Winslow barrel racer repeats as
Navajo Nation Fair champion

Posted by Quentin Jodie | Sep 11, 2025 | Rodeo |

WINDOW ROCK

For Tara Seaton, there was no denying how locked in Wag would be on Sunday afternoon.

Her prized equine made two outstanding runs that helped her secure the 77th Annual Navajo Nation Fair barrel racing title as well as the winner-take-all Final Four showdown at the Dean C. Jackson Memorial Arena in Window Rock.

“I’ve been pretty blessed with some good horses, but Wag is definitely the one that loves his job so much,” Seaton said. “He was so fired up today; he took off with me even when I didn’t want him to take off. We were Hi-Ho Silver down the alley.

“He was really ready to work today,” she added.

Seaton has had plenty of success on her 10-year-old barrel racing horse and Sunday’s effort was no different as the Arizona cowgirl repeated as the NNF champion. Her latest title was her fourth overall at the tribal fair with her first coming when she was 12-year-old. She won her second title with her other award-winning horse, Gypsy, a few years ago.

“Winning the Navajo Nation Fair with the horses that I train myself means so much to me,” Seaton said. “I do put a lot of work into them and I love them. They’re kind of like my kids and all the glory goes to them because they come here with all heart.

“I’m just glad that I get to go along for the ride,” she continued. “It’s so nice to show my people here what they can do and what they can accomplish.”

Seaton, who considers the NNF her hometown rodeo, won the first two rounds with a 16.576 and 15.596 effort on Tuesday morning and Saturday night.

On Sunday afternoon, she took second in the short round with a 16.171 run and finished behind go-round winner Carli Jones, who posted a 16.032 run.

Despite falling a tad short in that round, consistency paid dividends for Seaton as she won the aggregate race by completing three runs in 48.343 seconds while Jones finished second at 48.911.

With a 49.132 aggregate, Winslow cowgirl Gracie Alcott placed third ahead of Paige Dale who posted three runs in 49.270 seconds.

The four cowgirl advanced into the showdown with Seaton winning the $2,000 prize money with a 16.010 effort.

Jones, who hails from Dennehotso, Arizona, turned in a 16.073 run while Alcott posted a 16.430 run and Dale finished fourth at 16.794.

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