Nellie Miller Shares Her Key To Success

Nellie Miller is an exceptional barrel racer with a long winning history. Her success is evident. After joining the WPRA in 2008, she’s had four Wrangler NFR qualifications and earned one world title. On top of a successful career, she balances being a mom and wife! How does she do it?

Nellie Miller’s Key to Success

In one word, perseverance!

Nellie comments, “I think perseverance is No. 1. When things aren’t going well you have to persevere through that and so I think that kind of stops people from being successful. I think if you can power through (the hard times) you can be successful.”

Her Journey

Nellie started running barrels at the age of 12. She comes from a rodeo family. In high school, she competed in barrel racing, team roping, breakaway roping, goat tying, and pole bending. She then went on to college rodeo at UNLV in Las Vegas. Utlimately, she decided to start barrel racing professionally with her former horse Blue Duck (Rebas Smokey Joe).

Eventually, she started working with Sister (Rafter W Minnie Reba) her current horse. Her dad Sam Williams helped to train her horse.

He says, “You have great hopes for all of the horses you ride, but until you put them on the clock, you never know. Sister was a real good mare to break and ride – real confident. I was tying cattle out in the field when she was four – very willing and not afraid. To run at the PRCA level, you have to have a horse that can do anything. She tries hard every time. So does Nellie – she doesn’t weaken an ounce.”

It sounds like both Nellie and Sister have that drive to fight through challenges and rise to the top. They’re a dynamic duo!

Don’t forget to check out ‘What Qualities Do WPRA Cowgirls Look For In Barrel Horses?’