Anita Ellis is no stranger to the winner's circle in barrel racing. She has nearly $1 million in EquiStat earnings and a lenghty win record in the aged events. Coming from a family of top barrel racers and trainers, the Blackfoot, Idaho, barrel racer took a different path for a couple of decades. After a lengthy break from competition, due to two difficult accidents, Ellis returned to the sport.
Following two major back injuries, Ellis' parents gifted her a yearling they raised, RV Two Dash Ta Vegas. "Axe" helped Ellis get back into training and competition, earning nearly $200,000 during his futurity year in 2020.
Axe is now the second-highest earning offspring of French StreakToVegas at $391,538, per QData. The duo has won at maturities, derbies, rodeos, and big open races.
In 2024, Ellis debuted a new member to her team. She rode SGL Rico to nearly $180,000 in futurity earnings. Rico has played a huge role in Ellis' breakthrough 2025 season in professional rodeo. Per QData, Rico now has $333,500 in lifetime earnings.
Ellis and Rico made their biggest move of the year when they earned a spot through the qualifier to compete at the 2025 Calgary Stampede. The duo proceeded to sweep the Stampede, skyrocketing up the standings and making Ellis' first National Finals Rodeo (NFR) qualification a possibility.
Remaining strong throughout the late season, Ellis did just that. Heading into the NFR with $146,991 earned so far, Ellis is currently ranked No. 8 in the World. This is Ellis' first year to finish inside the top 100 of the World Standings.
Ellis, however, has had an unexpected battle lain before her. In a social media post, Ellis' husband Brandon shared the following:
"Hey everyone — I wanted to give a full update since so many people have been reaching out. Yesterday, Anita had a serious fall and hit her head when she landed on the concrete. She was taken to the hospital and is currently in the ICU. Her first scan showed a small brain bleed, and her vitals have stayed stable since she arrived. Her follow-up scan showed a few additional small bleeds and some fractures on the right side of her face from the impact. The important thing is that none of this is causing dangerous pressure, and she’s being monitored closely around the clock. She hasn’t fully woken up yet, but she responds when stimulated and moves on her own, which the medical team says are positive signs. Right now the priority is giving her brain the rest and quiet it needs to heal. We are staying hopeful. And we’re incredibly grateful for the outpouring of prayers, love, and support — it truly means so much to our family. I’ll keep everyone updated as we learn more."
