Ramsey claims youth rodeo championship

News-Times
News-Times

SHAWNEE, Okla. - Smackover's Hunter Ramsey earned a youth rodeo championship Friday night, winning the bareback bronc riding crown at the 26th annual International Finals Youth Rodeo at the Heart of Oklahoma Exposition Center. The world's richest youth rodeo awarded more than $250,000 in prize money, championship saddles and buckles after the finals performance.

Ramsey scored a 76.0 to beat out Keenan Hayes of Hayden, Colorado (72.5), Payton Lackey of Blanco, Texas (72.5), Jake Kesl of Tendoy, Idaho (72.5) and JC Mortensen of Paulden, Arizona (70.5). There were 19 competitors.

Ramsey was second the last two years in the bareback riding at the IFYR. The 16-year-old came to this year's event determined to win it.

"I had a lot of motivation from my dad," he said.

Part of the Bloomer Team, Ramsey is only the second person from Arkansas to win the bareback riding at the IFYR.

"I drew a horse that came out, swooped left and right and sucked back," he said. "I started throwing my feet."

Ramsey came back to the short go in third position and had to wait for the number two man, Lackey, who got a re-ride to see if he was going to win.

Ramsey had his own experience with re-rides at the IFYR. In the first round, the flank fell off and he got a 76.5 with the option of a re-ride. He took it even though he was winning the round. The re-ride gave him the exact same score.

Ramsey competes in amateur associations around Arkansas and Louisiana. He has been the bareback champion in the Arkansas Rodeo Association for three years, winning his first championship when he was 13. He's leading the UPRA standings now by $4,000.

Ramsey will be a senior and is home-schooled so he can rodeo. He plans to attend the University of Tennessee and study petroleum and gas.

"It's a one of a kind experience," he said of the IFYR. "It's so competitive."

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