Keeping the faith

Three years ago, Koby Douch’s rodeo career was almost over before it even really got started. While riding his bike in his hometown of Huntsville, Texas, to get ready for a rodeo on July 3, 2018, a car hit Koby from behind, the impact sending him across two lanes of traffic and into a ditch. […]

Saturday Lookahead

The 2021 Junior World Finals presented by Yeti will come to a close Saturday with 13 champions crowned in six events – barrel racing, pole bending, breakaway roping, steer wrestling, team roping and tie-down roping – inside the Wrangler Rodeo Arena at the Las Vegas Convention Center. Friday ended with the 19 & Under tie-down […]

‘We just knock everything down’

By Jack Nowlin Being average paid off in a big way for team ropers Brandt O’Connor and Trigger Hargrove at the Junior World Finals on Thursday in Las Vegas. The Oklahoma cowboys won the Total Team Roping 17 & Under Open average title inside the Wrangler Rodeo Arena with a five-run time of 43.40 seconds. […]

Cash $$$$

By Jack Nowlin Las Vegas has been good to Cash Robb. The 18-year-old steer wrestler from Altamont, Utah, has already won two titles at the Junior World Finals appears to be on his way to a third. Inside the Wrangler Rodeo Arena on Wednesday morning, Robb won the second round of Ote Berry’s Junior Steer […]

First-year phenom

By Jack Nowlin Lexi Murer adjusted her black helmet, took a deep breath and rodeo Moji, her big sorrel horse, up the small alley. By the time the horse and rider reached the edge of the Wrangler Rodeo Arena, Moji was nearly in a full sprint, with Murer clinging to the reins and looking ahead […]

Championship Monday

Collin Roland was admittedly surprised when he saw his draw for the final round of the senior bareback competition on Championship Monday at the Junior World Finals in Las Vegas. The Childersburg, Alabama, cowboy had drawn CT Rodeo’s Marie Laveau, the same horse he had scored 79 points on in the first go-round. “I wasn’t […]

LEADING THE WAY

Tim O’Connell took time out of his busy week in Las Vegas to check in on the future of his sport Sunday. The three-time world bareback riding champion (2016-18) was at the Junior World Finals at the Convention Center, offering advice to young bareback riders behind the bucking chutes and even helping retrieve cowboy hats […]

Milaeh Deaton

By Jack Nowlin Young bareback riders wandered around behind the bucking chutes at the Junior World Finals presented by Yeti on Friday, either preparing for their ride or pausing to watch other competitors. It was the first day of competition for the rookie bareback division and most of the 20 contestants had a sense of […]

Jersey Boys

By Jack Nowlin The first round of roughstock competition came to an end Friday at the Junior World Finals presented by Yeti. Leal’s Junior Bull Riding had its second set of competitors in four age divisions – 10-11, 12-13, 14-15 and 16-18 – while the Junior Roughstock Association crowned champions in junior and novice bareback […]

‘This is my passion’

By Jack Nowlin The most impressive rider at this year’s Junior National Finals Rodeo presented by Yeti isn’t competing in any events. Instead, Bella DaCosta is showing off her horse riding skills during the Junior Roughstock Association bareback bronc and saddle bronc competitions. The 17-year-old trick rider from Canada performs during breaks in the action […]