Texas cowgirl pockets all-around designation; champion team ropers hail from Arizona

A teen from Stephensville, Texas, captured the all-around cowgirl title at the International Finals Youth Rodeo in Shawnee Saturday, where she was champion in the pole bending competition.
Kodi Bailey went into Saturday’s finals in first place and snagged a 20.007 time running poles, placing fifth in the third go and taking first place overall for the three go-rounds. Bailey took home $4,801.2 in total IFYR prize money — $3,984.75 in pole pending and $816.27 in goat tying.
After winning the competition, Bailey said she was excited for her first IFYR win and would now retire her pole horse, Gunner.
“He’s 17 — he gave a good run,” she said. “I’ve had him since I was 6 years old.” Bailey later learned she also was the all-around cowgirl.
“Oh my gosh, it was so exciting,” she said.
In calf roping, Kiel Rowan, O’Brien, Texas, was the champion after a 9.9 third-go score, giving him a time of 30.2 seconds for three rounds.
“When I got in the box, I knew I had a 1.5 second lead, but there were four guys ahead of me,” he said. The calf ran out with a good lead, so “I had to hustle,” Rowan said. He won $3,356.16 at this year’s IFYR.
In goat tying, cowgirl Jodi Stewart of Fairmount, Ga., had a rough third-go but she managed to capture the championship.
“I fell, but I drew a really good goat and everything fell into place,” Stewart said. “I’m very blessed.”  She roped the goat in 8.1 seconds on the third go, giving her a time of 25.5 seconds in three rounds. She gave credit to her horse, Denny.
Two cowboys from Arizona became Champion Team Ropers following Saturday’s finals.
Tom Richards of Humbolt, Ariz., and Tyler Getzwiller, Scottsdale, Ariz., ran in 6.1 seconds Saturday, giving them a three-go total of 18.3 seconds.
The longtime friends said they make a good team.
Richards, the header, said they drew a good run, while Getzwiller, the healer, said, “It’s all in the header — I’m there to clean up.”
In breakaway roping, Callie Griffith of Decatur, Texas, won the championship with a score of 3.8 seconds, giving her a total of 9.4 seconds for three goes.
In barrel racing, Emily Miller of Ingalls, Texas, clocked 16.125 seconds in the third go, giving her a total of 49.374 seconds in three runs. She won a total of $3,241.62 in the competition.