Barrels and poles

Cassidy Evans’ first trip to Las Vegas was a memorable one. Thursday, the 13-year-old cowgirl from Yuma, Colorado, went to New York New York to ride the rollercoaster. Saturday, Evans won the inaugural Kelly Kaminski Run for Vegas pole bending at the Junior World Finals. Evans won the short go-round with a 19.953-second run and […]

Friday the 13th means good luck for Kahla

Jack Kahla woke up Friday with a good feeling. “My brother (Jake) and I were talking this morning that we wanted to come out here and win some money and at least one of us make the short go,” Kahla said. “We drew two good steers and we came out and did the best we […]

Standing out in a crowd

In a field of nearly 60 competitors in the Kelly Kaminski Run for Vegas junior barrel racing at the Junior World Finals, 9-year-old Quincy Ballard stands out. It’s understandable given that Ballard is one of just two boys – Jakub Bender of Burelson, Texas, is the other – who qualified for this year’s event. “It’s […]

Finding a winning formula

Prior to Tuesday, Jett Stewart and Jake Orris had never roped together. Two days and five runs later the two were posing for pictures with the saddles they won for being the Total Team Roping 17 and Under #10.5 world champs at the Junior World Finals in Las Vegas. Stewart, a 15-year-old from Heppner, Oregon, […]

‘It’s a beautiful sport’

Saige Smith knows what it takes to win in the Wrangler Rodeo Arena. The high school sophomore from Touchet, Washington, won the short go-round of senior barrel racing at last year’s Junior World Finals in Las Vegas. But Smith surprised even herself Tuesday. Competing in the inaugural Kelly Kaminski Run for Vegas pole bending event, […]