Kathy Grimes Continues Record-Setting Year With Columbia River Circuit Finals Win

Kathy Grimes continued her standout year at the Columbia River Circuit Finals, Nov. 5–7, in Redmond, Oregon. She and KG Just Money, known as “Showie,” claimed the barrel racing average title with a three-run time of 43.84 seconds. While her earnings count towards the 2027 standings, the win adds another major accomplishment to a year that has included multiple rodeo wins and a WPRA standard pattern record.

Grimes started the Circuit Finals with a 14.86-second run to finish second in the first round. She followed with another second-place finish in the second round, stopping the clock in 14.69 seconds. She saved her fastest time for the final round, laying down a 14.29 second-run to not only take the round win and secure the average title, but record the fastest time of the weekend. Megan McLeod-Sprague finished second in the average with 44.22 seconds, followed by Anneliese McCurry at 44.47 and Hailey Garrison Graham at 44.86.

Grimes and Showie have only continued to build momentum throughout 2026. In August, they set a new WPRA standard-pattern record at the Cassia County Fair and Rodeo in Burley, Idaho, with a 16.31-second run. The performance came just weeks after Sydney Graham and Dupont First had set the previous record at 16.49 seconds in Heber City, Utah.

She now sets her sights on her second NFR in a few weeks, where she currently sits 13th in the world standings with $135,261 in earnings.

The Columbia River Circuit Finals also crowned champions in the other events. Colton Clemens won the bareback riding average with 246 points on three head, while Kaden Greenfield claimed the steer wrestling title with a 12.1-second average. Clayton and Chase Hansen won the team roping average with a three-head time of 18.0 seconds, and Jace Angus took the saddle bronc riding title with 241 points. Joel Harris won the tie-down roping average in 23.4 seconds, Dawson McGinn claimed the steer roping title in 42.1 seconds, Roscoe Jarboe won the bull riding average with 256 points, and Shelby McDonald took the breakaway roping title in 21.0 seconds.

There's no doubt that Grimes and Showie have made 2026 a year to remember. If this year has been any indication of how they may perform at the Thomas and Mack, we could see major moves in the world standings race, and maybe another arena record in the process.

NFR season is almost here! Stay tuned with Rodeo Roundtable as we bring you full coverage of the Super Bowl of Rodeo December 3–12, 2026.