The first French Canadian barrel racer to ever compete at the NFR turned a last-minute opportunity into a fan-voted award win and a strong Vegas showing too.
Julie Plourde arrived at the 2025 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo as a late addition to the barrel racing field. Now, she will leave Las Vegas with a meaningful honor and still firmly in the hunt for a major payday.
Plourde was named the winner of the Jerry Ann Taylor Award, a fan-voted award recognizing the best-dressed barrel racer at the NFR. The award carries a $5,000 prize and celebrates competitors who combine style, creativity, and class throughout the finals.
The win carries extra significance this year. Plourde finished 16th in the world standings at the close of the regular season, narrowly missing qualifying. When Anita Ellis was injured, Plourde received the call to step in, earning a last-minute opportunity to compete at her first National Finals Rodeo.
Plourde, who now calls Texas home, is originally from Quebec, Canada. Her appearance at the 2024 NFR marks a milestone, as she becomes the first French Canadian barrel racer to compete at the National Finals Rodeo.
Plourde’s Jerry Ann Taylor Award win was the result of a collective effort. With little time to prepare for the finals, including her outfits, she leaned on friends, family, and fellow competitors, including Tiany Schuster, last year’s Jerry Ann Taylor Award recipient, for guidance and support.
Julie joined Western Sports Roundup on the Cowboy Channel when they announced her as the winner. Plourde said the award reflected not just her style, but the scramble that followed the unexpected call to Las Vegas.
"I am super excited, and with 7 days notice, I got the call on the 28th. I was with Tiany then and we almost tore her trailer apart finding outfits that she didn't wear last year. We just had a blast to do it. My family was running in Vegas through the shops to find good pants too. It was just super fun and I was super excited to get that award."
Each night, Plourde appeared in thoughtfully coordinated outfits filled with color and personality, matching the themes of each night while maintaining the polished look the award represents. Fans took notice, ultimately voting her to win the award.
The Jerry Ann Taylor Award honors more than fashion. It reflects presentation, professionalism, and respect for the sport, all values Taylor herself embodied.
Julie took to social media to express her gratitude. "Seven days before the NFR started, I didn’t even know I was coming to Vegas. When I got the call on the 28th, Tiany Schuster said, “We need to dress you up!” With the help of my family, my husband, and T, we made it work… and we won the Jerry Ann Taylor Award. Thank you so much to each and every one of you who voted for me. This honor means more than I can put into words, and we truly had a blast doing it."
Honoring a Hall of Fame Legacy
Jerry Ann Taylor was a legendary trick rider and a ProRodeo Hall of Fame Cowgirl, remembered for her style and commitment to keeping rodeo classy. After her passing in 2012, her family established the Jerry Ann Taylor Memorial Fund as a way to preserve her legacy and inspire future generations of rodeo athletes.
The award has become a meaningful tradition at the NFR, highlighting competitors who carry themselves with the same pride and attention to detail that Taylor brought to the arena.
For Plourde, winning the award in her first NFR adds a special layer to an already unexpected finals appearance.
Still in the Average Hunt
While Plourde has made headlines for her style, her performance in the arena has been just as noteworthy.
Plourde’s consistency in Las Vegas has mirrored a season that included several standout performances, including a second-place finish at the Clovis, California, Rodeo, where she ran the fastest time of the entire event.
Competing at the NFR on her backup horse has added another layer to her first NFR story. Believing she had narrowly missed qualification, Plourde had already sidelined her primary horse for surgery before receiving the call to Las Vegas.
Heading into Round 10, Plourde sits second in the average standings behind Kassie Mowry and is one of only three barrel racers who have not hit a barrel throughout the 9 rounds Staying clean on the final night could result in a substantial average check, capping a week that began with a phone call she never expected to receive.
Her consistency has kept her firmly in contention, proving she belongs among the sport’s best on rodeo’s biggest stage.
“I mean, it is probably the most important run of my life tonight,” Plourde said. “I don’t need to be fast,I just need to be clean, and I think that’s even harder. I’m just going to try to do my best and be in the moment. I’m just proud of my horse for stepping up. It’s been a whirlwind, but we’ve made it work. We had some okay runs, some good runs, but we’re still clean, and that was the goal from the beginning.”
Plourde’s journey to the 2024 NFR has unfolded quickly, from just outside the Top 15 to center stage in Las Vegas. Winning the Jerry Ann Taylor Award really shows not only her sense of style, but also her composure, preparation, and ability to rise to the moment. She embraced the opportunity.
As Round 10 approaches, Plourde remains alive in the average race, carrying momentum into a big night of what has already become a career-defining week at an NFR she wasn’t even supposed to attend.