FORT WORTH, Texas -- Fallon Taylor is on a mission that got a big boost on Wednesday night at the Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo.

The Collinsville, Texas, barrel racer and her great mare Flos Heiress, that Taylor and her many fans know as Babyflo, have made the fastest run of the rodeo through 23 performances. When they made the last turn around a barrel and ran for home, they crossed through the electric timer and stopped the clock in 16.35 seconds.

They took the lead in the second round by a nearly half of a second and the overall standings by nearly two-10ths. The seven-time Wrangler National Finals Rodeo qualifier and 2014 world champion is looking good for a title in Fort Worth.

Taylor and Babyflo placed fifth in the first round with a 16.64. That earned them a $2,429 paycheck. When they came back for the second round, they were the second duo on the ground and made a flawless run.

It was really, really good," Taylor said. "She just felt super. She's such a cool mare and so much fun. All I have to do is sit on top of her and smile.

Taylor has a lot to smile these days. A personal journey of fitness has seen her change her eating habits and work out with personal trainer Daniel Sullivan from Dallas. She credits her new habits for making a "drastic change" on her performance in the arena.

Always competitive, she has a "lofty goal" of competing in a fitness competition in Puerto Rico at the end of April.

But before she does that, Taylor will be back here on Saturday night, hoping to earn a championship that would be very welcome, especially since she has never won this rodeo which is just an hour and a half from her home.

Taylor was returning to Collinsville on Wednesday night with a big smile on her face after her success in Fort Worth. She will spend two days there, return to Fort Worth and then drive all night to Nolensville, Tennessee, where she is putting on a barrel racing clinic.


With just five more performances before Saturday night's finals, contestants that expect to be competing Saturday night are making their way back from rodeos in Rapid City, South Dakota and San Angelo, TX. There are still those left to compete and that list includes bareback rider, Tim O'Connell, from Zwingle, Iowa who was last year's champion and is the reigning world champion.

The 121st Fort Worth Stock Show and Rodeo continues Thursday with rodeo performances at 2 and 7:30 PM.

-Information Courtesy of Susan Kanode

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