SHAWNEE, OK — In front of an electric crowd at the Heart of Oklahoma Expo Center, rodeo athletes from across the globe were crowned IFYR (International Finals Youth Rodeo) champions and walked away with upwards of $250,000 in payouts. The six-day event featured over 930 entries from 35 different states.
California bareback rider Jacek Frost (Browns Valley, CA) landed in the final round after a 77.0 ride in the first go and a 79.0 ride in the second go alongside Luke Thrash (Bastrop, LA) and Bradlee Miller (Huntsville, TX). The California High School Rodeo athlete topped Thrash’s and Miller’s averages after earning a 74.0 in the round to land the championship position.
The team roping duo Brodee Snow (Bentonville, AR) and Jordan Lovins (Canadian, TX) found themselves in the short round after earning two of the fastest times in the long rounds. Snow and Lovins matched up against Wyoming cowboys Coy Johnson (Buffalo, WY) and Jade Espenscheid (Big Piney, WY) along with Kreece Dearing (Chico, TX) and Beldon Cox (Weatherford, TX). The dominate wave of team roping youth ended with Snow and Lovins recording a 7.0 final round run, besting Johnson/Espenscheid 22.8 second average and Dearing/Cox’s 23.6 second average.
The Garden City, Kansas steer wrestler Tanner Meier delivered almost identical times to Newark, Illinois Cowboy Garrett Leathermans in the first two long-rounds. The two athletes tied in the short go, but Merier’s split second better time from the second go would best Leatherman’s 14.6 average with a 13.5.
Being the only saddle bronc rider to cover all three, Statler Wright (Millford, UT) – Who is brother of 3x World Champion Stetson Wright, exhausted the competition earning the high-marked-ride in two out of three rounds at the IFYR and earned more than $2500.
Breakaway roper Della Bird (Williston, FL) delivered a powerful performance when her string broke away from her saddle horn at the 2.0 second mark in the final round Friday night. After defeating the all-around cowgirl Taylor Cuccurullo’s (Pilot Point, TX) 2.3-second time and Kaydence Crawford’s (Stephenville, TX) 2.4-second run to earn the top time in the average.
After earning one of the fastest times of the week’s in the second-go with a 7.7-second run, Trevor Hale (Perryton, TX) backed into the box having to run a 9.1-second time or better to win. The Texas tie-down roper earned the number one spot in the average after notching exactly a 9.1-second time and besting Dylan Hancock’s (San Angelo, TX) 25.8 average by one-tenth of a second.
After earning an advancement to the Final Round for landing two of the fastest times of the week, Payton Askins (El Cajon, CA) went into the final round as last to go behind Haiden Thompson (Yoder, WY) and all-around cowgirl Taylor Cuccurullo (Pilot Points, TX). Thompson opened the final round with a swift 16.4 second run which was followed by Cuccurullo’s 16.2 second time. Askins had to make a run faster than 16.9 to win the average and delivered an abrupt 16.0 second run to take home the top spot in the average.
Tate Pollmeier (Fort Scott, KS) was unstoppable in the Bull Riding. The former 2x Kansas Junior High School Bull Riding Champion recorded an 84.5-point score in the long round, prior to delivering the highest marked ride of the night with an impressive 88.0 points.
Kaylie Garza (Marion, TX) won the goat tying title at the IFYR courtesy of her 7.4 and 7.6-second run in the long round, and her 7.1-second run in the showdown round, all three the quickest times of the rounds. Garza topped Staheli Adams (Cedar Park, UT) 23.6 average. In the pole bending high school pole bending record holder Rylee Hardin (New Castle, TX) and expertly navigated the course as her 19.9-second run in the final round was the quickest, distancing runner-up Kylie Cliburn (Prairieville, LA) who recorded a 19.9-second run.
