the first round
- Placed in every round
- Finished second in the average
- And earned an invitation to the NFR Open in Colorado Springs this July
But this episode isn’t about stats on a scoreboard.
It’s about what happens when riders show up for their horses, honor the process, and refuse to settle for anything less than their best.
This is the story that sets the tone for the entire series.
🎧 Beyond the Chutes — where the real rodeo stories live.
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