Barrel Racer Carlee Otero Cashing In With Trio of Young Mounts

Rodeo fans may not be familiar with the history and the horses behind professional barrel racer, Carlee Otero. She has been making waves in 2025 aboard her string of young horses. With main mount, Blingolena "Sly", on the injured reserved following surgery, Otero has not backed off the gas as she seeks a World Championship.

Sly had an outstanding year in 2024 and followed it up with an equally gritty and impressive National Finals Rodeo (NFR) showing. This year, a new team has helped Otero hold her position at No. 5 in the World Standings.

More News: Barrel Racers Cashing In: Kinsel, Otero, and Lockhart Climb WPRA Standings

Looking Back

First making a NFR appearance aboard Rare Dillon in 2011, Otero and the buckskin gelding set the arena record in the Thomas and Mack at 13.46 seconds. They returned in 2012 and left Las Vegas as Reserve World Champions. In 2013, she narrowly missed qualifying after selling Dillon, who went on to win the World Championship with Callie duPerier in 2015.

Otero returned to Vegas again in 2014 with Streakin Perks Fool and Streakin Easy April ("Lolo"). Lolo sold to fellow Texas barrel racer, Kellie Collier (now Jorgenson). Collier and Lolo qualified for the NFR in 2017.

From Then to Now

Taking a break from full-time competition to spend more time with her family, Otero rodeoed lightly from 2015-2022. She found her way back into the top 20 in the World in 2023, finishing No. 19. After a standout season with Sly in 2024, she made her first NFR appearance in a decade. Placing in six of 10 rounds despite a cracked pelvis, Otero earned nearly $150,000 in Las Vegas.

While fans had grown accustomed to seeing Otero aboard her sorrel gelding, Sly, 2025 brought some new faces to her team.

HB Firewater Vanila "Leroy"

The six-year-old palomino gelding spent his futurity year competing with Brett Monroe, before returning to Otero's string in late 2024. Leroy had found his stride winning at the aged events and was brought in as a backup for Sly.

In January of 2025, he and Otero earned the National Western Stock Show and Rodeo Championship in Denver, Colo. By Vanila Gold and out of FamousFireWater Anny by Dash Ta Fame, Leroy helped Otero to a jump start in the standings early in the year.

AM Regina George "RG"

A new addition to Otero's string, RG initially came to the NFR cowgirl to get back into competition. RG's career began with futurity trainer Dalton Monk and his sister, Brittainý Hill. The 2022 Ardmore Futurity Reserve Champion clocked a 16.8 on a standard pattern at the Ruby Buckle Derby in 2023, but the mare had since been turned out and not competing. After a few runs, Otero purchased RG.

By A Smooth Guy and out of Oro Rose by Man In The Money, the 7-year-old has lit up the rodeo scene in the past month. The Days of '47 Champions, Otero and RG set a new arena record at 16.70 seconds in Salt Lake City, Utah. Banking $19,495 and earning the gold medal, the duo added to those earnings with a third-place finish at the Ogden Pioneer Days the same week for $9,062.

RG dominated another recent loop of rodeos, topping That Famous Preston Night Rodeo with a 16.63 for $4,758, finishing fifth at the Mountain Valley Stampede for $3,004, and ninth at the Douglas County Fair and Rodeo for $1,656.

Cathys Kandy "Twix"

Perhaps the most well-known name to be added to Otero's outstanding herd, Twix found great success her futurity year with Summer Pauly. After multiple major wins and placings across the U.S. with Pauly, Twix sold to Otero in June 2025. The 7-year-old mare is by The Kandyman and out of Frenchmans Perkette by Frenchmans Guy.

The duo finished second in Salinas for a $11,153 payday and Twix got the call at Cheyenne Frontier Days after RG qualified back in the long round, earning another $14,782. Twix and Otero recently tied for third in Idaho Falls at the War Bonnet Round Up for $2,084 and finished ninth in Jerome, Idaho.

With a 2025 NFR qualification looking almost certain for Otero, this will be a fun team of horses to watch in the Thomas and Mack in a few short months.

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