Barrel Racing: Payton Askins, El Cajon CA 48.767/3 $1,694.81; Haiden Thompson, Yoder WY 49.616/3 $1,473.75; Taylor Cuccurullo, Pilot Point TX 49.625/3 $1,252.69; Biloxi Shultz, Abilene TX 49.723/3 $1,031.63; Rylee Butler, Arcadia FL 49.793/3 $810.56; Kylie Jo Castor, Springdale AR 49.817/3 $589.50; Kiley Slavin, Goodwell OK 49.855/3 $368.44; Jordan Morman, Gillette WY 49.927/3 $147.38
Pole Bending: Rylee Hardin, New Castle TX 60.172/3 $1,060.31; Kylie Cliburn, Prairieville LA 61.861/3 $877.50; Paisley Pierce, Sweeny TX 62.435/3 $694.69; Jayci Lee Byler, Bellville TX 62.474/3 $511.88; Konner Bickerstaff, Ada OK 62.544/3 $329.06; Millie Frey, Eunice LA 62.635/3 $182.81
Breakaway Roping: Della Bird, Williston FL 7.0/3 $1,896.64; Taylor Cuccurullo, Pilot Point TX 7.2/3 $1,649.25; Kaydence Crawford, Stephenville TX 7.4/3 $1,401.86; Emma Ricke, Lawton AL 7.8/3 $1,154.48; Kaylie Garza, Marion TX 8.9/3 $907.09; Claire Vincent, Sulphur LA, Kate Kelley, Tahlequah OK split 17.0/3 $536.01 ea; Owen Gibson, Gadsden TN 4.5/2 $164.93
Goat Tying: Kaylie Garza, Marion TX 22.1/3 $1,187.55; Staheli Adams, Cedar City UT 23.6/3 $982.80; Kayleah Hurst, Slick OK 24.1/3 $778.05; Jayci Lee Byler, Bellville TX 24.4/3 $573.30; Kallie Deveer, Geismar LA 24.6/3 $368.55; Adi Jo Martin, San Tan Valley AZ, Katie Schlang, Lake Charles LA split 24.7/3 $102.38 ea
Calf Roping: Trevor Hale, Perryton TX 25.7/3 $1,260.11; Dylan Hancock, San Angelo TX 25.8/3 $1,095.75; Cash Fuesz, Eureka KS 27.9/3 $931.39; Mason Appleton, Copan OK 28.0/3 $767.03; Jake Holmes, Mulberry KS 28.6/3 $602.66; Houston Shipley, Copan OK 29.3/3 $438.30; Mason Theriot, Poplarville MS 29.9/3 $273.94; Cash Goble, Dalton GA 30.3/3 $109.58
Steer Wrestling: Tanner Meier, Garden City KS 13.5/3 $835.20; Garrett Leatherman, Newark IL, Quinten Freeman, Snyder TX split 14.6/3 $619.20 ea; Rhett Witt, Valentine NE, Clate Harwell, Artesia NM split 15.1/3 $331.20 ea; Clay Clayman, Highlandville MO 15.6/3 $144.00
Saddle Bronc: Statler Wright, Beaver UT 226.0/3 $866.25 ea; Jefferson Parsons, Springdale AR 144.5/2 $519.75 ea; Benny Proffitt, Canadian TX 135.0/2 $346.50 ea
Bareback Bronc: Jacek Frost, Browns Valley CA 230.0/3 $796.50; Luke Thrash, Bastrop LA 228.5/3 $531.00
Bull Riding: Tate Pollmeier, Fort Scott KS 172.5/2 $600.30; Caden Bunch, Tahlequah OK 164.5/2 $496.80; Cooper James, Tooele UT 159.5/2 $393.30; Bradlee Miller, Huntsville TX 79.5/1 $289.80; Riley Calvert, Luther OK 78.5/1 $186.30; Riggen Hughes, Kempner TX 75.0/1 $103.50
Team Roping: Brodee Snow, Bentonville AR – Jordan Lovins, Canadian TX 21.4/3 $1,213.54; Coy Johnson, Buffalo WY – Jade Espenscheid, Big Piney WY 22.8/3 $1,055.25; Kreece Dearing, Chico TX – Belden Cox, Weatherford TX 23.6/3 $896.96; Carson Coffelt, Ponce De Leon MO – Roper Goodson, Holdenville OK 23.7/3 $738.68; Boomer Smith, Pleasanton TX – Rymond Haby, El Indio TX 24.7/3 $580.39; Clayton Huston, Decatur TX – Dylan Hancock, San Angelo TX 27.3/3 $422.10; Tyler Espenson, Wildorado TX – Brock Corman, Canyon TX 31.4/3 $263.81; Owen Clemons, Okeechobee FL – Cole Clemons, Okeechobee FL 32.9/3 $105.53
