Megan McLeod-Sprague Secures Spot at Wrangler National Finals Rodeo

Megan McLeod-Sprague is heading to Las Vegas after punching her ticket for the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo. KIVI-TV reported that the Marsing cowgirl secured her spot at the Wrangler National Finals Rodeo.

The 2026 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo is scheduled to run from December 3 through December 12. The event brings together the top 15 qualifiers in each discipline for 10 rounds of competition in Las Vegas.

Marsing Cowgirl Headed to National Finals Rodeo

Her journey in professional rodeo spans nearly three decades. She joined the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association in 1997 at just 14 years old, eventually becoming a familiar face competing in barrel racing at the Caldwell Night Rodeo.

That path was far from consistent. Family responsibilities and school for her young kids took priority for an extended period, leading to a break of roughly 10 to 12 years where she competed mostly close to home.

Marsing barrel racer Megan McLeod-Sprague is heading to the 2026 NFR in Las Vegas after years of dedication, training and hard work with her champion horses. Full story at the 🔗 in our bio. pic.twitter.com/zsEFqSr1FT

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“I took a pretty big break from like 10 or 12 years, probably just rodeoing closer to home, until I got Jagger and my husband really encouraged me to try to make the NFR, and here we are,” McLeod-Sprague said.

The work starts on farms in small towns like Marsing, where McLeod-Sprague maintains a rigorous daily routine of feeding, riding, therapy, and training for her horses. “I’m riding a lot of horses every day, usually somewhere between four and eight,” McLeod-Sprague told KIVI-TV.

That return to top-tier competition demands hours in the saddle. McLeod-Sprague spends four to six hours per day working with her horses, including Jagger, a 15-year-old gelding who has been instrumental to her arena success.

Keeping those equine athletes at peak performance requires specialized care beyond standard training. “They’re professional athletes and we treat them as such,” McLeod-Sprague told KIVI-TV, noting that she invests heavily in exercise and specialized therapy, estimating Jagger’s value at $300,000 due to his training and fitness.

Barrel racing is deeply rooted in her family history. Her mother competed in barrel racing and her father worked as a team roper, though the distinct speed of barrel racing kept pulling her back over other events.