Texas girl on top

A Pampa, Texas cowgirl, who won more than $2,100 during the first round of this week’s International Finals Youth Rodeo, has moved into the lead for the barrel racing championship.

Carley Richardson, who won the initial round in the breakaway roping, and placed fifth in the barrels during the same round, took over the lead for the average (championship) after a run of 15.962 seconds. Combined with her first run of 16.168, she has a combined time of 32.124 in the two rounds.

Through Thursday morning’s action, Richardson is also the only barrel racer to run the pattern so far this week in under 16 seconds.

She won $2,123.36 in the first round of competition.

And, there will be at least nine new individual event champions crowned by the IFYR’s conclusion on Saturday afternoon, along with new All-Around champions. Beginning the week’s action, there were only three returning IFYR champions — Emily Miller, Ingalls, Kan., in the barrel racing; Jacob O’Mara, Prairieville, La., in the bull riding; and Callie Griffith in the breakaway roping.

Griffith had a no time in her first try in the breakaway, and O’Mara failed to score in two rounds of bull riding. Miller is still competing in the barrel racing this week and she also won the first round in the pole bending here this week.

Chase Hudson, a Jacksonville, Fla., bull rider, is leading the event. He marked a 73 in the first round, then came back and rode his bull to a 76 for a combined time of 149. On his heels, though, is Weatherford, Okla. cowboy Derek Creswell at 148, after scoring 73 and 75, respectively.

Heading up the bareback riding competition is a Kansan, Tanner Rankin, Paola, who has a 148 in two rides. Mason Laviolette, Rayne, La., is second at 147.

A Knoxville, Tenn. cowgirl has emerged as the breakaway roping leader. Lucinda Fletcher has a total time of 5.3 seconds in two runs. Her closest competitor headed into Thursday night’s action is Victoria Roach, from Lake Charles, La., who is 6.0 through two rounds.

Jesse Clark, Portules, N.M., is the leader in the tie down calf roping. He tied his first calf in 9.2, followed by a 10.6 and is ahead of the pack with a combined time of 19.8 seconds. Kyle Dickens, Loveland, Colo., sits second in the run for the championship at 19.9.

Leading the steer wrestling is Justin Zwiefel, Burt, Iowa. He has a total time of 9.1 seconds in the event. Closing in is Dillan Helton, Opelousas, La., with a 9.5, and at 9.6 is Vernon, Texas bulldogger Lance Graf.

Courtey Small and Blair Small, Fairland, Okla., have taken over the team roping lead. They had a time of 7.4 seconds in the initial round, followed by a 7.8 in the second and are atop of the standings with a 15.2.

At the top in the goat tying is Mead, Okla.’s Keely Jo Weger. Her 7.4 seconds in the first round enabled her to place first and take home $1,435.20. She is one of only two goat tiers who was under eight seconds in the initial round.

She tied her goat in 9.1 seconds in the second round, and her 16.5 total gives her an edge of nearly two seconds over Camarie Widmer, Deep River, Iowa, who has a combined time of 18.4.

Ahead in the pole bending competition is Hannah Beamer with a total time of 40.2 seconds. She is from Pinetown, N.C. In second place is Klancy Shope, Longville, La., who has made it through the pattern twice in a combined time of 40.9 seconds.

Holding down first in the second round of saddle bronc riding is Jake Hebert, from Egan, La. He has a 69 and no other saddle bronc rider had managed a score through Wednesday night’s competition.