Pozzi Tonozzi Earned Third Gold Buckle During Dream Season That was ‘So Easy’

Writer Brian Hurlburt takes us into the minds and hearts of the PRCA World Champions who clinched titles during the 2023 Wrangler National Finals Rodeo®. 

There is a certain flare when it comes to 2023 WPRA Barrel Racing World Champion Brittany Pozzi Tonozzi. 

Maybe it’s because her name is so cool … it just rolls off the tongue.

Brittany.

Pozzi.

Tonozzi.

Or maybe it’s because she rides so fluidly and has been so successful at the highest level for two decades.

Or maybe it’s because she galloped to the 2023 Gold Buckle a mere 14 years after her previous title in 2009. She also won a title in 2007.

Or maybe it’s because she set an all-time earnings record with $496,498.82 for the season, obliterating the previous mark of $350,700 set by Hailey Kinsel in 2018.

Or maybe it’s because she hails from Lampasas, Texas, another name that just sounds … cool.

Or maybe … well, you get the picture.

BPT is just built for flare, and for wearing gold buckles. Her summer of 2023, which culminated at the NFR, was something special.

She reflected upon everything during a media appearance in Las Vegas in May 2024. She also shared that 2024 was not going as smoothly as her dream season of a year ago.

“It was a whirlwind of a summer and it started off with no intentions of it happening that way,” Pozzi Tonozzi said. “It’s the best year anybody has ever had in the Barrel Racing. I look back and it felt so easy as it was happening. Right now, my horses are a little unsound and I’m having to ride some young horses. Things are totally different this year. I look back and I’m glad I didn’t take any of those moments for granted. Now being 40 and doing this for 20 years, I’ve realized that years like 2023 don’t just happen. It is fun to look back and go through the videos and the memories. I could do no wrong and now it seems like I can do no right. Right. But that’s Barrel Racing.”

As of this writing on August 13, Pozzi Tonozzi, was 16^th in the world standings with some work to do to make it to Vegas to defend her title. However, she was less than $600 behind Megan McLeod-Sprague, who was in 15^thposition.

Even with her struggles, there is no doubt the flare and competitiveness are still there.

“I feel like the competitiveness in me just wouldn’t let go even through the years I struggle,” Pozzi Tonozzi said. “I always fight back. Everything that happened to me last year just kind of fell into my lap unexpectedly. I was told at the beginning of last year that I could win a gold buckle and I laughed, like ‘Yeah, right.’ Then not only do I win the gold buckle, I set all kinds of records.” 

With her earnings in 2023, Pozzi Tonozzi surpassed $3.3 million in career money. It is a career for the ages, and she understands her resume is complete, no matter what the future holds.

“I could be done right now and I can say I did it all,” Pozzi Tonozzi said. “But then in the back of my mind I am like, ‘maybe I can do it one more time.’ It just depends on what day of the week it is and how I feel.”

En route to the 2023 title, Pozzi Tonozzi rode Jets Top Gun, “Benny” and her own horse Babe On The Chase “Birdie” during the NFR, but also rode SR Industry Titan during the year. Benny placed in eight of the nine go rounds helping Pozzi Tonozzi place second in the average behind fellow legend Lisa Lockhart.

“It’s been incredible to ride those three horses and win as much as I did,” Tonozzi said. “It seemed like the first places never ended, and it was sad to see the season end because it was such a great one.”

Pozzi Tonozzi understands more than most the challenge of rodeo and Barrel Racing. She takes it all in stride, literally and figuratively.

“It is really fun when you’re winning and it’s really hard to get up and go the next round when you’re losing,” Pozzi Tonozzi said. “But I know I always will enjoy the journey.”